Design and Construction
Fiskars built the early Finnsailer 35 with hand-laid solid fiberglass throughout the hull and superstructure, using no balsa, foam, or other core materials, and the work was certified by on-site Lloyd's Register inspectors. This heavy, uncored construction is the physical basis for Yachting Monthly's flat assessment that she is well built anchor. At 13,700 lb displacement with 4,000 lb of iron ballast in a long-keel configuration, she carries a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 29 percent and a comfort ratio of about 31, figures that place her firmly among steady, weighty cruisers rather than light racers. Her 35-foot length, 10-foot-3-inch beam, and shallow 3-foot-8-inch draft reflect the pilot-boat parentage and a boat meant more for sheltered-water motor-sailing than offshore surfing.
Rig and Handling
The Finnsailer 35 sits well toward the motor end of the motorsailer spectrum, a character confirmed by her modest sail area of 360 square feet on a masthead-sloop rig and a displacement-length ratio above 240. Yachting Monthly noted that her simple rig gives reasonable sailing performance off the wind anchor, which is to say she is no lightweight performer close-hauled but will move acceptably when reaching or running. The 75-horsepower Perkins 4236 diesel and 80-gallon fuel capacity underline where the design's emphasis lies: with mechanical propulsion she can maintain passage-making independence that the sail plan alone would not provide.
Accommodations
Below, the Finnsailer 35 provides five or six berths, a count that speaks to a cabin layout arranged for a family or two couples rather than stripped racing. The 150-gallon water capacity supports extended stays, and the solid-fiberglass structure gives quiet, robust interior boundaries. When she was relaunched as the 36 in the late 1970s, the design gained an after cabin and better sailing performance, which helps explain why the 35's accommodation is more open-plan and motor-oriented by comparison.
The Verdict
The Finnsailer 35 is a honest, heavily built Baltic-derived motorsailer from Fiskars' pioneering fiberglass era. She rewards owners who value structural simplicity and motoring range over sailing agility, and her pilot-boat roots give her a recognizable working-cruiser demeanor. The later 36 addressed her weakest sailing traits, but the 35 remains a sensible, undemanding coastal passagemaker.
Pros
- Hand-laid solid fiberglass hull and deck, Lloyd's-certified, with no core to degrade
- Shallow 3-foot-8-inch draft eases sheltered-water and drying-berth use
- Generous 80-gallon fuel and 150-gallon water capacity for self-sufficient cruising
- Five or six berths suit family or two-couple living
Cons
- Limited close-winded sail performance from the simple rig and modest sail area
- Simple rig and 360 sq ft sail area leave her sluggish on the wind
- Superseded by the 36 with after cabin and improved sailing ability
