Nauticat 35 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The hull is solid fiberglass with a moderate fin keel carrying external lead ballast, and a partial-skeg rudder with a pronounced leading-edge fillet. Decks and superstructure are cored fiberglass composites. Siltala's hand-laminated, solid GRP single-skin hulls below the sheerline avoid foam or balsa coring in the laminate, and the raised quarterdeck gives the boat a wedge-like profile that begins high all the way aft, with a flat sheerline that pulls the eye upward. From the bow, enough rake to the house sides produces a clean, trim look, and a broad wale-stripe, cove-stripe, and double boot-stripe draw the boat out visually while down-playing the freeboard height. The low wedge trunk forward of the pilothouse is low enough to provide an essentially flush deck work area, and the big pilothouse windows are made to look even larger by careful stainless frame detail. Even with those large windows, numerous opening hatches, and ports, leaks are rare on these boats.

Rig and Handling

Most Nauticat 35s were rigged as sloops, with a mast carrying double spreaders and fore-and-aft lowers, and a rigid vang providing mid-boom sheeting while helping keep the boom down. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.3 using the number-two genoa, though calculated on 100% of the foretriangle it falls below 15. Some owners have added an inner forestay for a second headsail. Under power, the builder lists eight knots with a solid three-blade prop from the 43-horsepower Volvo with a 2.4-to-1 reduction gear, and the boat carries a documented range of more than 500 miles under power. Steering is hydraulic via Teleflex/Capilano; period testers noted that despite sailing valves, the near-eliminated feel takes some getting used to. The easily driven hull and low-aspect fin keel with balanced partial-skeg rudder make for a manageable underbody, and two draft options — 4'8" or 5'6" — let owners choose shoal or deeper configuration.

Accommodations

Inside, the Nauticat 35 is laid out for comfortable cruising by two couples. Entering from the cockpit you land in the main saloon with a large U-shaped dinette to port, engine access below the cabin sole, and an inside steering station to starboard with excellent forward and side visibility. The dinette is raised for better sightlines through the pilothouse windows, and the raised settee seats four in comfort or six in a squeeze. Forward, the galley sits to starboard with a nicely laid-out counter and a refrigerator that is both top- and front-loading; a second head is to port and a V-berth stateroom occupies the bow, though the galley counter cuts off the front of the starboard berth. A starboard door from the saloon leads to the aft master stateroom with a double berth and small head. Two small heads total, and the interior joiner work is excellent throughout. The cockpit itself, perched above the raised quarterdeck, is less kind: seats are narrow, backs too low, and they end at the steering pedestal so the helmsperson gets no back support.

Known Issues

The hydraulic steering eliminates rudder feedback to a degree that demands an adjustment period for sailors used to mechanical feel. The outdoor cockpit is compromised for comfort by narrow seats and absent helm backrests. And the starboard V-berth is partially obstructed by the galley counter forward. None of these are structural; leaks from the extensive glazing are reported as rare.

Refits and Ownership

Service access is better than most production boats, with the engine reachable below the saloon sole and the 106-gallon fuel tanks flanking the engine for centered weight. The 132 gallons of water tankage supports extended stays. Owners shopping a used example will find the in-house design a small version of the S&S 43, and the solid-hull/cored-deck construction a robust cruising platform. The builder's own "Pilothouse Sailing Yacht" label fits a boat aimed at cruisers who prize interior volume over classic styling.

The Verdict

The Nauticat 35 is a purposeful pilothouse cruiser that trades racing sparkle for sheltered volume and a rare combination of inside and outside steering. She is roomy, well-built in the Siltala tradition, with a flush foredeck workspace and a practical two-couple layout. The compromises are an awkward outdoor cockpit and a hydraulic helm that feels disconnected, but for the niche she targets she remains a considered choice.

Pros