New Horizons

Cruisers New Horizons

Deck Layout

The cockpit is spacious. The cockpit locker is large enough to stow an inflatable dinghy, and carries shelves on the hull side. Cockpit length on the centerline is 8′ 6″, though a steering pedestal and table with drop leaves reduce the space. Seats 8′ long allow room for sleeping outdoors on a 17.5″ wide surface. Backrests are 13″ tall. There are also “observation seats” in the stern pulpit, equipped with stainless steel drink holders.

Though the boat has a removable helm seat, the skipper may be most comfortable steering from a position next to a trimmer; a shorthanded sailor will have jib sheets at his fingertips. The cockpit will seat six comfortably on flat water, but odds are that when sailing to weather in fresh conditions, crew will sit atop the cabin or on the rail. A gate at the stern allows access to the swim platform, which has two storage compartments and a boarding ladder.

Shrouds supporting the double- spreader rig at the base of the cabin are attached to ball sockets that allow them to move with hull flex, avoiding the chronic problem of leaks at the intersection of deck, shrouds and chainplates. Genoa track is inboard, allowing easy movement forward on wide decks. The mainsail traveler is located forward of the companionway, producing mid-boom sheeting.

Accommodations

Step belowdecks and comparisons to other 35-foot production boats become difficult. This boat is all about space. The main cabin measures 9′ 6″ on the centerline from the base of the companionway ladder to the port bulkhead at the head. The cabin at its widest point, measured from the backs of settees, is 10′ 5″. To put that in perspective, a bedroom in an average-sized apartment is 10′ x 12′. Two hatches on the cabintop and five ports on each side of the cabin and hull add light that increases even more the feeling of spaciousness. Seating in this cavern is on a settee to port measuring 66″, and another to starboard measuring 73″. The latter can be bisected by a teak-veneered drop-down game table.

The dining table, located to port, measures 31″ x 48″ and, with a bench on the centerline, will seat six. It can also be stored and replaced by a smaller “cocktail” table. The U-shaped galley has room for one person, who will be well-braced in a seaway, and is adequately equipped with standard gear—a two- burner stove-oven combination, reefer-icebox combination, and double stainless sink. Counter space is at a premium, though storage in cabinets and drawers is typical of a boat this size. A cutout provides space for a microwave above the stove.

The nav station is tucked into a corner to port, requiring the navigator to sit facing aft on a cushion at the end of the settee. The size of the table, 25.5″ x 29″, reflects the tendency of today’s skipper to rely on electronics at the helm or cockpit bulkhead, and the use of chart kits, rather than full-sized NOAA charts.

The forward stateroom berth measures 59″ x 77″, with easy assess from both sides. The area is enclosed by teak ceilings and shiny white surfaces accented by three reading lights. Storage is in two lockers and drawers below the berth. The area provides a comfortable retreat, although island-type bunks don’t provide security for people trying to sleep when the boat is under sail. They’re meant for use at anchor or in a marina.

The head is a full-sized compartment furnished with a shower enclosed by a folding door.

A second stateroom aft has a 55″ x 88″ berth and hanging locker.

The engine compartment is well- insulated.

Construction

The boat is constructed of five major moldings, following a system that originated with the Catalina 470. Major components include the hull, a fiberglass sub sole grid, deck, deck liner, and interior liner. The overall effect of this combination is to provide a stiff hull and deck, solid base for the interior and cabinetry, and to disperse loads.

The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass consisting of a vinylester skincoat and layers of chop, mat, and roving. The grid system, similar to those employed by some other production manufacturers, produces a checkerboard of fiberglass supports in a pattern of athwartships beams and longitudinal stringers. The grid spreads loads from the shrouds while providing support for the mast, engine, and tanks. An improvement is that all of the boats have wiring and plumbing in conduits, easing the addition of accessories and maintenance.

The deck is constructed of layers of chop, mat, and roving, cored with end-grain balsa. Pre-tapped aluminum plates are bedded in areas where deck hardware will be installed. This is a relatively new alternative to bolts, nuts, and backing plates. It prevents deck leaks, but will be a big headache if the threads in the plate get stripped, galled, or corroded.