At just under 35 feet, she was one of the first centre-cockpit boats of her size to combine an aft cabin with access through the main saloon. The manufacturer described this as the first time a designer had managed to combine, in a 35-foot boat, a walk-through to the aft cabin with spectacularly elegant lines.
Design and Construction
The 352’s hull was hand-laid using generous amounts of fibre and resin, with glassed-in longitudinal stringers adding strength and stiffness. Practical Boat Owner records her as having glassfibre sandwich construction stiffened by longitudinal stringers. The bulkheads and much of the furniture were bonded to the hull and deckhead, further improving the structure’s rigidity.
Below the waterline, she carries a long, encapsulated fin keel containing three tons of cast-iron ballast. A cutaway forward helps with tacking and close-quarters manoeuvring, while a full-depth skeg supports the rudder. The fuel and water tanks sit low in the keel, and the ballast ratio is a healthy 45 percent.
The yard raised the freeboard by a few centimetres in 1980 to improve headroom in the walk-through and aft cabin. Around 1986, it was raised again by only some centimetres to provide still more volume and headroom below deck.
Rig, Sailing and Handling
The 352 was offered with standard and tall rigs. The standard rig is identified by its single spreader, while the tall rig has double spreaders. Boats fitted with in-mast furling automatically received the tall rig.
Early models had a relatively conservative sailplan. A taller mast with twin spreaders was offered to owners wanting more sail power and eventually became the default choice for most buyers.
A Yachting Monthly tester found that the traditional, very stout masthead rig carried a full complement of oversized standing rigging. The primary sail controls are within easy reach of the wheel, making the boat easy to single-hand, although standard reefing requires a trip to the mast unless the system has been upgraded.
The same reviewer described the 352’s performance as steady, undramatic and thoroughly sea-kindly. Her generous displacement helps maintain passage times because she refuses to be knocked off a wave, while the full keel produces little leeway and gives superb directional stability.
Close-quarters handling is less straightforward. Visibility beneath the large genoa is nil, and manoeuvring into tight spaces isn’t the boat’s strongest suit. Her long keel, big rudder and copious prop walk combine to make docking interesting, so practice is required.
Accommodation
Inside, the hardwoods and matching grained veneers were so well varnished from the outset that many interiors have remained in top condition with only light, routine polishing.
The layout is simple and practical at sea. Immediately to starboard is a proper, seagoing U-shaped galley. It isn’t huge, but it has plenty of accessible lockers and space for a full-size cooker. Opposite, a forward-facing navigation station provides an Admiralty-sized chart table.
The corridor to the aft cabin begins behind the navigation area. It requires ducking in every model, and headroom was particularly poor in early boats. The increases in freeboard helped only partly: the walk-through still doesn’t offer full standing headroom. The aft cabin itself is roomy, with two berths, one of which is large enough to serve as a reasonable double.
Forward, the heads are a reasonable size, with enough space to shower with the door closed. When the saloon door is shut, the compartment is effectively en suite to the comfortable forecabin and its good-sized vee-berth.
In the saloon, six people can eat comfortably around the large drop-leaf table. The long, straight settees also make excellent sea berths.
Production Changes and Variants
The 352 was progressively improved throughout its production run. In 1984–85, the yard improved the galley work area and cockpit-locker drain, made the entrance ladder separate, and moved the spring cleats to the top of the teak toe rail. Around 1986, the saloon skylight was enlarged to admit more natural light, and the locker doors became louvered.
A very small number of boats were built with a hardtop and deeper cockpit. This arrangement sacrificed the below-deck walk-through, leaving the aft cabin accessible only from the cockpit.
Engine installations also changed over time. The Volvo Penta MD21 was replaced by the 2003 Turbo after the MD21 ceased in late 1984. A few later hulls received the larger MD22.
Known Issues
Many 352s were ordered with teak decks, which are a recognised drawback for many owners. Early models also lacked bookshelves at the navigation station.
Headroom in the aft-cabin corridor improved during production but never reached full standing height. Forward visibility remains nil beneath the large genoa, and the boat’s close-quarters handling takes practice because of the combined effects of the long keel, large rudder and substantial prop walk.
Refits and Ownership
The design has demonstrated notable endurance. Hallberg-Rassy 352 No. 125 finished second in its ARC class in 2018, despite being the smallest and oldest boat in the fleet.
The Verdict
The Hallberg-Rassy 352 is a thoughtfully engineered small cruiser that brought big-boat comfort to a moderate size and price. Writing in Yachting Monthly, a reviewer described her not as a racer but as a steady passage-maker. Later hulls improved on the early boats’ headroom shortcomings while retaining the sea-kindly manners that define the design.
Pros
- Walk-through aft-cabin arrangement in a 35-foot centre-cockpit hull—a genuine design first
- Strong, stiff hull structure, with bonded bulkheads and low-mounted tankage for stability
- Sea-kindly and directionally stable, with excellent passage-keeping displacement according to Yachting Monthly
- Progressive factory improvements throughout the 14-year production run
Cons
- Teak decks fitted to many boats are a recognised drawback for owners
- The walk-through never provides full standing headroom
- Close-quarters manoeuvring takes practice because of the keel, rudder and prop walk
- Early navigation stations lacked bookshelves
- The genoa blocks forward visibility
