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Carter 35
Designer: Dick Carter  ·  First built: 1982
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About the Carter 35

Dick Carter's reputation for creating competitive racing yachts shines through in this 1982 design that successfully bridges the gap between performance and practicality. Built with fiberglass construction and featuring a distinctive swing keel configuration, this masthead sloop offers versatility that appeals to both racing enthusiasts and coastal cruisers. The swing keel design stands out as the boat's most notable characteristic, allowing sailors to reduce draft for shoal-water exploration while maintaining the stability needed for serious sailing. With 9,300 pounds of displacement and 4,800 pounds of ballast, the hull provides reassuring stability without sacrificing the responsive handling Carter designs are known for. At 34.67 feet overall with an 11-foot beam, the proportions create a well-balanced platform suitable for coastal cruising and club racing. The sail area of 585 square feet provides ample power, while the masthead sloop rig keeps sail handling manageable for smaller crews. The low comfort ratio of 19.73 and favorable capsize screening value of 2.1 indicate this is primarily a performance-oriented design rather than a heavy cruiser. This Carter 35 appeals to sailors seeking a capable boat for spirited coastal sailing, weekend racing, and moderate cruising adventures where shallow-water access might be desired.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 34.67 ft / 10.57 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 27.83 ft / 8.48 m
Beam 11.00 ft / 3.35 m
Max Draft 6.00 ft / 1.83 m
Min Draft 1.75 ft / 0.53 m
Displacement 9,300.00 lb / 4,218 kg
Ballast 4,800.00 lb / 2,177 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 585.00 ft² / 54.35 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Swing Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Dick Carter
First Built 1982
Associations Yacht Brochures (Original Scanned Manufacturers's brochures)
Related Sailboats ["Cc 35 3" · "Tartan 34 2" · "Ericson 34 2" · "Hunter 34" · "Irwin 34"]
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 174
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 21.24
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 51.61
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 192.62
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 19.73
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.1
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.07 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.86
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,093.84 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 17.57
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 41.40 ft / 12.62 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 35.30 ft / 10.76 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 11.00 ft / 3.35 m
SA Fore 289.80 ft² / 26.92 m²
SA Main 194.15 ft² / 18.04 m²
SA Total (100%) 483.95 ft² / 44.96 m²
Est. Forestay Length 43.70 ft / 13.32 m
How It Compares

vs. Ericson 34 2, Hunter 34, Tartan 34 2

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Carter 35 ★
34.7 ft
Ericson 34 2
34.8 ft
Hunter 34
34.4 ft
Tartan 34 2
34.4 ft
LWL
Carter 35 ★
27.8 ft
Ericson 34 2
29.0 ft
Hunter 34
28.3 ft
Tartan 34 2
28.8 ft
Beam
Carter 35 ★
11.0 ft
Ericson 34 2
11.3 ft
Hunter 34
11.6 ft
Tartan 34 2
11.0 ft
Displacement
Carter 35 ★
9 lbs
Ericson 34 2
13 lbs
Hunter 34
11 lbs
Tartan 34 2
11 lbs
Ballast
Carter 35 ★
4 lbs
Ericson 34 2
5 lbs
Hunter 34
5 lbs
Tartan 34 2
4 lbs
Sail Area
Carter 35 ★
585 sq ft
Ericson 34 2
—
Hunter 34
567 sq ft
Tartan 34 2
538 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Carter 35 ★
174 s/nm
Ericson 34 2
144 s/nm
Hunter 34
159 s/nm
Tartan 34 2
174 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Carter 35 ★
21.2
Ericson 34 2
—
Hunter 34
17.5
Tartan 34 2
17.5
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Carter 35 ★
51.6 %
Ericson 34 2
40.0 %
Hunter 34
42.3 %
Tartan 34 2
40.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Carter 35 ★
19.7
Ericson 34 2
—
Hunter 34
23.1
Tartan 34 2
23.0
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Carter 35 ★
2.10
Ericson 34 2
—
Hunter 34
2.04
Tartan 34 2
1.97
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Carter 35 ★
192
Ericson 34 2
237
Hunter 34
234
Tartan 34 2
204
Hull Speed
Carter 35 ★
7.1 kts
Ericson 34 2
—
Hunter 34
7.1 kts
Tartan 34 2
7.2 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Carter 35 ★
2.9
Ericson 34 2
—
Hunter 34
—
Tartan 34 2
2.7
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