Design and Construction
The structural story centers on a stainless-steel grid bonded into the hull to distribute loads from the mast step, chainplates, and keel anchor. Sailing World describes that grid as the heart of the construction, encapsulated in fiberglass and a departure from the yard's earlier marine-plywood-cored grids anchor. Below the waterline the hull is solid glass; above it and in the deck it is Airex-cored, and the boat carries watertight bulkheads fore and aft, the aft one positioned forward of the rudderstock. A separate watertight bulkhead forward of the rudder is noted by Cruising World. Exterior detailing is purposeful: clean superstructure lines, a forward deck kept free of obstructions, and molded nonskid in a raised hollow-circle pattern that BOTY judge Meade Gougeon predicted would wear evenly and grip better with age.
Rig and Handling
On deck the Salona 37 is laid out for buoy racing, with the mainsheet and traveler forward of the helm and the compass above the companionway, while shrouds mounted well inboard open up the side decks. A molded-in recess accepts a stowable dodger, and a conduit runs control lines tidily beneath it. The anchor sprit unbolts in three pieces for regatta prep, and a half-moon deck hatch is sized for hatch-launching the spinnaker without snag points. Under sail the boat proved responsive 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, while upwind in 6.6 knots of breeze they held 5.6 knots and felt the boat accelerate quickly with only a light touch on the wheel. Under a 30-horsepower Yanmar she maxed at 7.7 knots and cruised at 6.7 knots at a quiet 3,000 rpm. The flip side is workload: Cruising World found a lone hand could be tested by her and that the traveler wants constant trimming when the wind punches anchor.
Accommodations
Below, the joiner work is simple and crisp, evoking a pleasant ambience rather than fuss. The arrangement places a large V-berth cabin forward, with the head and a second cabin aft and the galley opposite the nav desk at the companionway base. Sailing World's tested hull showed exemplary fit and finish, rugged plastic floorboards mimicking teak and holly, and a starboard nav station large for a 37-footer with no bulkhead between it and the straight settee, opening the saloon. Settees make fine sea berths; their backs hinge up to form upper pilot berths for the crew, and the lockers above can be ordered removable. Three interior layouts were offered.
Known Issues
The only documented shortcomings are handling caveats from Cruising World: a likely singlehander challenge and the need for frequent traveler adjustment in gusty conditions.
The Verdict
The Salona 37 is a thoughtfully engineered crossover that punches above its length for speed and stiffness while keeping the belowdecks calm of a proper cruiser. The steel-grid structure and watertight bulkheads speak to a serious build, and the racing-bred deck pays dividends in trimmer room and clean control routing. The cost is crew intensity.
Pros
- Stiff, quick hull with strong light-air performance under sail and power
- Stainless-steel grid structure with fore and aft watertight bulkheads
- Workable cockpit and race-ready deck with tidy control routing
- Open, well-finished interior with convertible pilot berths
Cons
- Demands crew attention; challenging for singlehanded sailing
- Frequent traveler adjustment needed in gusty conditions
