"Owner's Review"
Beneteau First Series 35s5 1988-1991 438 hulls produced
There are
very few boats like the Beneteau 35s5, even from Beneteau
themselves. On the
surface of the design we find a fast looking hull, a
large swim platform and
odd squared off ports that continue from the
sides of the cabin trunk to the
coach roof. These ports are incredibly
thick, more so than the ports on the
Swan 36 which has a similar port
arrangement, though with just one large unit
on either side. The boat
is modern looking, perhaps a bit too aggressive from
some angles, but
generally pleasing to the eye. Very few off the rack boats
offer this
level of distinctiveness. It's a welcome sight in a world of
mostly
generic designs.
Her tall fractional rig is deck stepped and *
with discontinuous
rod rigging. Her adjustable backstay is led to the swim
platform and is
difficult to adjust. Many owners have improved the original
design with
better purchase.
The helm is a huge wheel that spans the
width of the well. It's
design focuses on outboard use, with the helmsman
seated on the high
side. There is not much room to stand behind the wheel and
most folks
under power will stand on the aft * seat, which works fine
and
gives good visibility forward. Below deck the Whitlock Cobra wheel is a
rack
and pinion system. No sloppy cables for this machine. Quite a
few
35s5's are fitted with a slick carbon fibre tiller, though I don't see many in the USA.
The deck is
uncluttered and all lines run under deck, guided by simple
and reliable deck
organizers. The primary winches may seem a bit small
for a 35 footer, but
this is a fractional rig and her headsails are
easily managed. The mainsheet
system is mid-boom forward of the
companionway hatch. Some racers have moved
the mainsheet back to the
cockpit with good results. Some boats were ordered with a tall
mast
option, usually combined with the deep fin keel of 6 feet. The
wing
draws a very easy 4'9.
Drop the aft lifelines and you have easy
access to the large sugar
scoop swim platform. This is not some dinky
platform and there is room
for two people to sit comfortably. The swim ladder
is completely hidden
beneath a hatch. This is a popular spot on warm days,
even under sail.
The length of the platform gives good security and the
backstay adds to
this, without really getting in the way. Very nicely
done!
Thick SS rails carve a path the length of the cabin trunk. Forward
of
the mast is the hatch over the V Birth and the anchor locker, which
big
enough for a single primary anchor, chain and 200 feet of rode.
Unique
to the 35s5, the roller furling drum rests beneath the foredeck, but
is
easily accessible through the anchor locker.
Her storage is
cavernous, perhaps the largest I have ever seen.
There is room for sails,
gear and even a packed inflatable to
starboard. The port storage can handle
smaller gear, charts, lines and
so on. If that's not enough, two aft hatches
on either side of wheel
lead to even more storage.
Down below is
perhaps an even more dramatic statement. Philip Stark's
interior work is
easily recognizable by anyone who's studied modern
design. Our interior
features light teak veneer's over honeycomb
bulkheads to save weight. Most of
the trim is solid teak and there is
aluminum trim as well. The aft doors to
the head and aft cabin are
gently curved and fitted with frosted glass ports. The
aesthetic result
feels both modern and old-world all at once. Everyone simply
loves the
interior. There are a total of 7 opening ports and 3 hatches on
the
35s5. There are two non opening circular ports aft. Some
charter
versions have a head forward allowing to two staterooms aft, with
two
opening ports each. The forward head is very small on these
versions.
The aft cabin is short on headroom, but generous for sleeping.
I'm 6'3
and my wife is 5'6 and we both fit easily. The lack of headroom
can
present some challenges to a sexually active couple, but where
there's
a will there's a way! A single closet and good storage make this a
very
usable area. There are two opening ports to provide ventilation,
but
many folks will leave the door open on hot nights.
The navigation
area of the 35s5 is well thought out and amazingly....a
full size chart table
slides out with storage beneath. There is ample
storage here and the station
is flanked by AC/DC panel and other
instruments
The head of the 35s5
is one of the largest ever on a 35-40 footer.
There is a real sink/vanity
with great storage and a wet locker as
well. The shower is of the sit down
variety. There is an opening port
in the head and an exhaust vent.
The
galley is small, but very functional. Most boats have an oven/range
which is
gimbaled with a stout bracer bar. A slide away cutting board
reveals the
hatch to the 12V refrigeration and to the right of that,
dual round SS sinks.
Storage for the galley is fair and in our boat the
large under-sink cabinet
houses the air conditioning.
Forward of the galley is the traditional
twin settees and the folding
dining table. After owning a C&C 32, I
learned to really appreciate the
benefits of the dinette layout and miss it
aboard the Beneteau. Still,
there is comfortable seating here for 4 or 5. The
center of the table
has hidden wine storage below. Forward of the dining area
is the
forward cabin. It's small and I'm actually too tall for the
V-birth.
There are two small closets and more storage under the
bunk.
Fit and finish of the 35s5 is above that of other Beneteaus. Sorry
to
say that, but the 35s5 was in another league compared to the boats
that
followed. Beneteau has let interior quality slip in recent years.
