Salona 37 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Designed by J&J Design and built by AD Boats in Croatia, the Salona 37 combines a stiff, quick hull with a practical cruising interior. Test sailors found it exciting to drive, though its responsiveness comes with a considerable crew workload.

Design and Construction

The Salona 37 displaces 13,007 pounds on a 32-foot-8-inch waterline and carries 7,496 pounds of lead, giving it a 57.6 percent ballast ratio. Beam is 11 feet 10 inches.

Its structure centers on a stainless-steel grid bonded into the hull to distribute loads from the mast step, chainplates, and keel. Sailing World describes this grid as the heart of the construction. Encapsulated in fiberglass, it marked a departure from the yard’s earlier marine-plywood-cored grids.

The hull is solid glass below the waterline and Airex-cored above it; the deck is also Airex-cored. The boat has watertight bulkheads fore and aft, with the aft bulkhead positioned forward of the rudderstock. Cruising World also notes a watertight bulkhead forward of the rudder.

Exterior detailing is purposeful. The superstructure has clean lines, the foredeck is kept clear of obstructions, and the molded nonskid uses a raised, hollow-circle pattern. Boat of the Year judge Meade Gougeon predicted that the pattern would wear evenly and provide better grip with age.

Deck Layout, Rig, and Handling

The deck is laid out for buoy racing. The mainsheet and traveler sit forward of the helm, while the compass is mounted above the companionway. Shrouds placed well inboard leave the side decks open.

A molded recess accepts a stowable dodger, with a conduit running control lines neatly beneath it. The anchor sprit unbolts in three pieces for regatta preparation, and a half-moon deck hatch is sized for launching the spinnaker through the hatch without snag points.

Under sail, the Salona 37 responded readily to gear changes in very light, puffy air. Testers beam-reached at 3.5 knots in roughly 5 knots of true wind and made 6.1 knots closehauled in under 10 knots. Upwind in 6.6 knots of breeze, they held 5.6 knots and found that the boat accelerated quickly with only a light touch on the wheel.

Under its 30-horsepower Yanmar, the boat reached a maximum of 7.7 knots and cruised at 6.7 knots at a quiet 3,000 rpm.

That responsiveness brings more work for the crew. Cruising World found that the boat could test a lone hand and that the traveler wants constant trimming when the wind punches.

Accommodations

Belowdecks, the joinery is simple and crisp, creating a pleasant atmosphere without fuss. The standard arrangement has a large V-berth cabin forward, with the head and a second cabin aft. At the foot of the companionway, the galley sits opposite the navigation desk. Three interior layouts were offered.

Sailing World’s test boat showed exemplary fit and finish. Its rugged plastic floorboards mimicked teak and holly, and the starboard navigation station was large for a 37-footer. With no bulkhead between the nav station and the straight settee, the saloon felt more open.

The settees make good sea berths, and their backs hinge upward to create upper pilot berths for the crew. The lockers above could be ordered as removable units.

Known Issues

The only documented shortcomings are Cruising World’s handling caveats: the Salona 37 is likely to challenge a singlehander, and its traveler needs frequent adjustment in gusty conditions.

Verdict

The Salona 37 is a thoughtfully engineered crossover that delivers notable speed and stiffness for its length while retaining the calm interior of a proper cruiser. Its steel-grid structure and watertight bulkheads indicate a serious build, while the racing-oriented deck provides ample room for trimmers and clean control-line routing. The tradeoff is crew intensity.

Pros