Design and Intended Use
This is a performance multihull, not a cruising platform. Although it belongs to the 35-foot class, its hull measures 46 feet overall. It has a 20.67-foot beam and a 35.5-foot waterline, supporting a hull speed of just under eight knots.
The Decision 35 was designed expressly for Swiss lake sailing, where steady breezes are often light and a responsive, easily driven hull matters more than offshore range. Schmidt’s approach produced a monster of a boat that doesn’t need foils to be exciting or deliver high performance, as Multihulls World found.
Its one-design format keeps the fleet closely matched and places the emphasis on crew skill rather than an equipment arms race.
Construction and Configuration
Decision SA built the hulls and deck in solid fiberglass. The catamaran has spade rudders and daggerboard keels, with a maximum board-down draft of 10.08 feet. That draft places the boat firmly in lake and inshore territory rather than shallow cruising grounds.
Weight and Sail Plan
The numbers describe a stripped-out racing machine. Ready to sail, the Decision 35 weighs just 1,200 kg, while maximum crew weight is capped at 456 kg. That tight limit demands disciplined loading.
Downwind sail area reaches 212 m²—an enormous amount of cloth for the boat’s displacement and a clear indication of how it is meant to be driven. With a fractional sloop rig and daggerboards, the Decision 35 is built to accelerate, not carry provisions. It makes no pretense of being a voyager; this is a lake racer with a massive sail-to-weight ratio.
Racing Life and Handling
The one-design class has raced actively since at least 2005, when the Decision 35 “Alinghi,” helmed by two-time America’s Cup winner Ernesto Bertarelli, held a front-running position on the circuit. By 2017, the circuit comprised eight events and eight particularly sharp teams—a small but committed fleet.
On the water, the boat demands respect. In winds ranging from 5 to 20 knots, the race committee has insisted that crews take in one reef, showing that even in modest air there’s enough power to require depowering.
The Verdict
The Decision 35 is a focused one-design catamaran that delivers foiling-class excitement without foils. Its low weight and sail area reward fit, attentive crews. This is a specialist lake racer rather than a general-purpose cruiser, and its value lies in the closely matched class racing and the thrill of its acceleration.
Pros
- Exceptional power-to-weight ratio, with a ready-to-sail weight of 1,200 kg and 212 m² of downwind sail
- High performance without foils, according to Multihulls World
- Active one-design racing since at least 2005, with a defined circuit
Cons
- Strictly a light-air lake racer, not suited to offshore or cruising use
- Maximum crew weight of 456 kg restricts onboard capacity
- Requires reefing even in 5–20 knots of breeze, demanding active handling