Step
aboard a 36.7 and compare the fit an finish. The 35s5 is better and
our
interior is in astounding shape. Cabinets and doors all shut as
they
should and fit-lines can be sighted as near perfect. We did not
observe
this level of quality even aboard the newer Tartans and Sabres
we
looked at. Some might complain about the use of veneers, but you
can't
have low weight honeycomb bulkheads and solid teak. The point here
was
to save weight. The execution of this design approach is
excellent.
Workmanships is about fit an finish, not materials, so avoid that
trap.
Under power the 35s5 gives no surprises. The Volvo diesel runs
smoothly
and pushes the boat easily even at lower RPMs, though the
engine
controls should have been mounted on the pedestal.
Under sail....ahhh, this is what it's all about! Hoist the
impressively
large mainsail and the 35s5 comes to life. Under main alone, she
sails
like a big dinghy, accelerating smartly even in lighter air. Balance
is
excellent. Pop the genoa and boat really takes flight.
Upwind
performance is excellent. Though light on her toes this is not
an
uncomfortable ride. Off the wind the boat remains impressively
quick
and she responds to the smallest helm inputs and trimming. If you
like
to play and adjust, the 35s5 will be a load of fun. Depower the rig
a
bit and the boat is more forgiving. Dead downwind the boat
suffers
somewhat, especially with her wing keel (Very serious racers
should
seek out the deep fin version). This is not to say she's slow
downwind,
but some newer racer/cruiser designs certainly fare better with
less
fuss. In heavier air it's important to have her rig properly tuned
or
she can misbehave when sailed hard.
The Whitlock helm of the 35s5
is simply in another league and you will
always notice the feather-lite
handling and sensitive feedback of the
rack and pinion based system over the
typical cable based steering.
There's no going back once you've tried
this.
I don't race, but a detailed look at the 35s5's race history tells
a
clear story. The 35s5 has a tough time with her rating. The fin
version
is often rated at 114, but the boats that can handle that must
be
expertly crewed and perfectly tuned. More casual racers can have
a
tougher time. The wing version generally rates between 125-129 and
that
is also a low rating, which can be a tougher nut to crack, since
wing
keel owners may be less serious about racing to begin with. With
that
said, the 35s5 wins plenty of races and with a good crew and
proper
tuning she's a true racing machine.
For us, a family of 3, the
Beneteau First 35s5 is many things. She's
fast and fun to sail, even under
main alone. She can also be sailed in
a very relaxed fashion and her stunning
interior and comforts make her
a wonderful coastal cruiser. She's simply more
fun than a Tartan,
Catalina, Hunter or Sabre and sails better when winds
dwindle. As the
wind builds, so does the fun factor. The 35s5 is sort of like
owning a
J35 with the interior of a real cruising boat. 5 or 6 people can
enjoy
the spacious interior and her deckspace is truly usable. Few boats can
wear
so many hats with such grace and quality.
On the downside...
A) The
35s5 has reasonable storage, but you will have to look for it.
She lacks the
cabinet/closet/drawer space of more dedicated cruising
designs.
B) Perhaps
the 35s5 interior is so striking as to distract from the
fact that it's still
smaller than some others. A Catalina 34 is larger,
certainly with more
interior beam. Somehow the 35s5 manages to do many
of the same things but the
smaller volume is noticeable. The volume is
better than any Sabre 34 though
and years better than the
wonderful-to-sail J34c.
C) The stock backstay
adjustment is pretty weak and takes a lot of
muscle to bear down on. It's a
"must upgrade item" for these boats.
D) This is not a forgiving boat for
racers. By all accounts she
requires a sharp crew and proper tuning to sail
anywhere near her
ratings. 35s5's still win races but casual racers
will
probably prefer a less finicky design. The occasional beer-can
racer
will see more success with a Catalina 36 for example, even if a 35s5
is
twice the fun and performance boat-for-boat.
Other
options...
There are boats that sail this well or better, but
very few
that have her features AND speed. Some are out there, but quite hard
to
locate. I also like the C&C 34XL, but her deep draft makes her
an
unlikely suspect for the LIS. For a price between 55-70K a
Beneteau
35s5 is tough to match if you want an aft cabin, swim platform
coupled
with true performance cruising. Quite a few newer boats can do what
the
35s5 does, but you'll pay a newer price and still may miss out in
some
areas, such as the 35s5's excellent interior build.
And
so...we're quite happy with our 35s5...a fast and fun design that
has Swiss
Army knife-like versatility. The 35s5 is certainly one of
Beneteau's most
original designs. No sailor walks by without taking a
long hard look and most
love her lines and daring design elements. In
the end, with all of the pretty
bits and pieces, she's a sailors boat
with the type of performance most of us
crave. She trounces most of the
popular generics we encounter of course and
surprises quite a few
go-fast boats in tough conditions. Our "Heart of Gold"
is the most fun
we've had so far! If your close to buying that family
Catalina 34-38,
Hunter, Tartan or whatever...STOP...and have a look at the
35s5.
HAPPY SAILING!
