Saga 35 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The Saga 35's signature is its narrow waterline beam with plumb ends that yield a remarkable 34 feet of effective dynamic waterline on a 33-foot-odd static LWL, a hullform Saga labeled their "MAX-Waterline" hull. Deep, stable canoe sections run bow to stern, and the bow flares as it rises to meet the deck, while the beam carried over the length of the 34-foot waterline keeps the hull slender by modern standards. The structure is conventional hand-laid fiberglass around Baltek balsa core, with an ISO-NPG gelcoat applied for resistance to osmotic blistering, two layers of glass and vinylester behind it, and polyester in the remaining plies. Coring tapers to solid glass at every through-hull and hardware attachment, bulkheads and furniture are tabbed to hull and deck for monocoque integrity, and an elaborate reinforced E-glass subfloor grid accepts rig and keel loads. The hull-deck joint runs along a solid-glass inward flange, and there is no teak or wood on the exterior—just a two-tone diamond-pattern non-skid and stainless grab rails the length of the coach house.

Rig and Handling

Perry gave the 35 an unorthodox double-head arrangement Saga markets as the Variable Geometry Rig: two masthead forestays, one to the stemhead and one to the end of a formidable stainless bowsprit, carrying a self-tacking 100-percent upwind blade and an overlapping reaching genoa. The genoa and jib each ride their own roller-furling stay as standard, and they are not meant to be flown together like a cutter's. With the self-tacking jib you can tack upwind without touching sheets, and the main drops in under two seconds from a Tides Marine luff track. The mainmast sits well forward around station 3, opening the cabin, and the long narrow hull gives the boat notable tracking ability and a responsive Whitlock helm with tiller-like feel. Test sailors found tight turning radius under power and sail, quick acceleration in small puffs, and with a 130-percent genoa on the bowsprit tip it is more like having a 140-percent sail up front.

Accommodations

Below, varnished cherry woodwork and ash-strip hull lining give a luxurious feel without straying from the cruising brief. The owner's cabin forward holds a 52-inch-wide berth obliquely set to starboard, 6'4" to 7'6" long, with deep shelves and a cedar hanging locker; a small cushioned bench sits beside it. The head serves both the V-berth and the saloon. Aft, the smaller starboard-side cabin tucks its bunk largely under the cockpit sole yet offers standing headroom forward of it and two cedar-lined lockers. The saloon's longitudinal settees have gently raked backs, and the U-shaped galley to port carries a three-burner stove, optional fridge/freezer with a lip-wrapped lid, standard hot/cold pressure water plus a foot pump, and a chef's belt for offshore cooking. A dedicated nav station ends the starboard settee.

Cockpit and Deck Gear

Aft of midships the beam barely narrows, producing a roomy cockpit with a five-and-a-half-foot-deep lazarette accessed by steps. Harken gear is throughout; genoa winches sit aft beside the cockpit, two more on the coach roof with Spinlock stoppers, and rope lockers hide in the coaming. A flip-up seat panel yields a walk-through transom, 28-inch lifelines exceed the 24-inch norm, and harness padeyes are fitted. To port of the helm a propane locker takes two 20-pound tanks; to starboard a vented locker carries a gasoline can. The test boat carried a 38-horsepower Yanmar with optional folding prop, and the engine can be lifted out without structural cuts.

Known Issues

The aft cabin's weak natural light was acknowledged by the builder, who reported that later boats would gain a port in the cockpit side to remedy it. No other structural or systemic defects appear in the reviewed material.

The Verdict

The Saga 35 is a thoughtfully engineered passage-maker that trades racing pretense for real offshore capability and easy short-handed handling. Its forward mast, purpose-built twin jibs, and MAX-Waterline hull deliver speed and balance few 35-footers match, while the cherry interior and deep storage suit a cruising couple. The chief caveat is the original aft cabin's dimness, corrected on later hulls.

Pros