Design and Construction
Both the hull and deck are solid fiberglass. The boat draws between 6.36 and 6.66 feet depending on load, limiting her to major marinas and deeper harbors.
Her proportions are moderate, with a length-to-beam ratio of 3.01 and a ballast ratio of 36 percent. Wetted surface is near 387 square feet, while the immersion rate is about 244 kg/cm. These figures describe a hull that settles heavily under stowage rather than one that floats lightly.
At 13,200 pounds, the Friendship 35 has a capsize screening value of 1.84. That falls within the range in which the formula alone would admit her to offshore consideration, though the index offers only one perspective on the boat.
Rig, Machinery, and Handling
The Friendship 35 is a fractional sloop with 771 square feet of total sail area. Her relative speed performance index is 58, putting her firmly in the steady-cruiser camp rather than marking her as a lively racer. Her moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio likewise favors passage-making over speed.
The standing and running gear is plainly specified. Jib and genoa sheets are 34.4 feet long, the mainsheet is 86 feet, and the spinnaker sheet is 75.6 feet; all are specified as both half-inch diameter and 12 mm.
A shaft-drive transmission sits behind the single engine, a conventional arrangement for the class and era.
Accommodations
Below, the Friendship 35 has seven berths. That count reflects a layout intended for family cruising or a full crew rather than a minimalist couple’s boat. Her 11.5-foot beam gives the interior its width.
The boat’s 1980 production start also places her in Friendship’s earlier solid-glass generation, before the yard moved to later sandwich-construction models.
The Verdict
The Friendship 35 is a straightforward, moderately proportioned solid-fiberglass cruiser. Designed by Koos de Ridder and built by Jachtwerf Meijer from 1980, she combines seven berths with a lead-ballasted fin keel and conventional shaft drive.
She is suited to coastal and modest offshore use, but her 6.36–6.66-foot draft keeps her to deeper harbors and limits marina access.
Pros
- Solid-fiberglass hull and deck
- Lead-ballasted fin keel with a 36 percent ballast ratio
- Seven berths for cruising crews
- Conventional shaft-drive transmission
Cons
- Draft of 6.36–6.66 feet limits marina access
- Moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio favors passage-making over speed
