Design and Construction
The hull has a 29-foot-10-inch waterline and an 11-foot-6-inch beam. Its lead-ballasted fin-keel configuration displaces 15,432 pounds.
Construction is hand-laid fibreglass, with a balsa sandwich above the waterline. The hull remains solid where the shrouds and stays attach, a sensible concession to rig loads that avoids the soft-core failure points found in some all-sandwich hulls. Integral longitudinal and transverse beams add stiffness below, while the structural bulkheads are hand-bonded to the hull rather than merely tabbed.
The lead keel is bolted to a moulded hull extension with eight 24 mm stainless bolts. The skeg-hung rudder has an 86 mm stainless shaft and internal strengthening arms.
The deck is also hand-laid GRP with balsa-cored sandwich construction. It’s bonded to the hull with hand-laid GRP over the join. Teak caps the raised bulwarks, while 11 mm solid teak covers the cockpit seats and sole.
These choices place the Degerö firmly at the robust end of the 1980s Nordic cruiser tradition. The capsize screening value of 1.84 and Motion Comfort Ratio of 29.0 describe a boat that handles rough water without pitching itself to pieces. A displacement-length ratio of 259 places her among what one review called “moderate racers”—quick enough to sail well and heavy enough to look after a crew.
Rig, Steering, and Handling
The 35 S is a masthead sloop with a Selden aluminium, through-deck, double-spreader mast and internal halyards. It’s paired with a Selden boom and gas-sprung rod kicker.
Sail-handling equipment includes a Furlex headsail furling system, two Lewmar 40-equivalent halyard winches on the coachroof, and two Lewmar 48-equivalent genoa winches in the cockpit. The fully battened mainsail has two single-line slab reefs. A pair of 32 mm genoa tracks with cars and an adjustable mainsail car complete a clean, workmanlike control layout that makes short-handed handling straightforward.
Steering runs from a stainless wheel on a pedestal to the skeg-supported rudder. Its shaft turns in stainless bearings fitted with Delrin glide pieces.
With a sail-area-displacement ratio of 17.58 and a theoretical hull speed near 7.3 knots, the Degerö is no rocket, but she’ll hold her own in a breeze. Her immersion rate of about 213 kg/cm means she sinks meaningfully under load, so crew numbers and provisioning choices visibly affect trim.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The spacious, self-draining cockpit has deep stowage, teak seats, and a teak sole.
Below, the companionway opens beside a port-side galley running along the hull. It includes a gimballed two-burner gas cooker with oven, set into a laminate counter, with Corian available as an option. There are twin stainless sinks, hot and cold pressurized water, a foot-pump seawater rinse, and a cold box prepared for a fridge. A hinged extension provides extra work surface.
Opposite, to starboard, the chart table has space for navigation instruments. The door to the double aft cabin is tucked beneath the cockpit. Saloon headroom exceeds 1.9 metres, and the settees can seat up to six.
Forward, the V-berth forms a double and has generous stowage. Its opening hatch also serves as an emergency exit. The aft cabin includes a hanging locker, a storage locker, and bins beneath the berth.
The heads has a hand-pump marine toilet and a 60-litre holding tank, which can be discharged through a separate pump or a deck fitting. The shower compartment has its own tray, pump, basin, and wet locker.
Satin-varnished Burmese teak and teak-faced plywood are standard inside, with mahogany optional. Teak-and-holly floorboards run underfoot, and through-buttoned cushions with knee rolls complete a cabin that feels considered rather than catalogued.
Known Issues
The balsa-cored sandwich construction above the waterline and in the deck is the one structural vulnerability worth naming. Any breach in the gelcoat—at a stanchion base, winch bolt, or hatch frame, for example—can admit water into the core, where it may sit and rot the balsa from within.
Because the hull is solid only at the rigging attachments and the deck is fully cored, owners must watch for soft spots, especially around the deck hardware and through-hull fittings. The cored construction demands disciplined maintenance of every penetration.
The skeg-hung rudder and its stainless shaft are robust as described, but the Delrin glide pieces in the bearings are wear items over decades of service.
The Verdict
The Degerö 35 S is a thoughtfully engineered Nordic cruiser that balances stiffness, comfort, and manageable sail handling. Her construction is serious where it counts, her accommodations are genuinely liveable for a 35-footer, and her numbers suggest a boat that will look after a family on long passages.
The cored deck and topsides provide lightness and insulation, but they demand careful ownership in return.
Pros
- Hand-laid hull, solid at rigging load points, with integral beams and bonded bulkheads
- Skeg-hung rudder on an 86 mm stainless shaft with strengthening arms
- Spacious, self-draining cockpit with deep stowage and a teak sole
- Liveable two-cabin layout with more than 1.9 m of saloon headroom and a proper seagoing galley
- CE A certification for eight persons
Cons
- Balsa-cored deck and topsides are vulnerable to water intrusion at any penetration
- Delrin rudder-bearing glide pieces are long-term wear items
- Immersion rate means a noticeable change in trim under load
