“HEELING ARC”
1982 Hinterholler Niagra 35 sloop
Specifications
Description
The Hinterhoeller Niagra 35 is the product of the Canadian yacht builder Hinterhoeller Yacht LTD . This company has always had a reputation for quiality builds, and the 35 is no exception. This yacht is exceptionally clean, and in 2006 went throuht a extensive refit. (See specification sheet for details. ) The Niagra 35 is better known on the East Coats and great lakes. It is strongly built for serious sailing on the rough waters of Maine, Lake Superior, Lake Michagan and any area that requires strength. The hull design includes symetrical sections, a long chord fin keel with lead ballast, and a skeg mounted rudder. Study with the various owners of these boats show that over the years they have held up extreemly well. There is no record of any hull blistering or core delamination that we can find from any source. The "HEELING ART" is a fine testamony to good yacht husbandry and should be considerd in exceptional condition. The hull was layed in 1985, qand sold as a 1986 new vessel in 1987, The sellers put more money than the asking price into the boat in 2006 and have kept her is excellent shape. Please call for an appointment to see this boat and let us prove our statements.
DESCRIPTION OF HINTERHOELLDER NIAGRA 35
About the Niagara 35
The Niagara 35, designed by Mark Ellis, was built by Hinterhoeller Yachts of St. Catherine’s, Ontario, from 1978 to 1995, with about 300 built. Two models were available, the original "Classic", 2 berths aft, center galley/sink/head and forward storage, and the "Encore", a traditional cabin layout. Sloop rig, fin keel, spade rudder, keel stepped mast. Balsa-cored hull and deck. Engines are originally Volvo diesel sail drives, but Westerbeke v-drives were an option.
Specs, Equipment and Information:
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| Although the hull number shows the keel was laid in 1985, the boat was purchased by the original owners in 1987 as a new vessel. It was a model year 1996. | |||||
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Niagara 35 BoatUS Review by Jack Hornor N.A.
Hinterhoeller Yachts of Ontario, Canada, is best known for their popular and distinctive line of Nonsuch Catboats. However, their more traditional sloop, the Niagara 35, was introduced by Hinterhoeller the same year as the Nonsuch 30. Produced over an 18-year run, it is still in high demand by cruising sailors.
Canadian designer Mark Ellis, who also designed Hinterhoeller’s Nonsuch series, is responsible for the Niagara 35 design which was introduced in 1978 and remained in production until 1995. The design is traditional in appearance with pronounced sheer, balanced overhangs and box-shaped trunk cabin. Overall length is 35’ 1” (without appendages), beam is 11’ 5”, draft 5’ 2” and displacement is 15,000 lbs with 37% ballast.
The underwater profile features a very long and shallow fin keel. Although this keel configuration adds wetted surface and frictional resistance, the extra length allows the designer to get the ballast lower while still maintaining a relatively shallow draft. I would prefer a skeg forward of the rudder for added strength, directional stability and to reduce the tendency for the rudder to stall, but I know of no reported problems with this balanced spade rudder design. Steering is quite good except in extreme conditions when extra attention to the helm may be necessary.
Both the hull and deck of the Niagara 35 are constructed of a composite of fiberglass cloth, resin and balsa wood core. Some people are opposed to the use of balsa core material in the hull construction, particularly below the waterline, however there is, in my opinion, little rationale for this. I believe the advantages of properly engineered and constructed cored composites significantly outweigh the disadvantages even for cruising boats. Few, if any, builders have more experience with balsa-cored composites than Hinterhoeller and they have the experience, craftsmanship and quality control necessary to produce long lasting cored hulls. Bulkheads and structural members are securely and neatly attached with fiberglass cloth and resin; ballast is external lead bolted to a deep and well-reinforced fiberglass sump.
A well-built boat is always the result of a combination of proper planning, good design and quality workmanship, all of which are evident in the Niagara 35.
The cockpit, side decks and foredeck are well laid out with the convenience and safety of the cruising sailor in mind. The foredeck is large and there is a short stainless steel bowsprit with two anchor rollers for convenient handling and storage of ground tackle. There are teak handrails on the cabin top and sturdy lifelines and stanchions around the decks. The side decks are quite wide with a molded bulwark for a real sense of security when moving about in nasty weather. The cockpit is comfortable and there are two large seat lockers for storage. Primary winches are within reach of the helmsman although the mainsheet is not.
There were two different interior arrangement plans offered for the Niagara 35; the standard dubbed the “Classic” and the Encore, which was introduced in about 1985. My personal preference is for the standard interior which I believe to be a near-perfect layout for a cruising couple. In this unique arrangement there is no forward v-berth but instead a forepeak with workbench and storage. This is followed by the main saloon with opposing settees and center, drop-leaf table. Nearly centered in the boat, is a galley to port and starboard head and further aft there is a master cabin with double quarter berth to port, a single quarter berth and navigation station to starboard and the companionway leading to the cockpit.
The advantages of this arrangement are many. First, it provides two excellent sea berths and secondly, the below deck accommodations, specifically the galley, the head and the bunks are all convenient to the cockpit and located where occupants are least effected by motion.
Of the 300 or so Niagara 35s built, about 75 were built with the more traditional “Encore” interior with an offset double berth forward followed by a head and shower to port and large hanging locker to starboard. The main saloon has opposing settees, a U-shaped galley aft to port and navigation station. This layout is certainly brighter and more open than the standard arrangement and may be preferred by sailors who principally use their boats for day sailing and weekend cruising.
The original 21-hp Volvo diesel with sail drive was changed in 1982 to a 27-hp Westerbeke diesel with v-drive. Sail drive advantages include no shaft angle to rob thrust from the propeller and no concern for maintaining proper shaft alignment although they do have a greater potential for galvanic and stray current corrosion of the aluminum drive leg.
With a displacement-to-length ratio of 353 and sail area-to-displacement ratio of 15.7, the Niagara 35 is no light air rocket. But, I think most will be pleasantly surprised by her performance in light to moderate wind conditions. When the wind picks up and conditions get nasty, it is important to shorten sail because this is where the shortcomings of the shallow spade rudder will be apparent.
Currently eight Niagara 35s are offered for sale in the U.S. on YachtWorld.com, ranging from $35,000 for a 1979 model to $123,000 for a 1988 model. Reported sales over the last six months have ranged from $32,000 for a 1978 model to $83,700 for a 1987 model. History has shown these handsome, quality cruisers remain in high demand despite the fact they are no longer in production and the company no longer exists.
disclaimer
HEITAGE YACHTS offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.