Design and Construction
The 35 is a centerboard trimaran with a solid fiberglass deck and hull, a spade rudder, and a fractional sloop rig carried on a mast rising 59 feet above the waterline. The patented Swing Wing folding system lets the amas hinge inwards to meet the center hull, shrinking beam from 8.20 meters to 3.85 meters; when folded aft alongside the hull the package runs about 41 feet long by 13 feet wide and fits a normal-proportions monohull slip. The boat is beachable and can be dried out without harming the folding propeller, and the high-volume floats stow extra sails and even folding bikes. Quorning's modern sandwich construction and Danish-built beams give the structure the stiffness a wide trimaran demands, and the 35's 8,600-pound displacement sits under 9,000 pounds while carrying 37 gallons of water and 21 gallons of diesel.
Rig, Versions, and Handling
The Dragonfly 35 is offered in two versions that differ only in rig and sail size, not in hull or accommodation. The Touring version suits fast cruising; the Ultimate version carries a larger sail plan — about 1,100 square feet in the Ultimate against the 903 square-foot sail area listed in the builder's specifications — and is more challenging, requiring earlier reefing than the Touring boat. All control lines lead back to the cockpit, where wheel steering is standard, so the boat can easily be sailed singlehanded. Multihulls World's test sailors recorded 17 knots off the wind, a figure that underlines why the Ultimate's bigger canvas needs a quicker reefing hand.
Accommodations
The cabin is where the 35 justifies its accommodation-to-performance claim. Full standing headroom runs 1.94 meters, and the layout begins forward with an enclosed V-berth cabin with clothing lockers and standing space, then a full-width head with shower and hanging lockers. The main cabin holds a functional galley with a double-burner stove and oven, ample lockers, and an optional cool box; the big saloon table seats eight for dinner and, because the seating is high, gives a deck-saloon-style view out the windows. A starboard "wet seat" lets you shed foul-weather gear before coming below, and the aft cabin tucked beneath the cockpit floor offers a full-size double berth measuring 2 by 1.5 meters with enough headroom to sit up. Numerous small lockers use a tidy wooden roll-top front, and the optional Classic interior converts the dinette to bunks for a total of seven berths; Cruising World counted six sleeping quarters in the standard layout.
Cockpit and Storage
The cockpit itself is very spacious, and the floats' volume is put to work: beyond sails and folding bikes, an optional feature stows a full-size kayak or surfboard with a one-piece mast in the back of a float. The separate aft engine compartment houses a 30-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel with sail drive, and the boat can be spec'd with electric winches, windlass, and bow thruster to keep deck work light.
The Verdict
The Dragonfly 35 is a thoughtfully executed bridge between monohull comfort and trimaran speed. Its folding beam makes a 27-foot-wide boat slip into a standard berth, and the cabin is roomy enough for eight at dinner yet the Ultimate will touch 17 knots downwind. For a monohull sailor wanting multihull pace without losing a real head or a marina address, few boats in its size range make the case as cleanly.
Pros
- Folds from 8.20 m to 3.85 m beam to fit a normal monohull slip
- Full standing headroom and eight-person saloon in a sub-9,000 lb trimaran
- Singlehanded-friendly with all lines led to the cockpit and wheel steering
- Beachable, dry-out capable, with float stowage for bikes and kayaks
Cons
- Ultimate version needs earlier reefing and is more challenging to sail
- Touring and Ultimate differ only in rig, so comfort seekers sacrifice pace in the smaller sail plan
