The boat reflects the larger cruising character that Ellis brought to the marque. It was engineered less for the racecourse than for extended coastal and offshore passages, with hull and deck construction that has earned a quiet reputation for toughness.
Design and Construction
Below the waterline, a semibalanced spade rudder works with a longish rather than deep keel. Practical Sailor describes it as a long “cruising fin” with no skeg supporting the balanced rudder.
The keel is massively faired into the hull and incorporates a substantial sump. External lead ballast is bolted to that reinforced sump, giving the 14,000-pound boat 5,500 pounds of lead ballast and a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 39 percent.
The hull and deck are balsa-cored fiberglass, with unidirectional rovings in the layup. All structural bulkheads are bonded to the hull. The hull is semicored and needs monitoring, though Niagara 35s are not known to have blister problems.
A Cruising World owner described striking a rock unexpectedly in poorly charted Georgian Bay. The incident convinced him that Hinterhoeller had built a tough boat: no water entered, and the only visible damage was mangled lead on the keel’s leading edge.
Rig, Deck, and Handling
A short bowsprit extends the foretriangle and carries double anchor rollers. A rod bobstay makes anchor carriage easy. The keel-stepped, single-spreader rig is firmly supported by double lowers.
Later boats came with an inner forestay on the large, secure foredeck. Many older boats have also been retrofitted with one after being duly reinforced. Jibs can be sheeted either to an aluminum toerail on the bulwark or to an inner track on the wide side decks. The mainsheet traveler is mounted out of the way on the coachroof.
A bridgedeck helps protect the companionway, while the raised bulwarks offer a greater sense of security than a simple toerail. Owners also cite the high bow and four-inch bulwarks for helping keep the cockpit dry. The cockpit seats have high backs and are long enough to stretch out on, with deep lockers beneath.
Owners describe the Niagara 35 as stable and stiff under sail. One reported putting the rail in the water only once, while beating down Lake Huron in 20 knots. The boat tracks and maneuvers well overall, although some owners say her off-wind tracking isn’t as good as it could be.
Her relatively small sailplan is better suited to breezy conditions and offshore work than to light-air racing. Upwind progress depends heavily on sail trim and choosing the right sail combinations. Practical Sailor notes that the Niagara 35 is neither as fast nor as closewinded as the Niagara 31. Owners, however, say the 35 cuts through seas better and rate her handling above average overall.
Accommodations
The Niagara 35 was offered with two distinct interiors. In the original Classic layout, the forepeak is devoted to stowage and includes a workbench, shelves, a seat, and lockers. The settees and drop-leaf table are farther forward than usual, while the head and owner’s stateroom are aft. The stateroom has both a double and a single berth.
The later Encore provided a conventional arrangement, with a V-berth forward, plus a quarter berth and U-shaped galley aft.
In the configuration described by Cruising World, the companionway leads to an aft cabin with a smallish double berth to port and a quarter berth to starboard. A stand-up navigation station sits atop a large dresser, with doors leading to both the head and galley. The saloon is largely forward of the mast, offers more than six feet of headroom, and provides sightlines along the full length of the boat when the doors are open.
It’s an unusual but intelligent interior for a couple planning extended coastal cruising. Finish details include oiled teak bulkheads and joinerwork, a teak sole, and a teak inlay in the molded overhead.
Systems and Equipment
The engine is behind the companionway stairs and is more accessible than the machinery on many boats of this size. That’s a practical advantage when servicing the various powerplants installed over the production run.
A drained and vented propane locker aft holds two 20-pound tanks. In the bow, a deep chain box sits low in the hull and can be divided to separate chain from rode.
Period equipment included Barient winches, or Lewmar winches on later boats, along with Navtec rod rigging and Atkins & Hoyle hatches. A Paloma instantaneous LPG water heater was optional and was universally liked by those who bought one.
Known Issues
Older boats should be checked for water saturation in the balsa-cored deck around fittings. Because the core is present in both hull and deck, the semicored hull needs monitoring as well, although blistering is not a known affliction of the class.
These are the only documented structural watch points. The reinforced sump and bolted external ballast have shown themselves capable of absorbing groundings without flooding.
The Verdict
The Niagara 35 is a thoughtfully engineered Canadian cruiser that trades outright speed for seakeeping, structural honesty, and an intelligent liveaboard interior. She rewards careful sail selection and offers a secure, dry cockpit along with accessible machinery that can ease inevitable refit work.
Pros
- Tough balsa-cored hull, reinforced sump, and external lead ballast; one documented grounding caused no flooding
- Stable, stiff sailing characteristics and above-average handling, according to owners
- Secure bridgedeck, raised bulwarks, and a dry cockpit
- Two intelligent interior layouts, with good sightlines, a stand-up navigation station, and deep cockpit lockers
- Engine access that is better than on many boats of this size
Cons
- Smaller sailplan and wide sheeting angles limit closewinded performance compared with sharper designs
- Balsa-cored deck and semicored hull require monitoring for water saturation around fittings
- Some owners consider the off-wind tracking less than ideal
