Design and Construction
Enderlein, regarded as the leading Swedish designer of elegant yachts of the 1960s, gave the Rasmus 35 a hull length of 34' 6" on a 27' 7" waterline, with a 10-foot beam and a standard draft of 4' 3". The first two hulls were built entirely of mahogany and took a full year each to construct, but from hull number 3 both hull and superstructure were molded in GRP, a change that brought the maintenance burden of the outer shell down to a minimum through the sailing season. The interior, however, remained mahogany—a hardwood noted as water-repellent, decay-resistant, and holding varnish well with an attractive grain. The keel is steel encapsulated in a deep GRP bilge, and the boat is built on a long-keel configuration rather than a fin.
Rig and Handling
The Rasmus 35 is a masthead sloop, a rig chosen for its simplicity and for carrying a given sail area lower and with less heeling moment than a fractional layout. The sail plan with jib measures 485 square feet, and the boat is slightly overrigged relative to similar sailboats. The long keel gives better directional stability than a fin-keeled counterpart, though that same stability makes the boat more difficult to handle in a tight harbour. With a draft of roughly 4' 3" to 4' 6" depending on load, the hull can still tuck into shallow marinas. The capsize screening value of 1.76 would, by that formula alone, admit the design to ocean racing, while the Motion Comfort Ratio of 28.2 places it more comfortable than 62% of comparable designs.
Performance Profile
At 12,125 lbs displacement with a 5,500 lb keel, the Rasmus 35 shows a ballast ratio of 45%, higher than 73% of similar designs and correlated with an above-average ability to resist heeling. Its length-to-beam ratio of 3.44 makes it slimmer than 73% of other designs, and the designer appears to have selected a slightly speedy hull form. The DL-ratio of 249 puts it among "moderate racers," yet as a motorsailer its sail-alone performance is naturally lower than a dedicated sailing yacht, with the SA/D indicating it is faster than only 18% of similar boats in light wind. The theoretical hull speed is 7.0 knots.
Accommodations
The cabin joinery is mahogany throughout, continuing the material theme of the early hulls into the production GRP boats. The windscreen that defines the class shelters the centre cockpit and preserves the yacht's lines, making the aft steering position notably well protected without resorting to bulk.
Power and Engineering
The Rasmus 35 is fitted with a Volvo Penta MD 21 diesel of 45 hp at the crankshaft, a 2.11-litre unit with a powerful engine. Different engine alternatives were offered across the production run. The transport height is 11' 6" with the windscreen in place and 9' 5" without, a consideration for trailering or covered storage.
The Verdict
The Hallberg-Rassy 35 (Rasmus) is a product of its era: a mahogany-trimmed, centre-cockpit motorsailer with a protected helm, a long-keel hull of real directional steadiness, and a build count that speaks to its acceptance in the late-sixties and seventies market. It is not a light-air sprinter, but its ballast and comfort numbers mark it as a settled, seakindly cruiser.
Pros
- First sailing yacht with a windscreen; centre cockpit exceptionally well protected
- Long-keel directional stability; ballast ratio above 73% of similar designs
- GRP hull from hull 3 onward for low seasonal maintenance; mahogany interior
- 760 built over twelve years, a proven and documented production run
Cons
- Long keel makes tight-harbour handling harder than a fin-keeled boat
- Sail-alone light-wind speed below most similar sailboat designs
- Shallow draft and motorsailer form limit pure sailing performance
