Design and Construction
The Saga 35’s signature feature is its narrow waterline beam and plumb ends. Together, they produce a remarkable 34 feet of effective dynamic waterline from a static LWL of 33 feet and change. Saga called this its “MAX-Waterline” hull.
Deep, stable canoe sections run from bow to stern. The bow flares as it rises to meet the deck, while the beam carried along the 34-foot waterline still leaves the hull slender by modern standards.
Construction is conventional hand-laid fiberglass around a Baltek balsa core. An ISO-NPG gelcoat helps resist osmotic blistering, backed by two layers of glass and vinylester, with polyester in the remaining plies. The core tapers to solid glass at every through-hull and hardware attachment. Bulkheads and furniture are tabbed to both hull and deck for monocoque integrity, and an elaborate reinforced E-glass subfloor grid carries the rig and keel loads.
The hull-deck joint follows a solid-glass inward flange. There’s no teak or other wood outside—only two-tone, diamond-pattern non-skid and stainless grab rails running the length of the coach house.
Rig and Handling
Perry gave the Saga 35 an unconventional double-head arrangement that Saga markets as the Variable Geometry Rig. Two masthead forestays lead forward: one to the stemhead and the other to the end of a formidable stainless-steel bowsprit. They carry a self-tacking 100-percent upwind blade and an overlapping reaching genoa.
The genoa and jib each have their own roller-furling stay as standard, but they aren’t intended to be flown together like a cutter’s headsails. The self-tacking jib allows the boat to tack upwind without touching the sheets. A Tides Marine luff track lets the mainsail drop in less than two seconds.
The mast stands well forward, around station 3, which opens up the cabin. Combined with the long, narrow hull, this arrangement gives the boat notable tracking ability and a responsive Whitlock helm with a tiller-like feel. Test sailors reported a tight turning radius under both power and sail, along with quick acceleration in small puffs. With a 130-percent genoa set from the tip of the bowsprit, the effect is more like having a 140-percent sail up front.
Accommodations
Below, varnished cherry woodwork and ash-strip hull lining create a luxurious feel without departing from the boat’s cruising purpose.
The owner’s cabin forward has a 52-inch-wide berth set obliquely to starboard. It measures from 6'4" to 7'6" long and is accompanied by deep shelves, a cedar hanging locker, and a small cushioned bench. The head serves both the forward berth and the saloon.
The smaller aft cabin is to starboard. Its bunk lies largely beneath the cockpit sole, though there’s standing headroom forward of it, as well as two cedar-lined lockers.
In the saloon, the longitudinal settees have gently raked backs. The U-shaped galley to port includes a three-burner stove, an optional fridge/freezer with a lip-wrapped lid, standard hot-and-cold pressure water, a foot pump, and a chef’s belt for cooking offshore. A dedicated navigation station sits at the end of the starboard settee.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The beam narrows very little aft of midships, creating a roomy cockpit. Beneath it is a five-and-a-half-foot-deep lazarette, reached by steps.
Harken gear is used throughout. The genoa winches sit aft beside the cockpit, while two more winches are mounted on the coach roof with Spinlock stoppers. Rope lockers are recessed into the coaming.
A flip-up seat panel opens the walk-through transom. The boat’s 28-inch lifelines exceed the 24-inch norm, and harness padeyes are fitted. A propane locker to port of the helm holds two 20-pound tanks; to starboard, a vented locker carries a gasoline can.
The test boat had a 38-horsepower Yanmar and an optional folding propeller. The engine can be lifted out without cutting any structural components.
Known Issues
The builder acknowledged that the aft cabin had poor natural light and reported that later boats would receive a port in the cockpit side to remedy it. No other structural or systemic defects appear in the reviewed material.
Verdict
The Saga 35 is a thoughtfully engineered passage-maker that trades racing pretensions for offshore capability and easy short-handed handling. Its forward mast, purpose-built twin jibs, and MAX-Waterline hull provide a combination of speed and balance that few 35-footers match. Below, the cherry interior and deep storage are well suited to a cruising couple.
The main caveat is the original aft cabin’s dimness, which was corrected on later hulls.
Pros
- Slender, plumb-ended hull with a 34-foot effective waterline and strong tracking
- Variable Geometry Rig allows self-tacking upwind sailing and quick mainsail drops
- Solid balsa-cored construction with tapered solid-glass zones around hardware
- Roomy cockpit, deep lazarette, and generous tankage for the boat’s size
Cons
- Early aft cabins lacked sufficient natural light until a cockpit port was added
