Design and Construction
The Sagitta 35 carries 10,210 pounds of displacement over a 25.5-foot waterline, with 5,710 pounds of lead on a 55.93 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio and a 10-foot beam fin with rudder on skeg. Those figures place her firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser camp: the displacement-to-length ratio of roughly 275 and a comfort ratio near 26 describe a boat that carries her weight with composure rather than chasing sprint speed. The hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the capsize screening value of 1.84 marks her as a conventionally seaworthy coastal-and-offshore candidate for her era. Bianca's purchase of Sagitta in early 1973 did not alter the model's run; the 35 was built to 1976 under the same drawing.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop she carries 516 square feet of sail area, split between a roughly 215-square-foot mainsail and a 302-square-foot foretriangle, on an I of 13.41 m and J of 4.18 m masthead sloop. The resulting sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.60 and an S# of 2.00 put her in the moderate-performance band — quick enough to make passages without demanding a race crew. A 6.77-knot hull-speed ceiling and 911 pounds per inch of immersion tell the practical story: she is no lightweight, but she absorbs load without squatting. The skeg-hung rudder paired with the fin keel gives directional control that holds when heeled, a layout consistent with Sparkman & Stephens' cruising idiom of the period.
Accommodations
The standard layout records two cabins, a single head, and five berths, configured as a cabin cruiser intended for cruise use 2 cabins. With 32 gallons of water and 21 gallons of diesel in the standard tankage, the interior plan supports extended weekends and modest coastal cruising without frequent replenishment stops. The 34.5-foot length and 10-foot beam yield a saloon and sleeping arrangement scaled to four or five aboard, not a charter crowd.
Refits and Ownership
The original Volvo Penta MD2 diesel remains the named propulsion in the specification record, a compact and serviceable unit for a boat of this size Volvo Penta MD2. Owners working through a refit will find the conventional masthead rig and solid-glass hull straightforward to maintain. The 1969–1976 build window means most surviving boats have seen several ownership cycles, and the S&S pedigree keeps the design in steady demand among traditional cruiser buyers.
The Verdict
The Sagitta 35 is a thoughtfully proportioned Sparkman & Stephens cruiser whose moderate displacement, lead-ballasted fin, and skeg rudder add up to a stable, manageable 35-footer. She is not a performance boat, but her numbers and layout suit a couple or small family cruising in sheltered and open water alike.
Pros
- S&S 2008 design with clear cruising pedigree
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck, simple to survey and repair
- Moderate ballast ratio and comfort ratio suited to loaded cruising
Cons
- Modest 21-gallon fuel capacity limits motoring range
- 6.77-knot hull speed caps outright pace under sail
