Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are molded fiberglass, and the interior is finished in mahogany joinery, consistent with the yard's practice of pairing solid GRP shells with warm woodwork. The keel itself is iron rather than lead, a choice that places her ballast philosophy apart from many contemporaries. At a displacement near 10,600 pounds with roughly 4,200 pounds of ballast, her ballast ratio sits at about 35 percent, and her length-to-beam ratio of 3.24 describes a moderately narrow hull for the era. The wetted surface measures about 344 square feet, and her immersion rate of roughly 1,040 pounds per inch means she settles predictably under load. With a capsize screening value of 1.87 capsize screening value of 1.87 and a motion comfort ratio in the mid-20s, she reads as a stable coastal and offshore candidate rather than a featherweight racer.
Rig and Handling
The boat carries a fractional rig and, by one period database assessment, more sail plan than roughly two-thirds of comparable sailboats, marking her as slightly overrigged. Using the ISO reference sail her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 14.5, rising to 17.0 with a 135 percent genoa, figures that explain the moderate-racer classification her displacement-length ratio of 259 earns her. The fin keel draws between 5.8 and 6.1 feet depending on load, shallow enough for most marina entrances, and a Volvo Penta MD2003 diesel of 28 horsepower turns a saildrive leg rather than a conventional shaft. Her theoretical displacement-hull speed is about 7.0 knots, while reported maximum speed reaches 8.0 knots and relative speed performance is logged at 34.
Accommodations
Below, the cabin is framed in mahogany, the yard's standard interior wood. A three-cabin owner layout is among the known configurations, and the builder's broader 1980s lineage shows a steady refinement of aft-cabin thinking across the range, though the 35's own interior arrangement is mahogany-finished and companionable to the size class. Tankage includes 60 gallons of water and 40 gallons of diesel, supporting extended cruising without frequent replenishment.
The Verdict
The Scanmar 35 is a thoughtfully proportioned Scandinavian cruiser whose slightly overrigged fractional sloop and predictable load behavior make her an able moderate racer and comfortable cruiser. Her iron keel and saildrive transmission are period-appropriate engineering choices rather than compromises, and her modest draft keeps her accessible to most harbors.
Pros
- Slightly overrigged fractional sloop with strong sail-area-to-displacement numbers
- Stable, predictable load behavior with documented comfort and capsize ratios
- Mahogany interior and solid fiberglass construction from a known Swedish yard
Cons
- Iron keel rather than lead, a consideration for long-term corrosion vigilance
- Saildrive transmission requires specific maintenance discipline versus shaft drives
