Design and Construction
At 35'9" overall with an 11'3" beam, the Najad 355 displaces 13,669 lbs and carries 5,604 lbs of ballast. Its hull has a flat underbody and fine entry, flaring gracefully into a moderately wide beam. Below the waterline, a cast-iron fin ends in a modern lead bulb, while a balanced spade rudder is linked to the wheel by rack-and-pinion gears and a chain loop, completing the underwater foil set.
The vacuum-bagged, resin-infused epoxy hull has a closed-cell core extending upward from just below the turn of the bilge. Najad also laminates Divinycell foam into the deck. A fixed windshield and teak deck create a familiar Scandinavian look, though the 355 appears sleeker than many offshore cruisers of its size.
A molded gutter leads to internal deck drains. This keeps spray from standing on the teak and from running down to stain the topsides. The side decks are easy to navigate, with excellent antiskid underfoot.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The sail controls lead neatly to the cockpit, allowing the crew to hoist sails from the helm and reach the control lines easily. Test sailors found sail trim straightforward for a singlehander or shorthanded crew, with light loads on the genoa cars.
The hull form is quite slick, and the boat seems to coast forever. It consistently returned better than half the wind velocity in speed through the water. In 5 to 6 knots of breeze off Annapolis, the wheel provided excellent feedback without turbulence or sloppiness. Its gearing ratio suited easy control, and the turning circle measured about half a boatlength.
Under power, a 28-hp Volvo Penta D1-305 saildrive and standard folding three-blade prop drove the boat to its 7.5-knot hull speed at full throttle. At a 1,900-RPM cruising speed, it made 6.8 knots and remained quiet below.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
Beside the companionway is what many owners call the “dashboard.” Najad calls it the chart table, distinguishing it from the navigation station below. It holds cruising necessities beneath a translucent skylight.
Excellent grabrails on the windshield lead to further rails on the cabintop; all are well sized and spaced. The mooring cleats are huge. Mooring lines, a spare anchor, and fenders come as standard equipment, as does a heating system.
The electronic throttle lever clicks into forward, neutral, and reverse with fingertip pressure. All tanks are stainless steel, and the fuel tank has a pumpout at the bottom so accumulated sludge can be removed.
Accommodations
The interior is beautifully finished in African mahogany, balanced by enough fabric and white surfaces to keep it welcoming. The traditional saloon has two settees facing a square table. Both settees expand into full-width berths.
Alongside is an L-shaped galley with self-closing drawers, elegantly made with unusual mitered joints. The head compartment is large for a boat of this length, and a separate wet locker provides space for foul-weather gear.
In the forward cabin, the V-berth remains wide enough at the bow to reduce foot interference between sleeping partners. It’s set high, however, so getting in and out requires some climbing. The aft-cabin berth is queen-size and nearly square, with unusually good headroom for a boat this size.
Ventilation slots at the tops of the hanging lockers help prevent mildew. Headroom measures 6'5" in the saloon and 6' in the cabins.
The Verdict
The Najad 355 is a thoughtfully modern offshore cruiser. It exchanges the lumbering presence of older Nordic boats for a slick, easily handled hull without giving up cabin comfort or ocean-rated construction. It should suit a couple or small family who want to sail shorthanded while retaining a polished interior for entertaining.
Pros
- Resin-infused cored hull and foam-cored deck
- Lead-bulb fin and balanced spade rudder
- Sail handling from the helm, with lightly loaded controls suited to shorthanded crews
- Quiet, efficient Volvo Penta saildrive that reaches hull speed at full throttle
- Traditional yet spacious interior, including a queen-size aft berth and large head
- CE Category A (Ocean) certification
- Stainless steel tanks and standard heating
Cons
- High forward V-berth requires some climbing to get in and out
- Teak deck requires ongoing maintenance to preserve the molded drainage scheme
