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Nicholson 35 2
Designer: Camper & Nicholson  ·  Builder: Camper & Nicholson  ·  First built: 1974
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About the Nicholson 35 2

Launched in 1974 by the renowned British yard Camper & Nicholson, this masthead sloop represents classic English yacht design philosophy during sailing's golden era of the 1970s. The 35.25-foot cruiser embodies the traditional qualities that made Camper & Nicholson legendary among discerning sailors worldwide. Built with solid fiberglass construction, the boat features a fin keel with rudder mounted on a protective skeg, providing excellent directional stability while maintaining reasonable performance. Her generous beam of 10.42 feet creates spacious accommodations below, while the substantial displacement of 15,650 pounds and impressive ballast-to-displacement ratio ensure sea-kindly motion and stability in challenging conditions. With a comfort ratio of 36.39, this design prioritizes seaworthiness over pure speed, making her ideally suited for serious coastal cruising and offshore passages. The conservative sail area-to-displacement ratio of 14.14 reflects her cruising nature, though she'll reward skilled sailors with respectable performance in moderate conditions. Her low capsize screening value of 1.67 indicates good stability characteristics for extended voyaging. The Nicholson 35 2 appeals to traditionalists seeking a well-built, comfortable cruiser with the pedigree of one of Britain's most respected yacht builders.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 35.25 ft / 10.74 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 26.75 ft / 8.15 m
Beam 10.42 ft / 3.18 m
Max Draft 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Displacement 15,650.00 lb / 7,099 kg
Ballast 7,200.00 lb / 3,266 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 551.00 ft² / 51.19 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Camper & Nicholson
Builder Camper & Nicholson
First Built 1974
Related Sailboats ["Nicholson 35 1" · "Rustler 36" · "Dufour 35" · "Coronado 35" · "Endurance 35"]
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Performance Ratios
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
 14.14
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
 46.01
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
 365
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
 36.39
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
 1.67
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. 6.93 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
 1.14
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. 995.95 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. 14.13
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 43.30 ft / 13.20 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.20 ft / 4.33 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 38.30 ft / 11.67 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 12.70 ft / 3.87 m
SA Fore 307.43 ft² / 28.56 m²
SA Main 243.21 ft² / 22.59 m²
SA Total (100%) 550.64 ft² / 51.16 m²
Est. Forestay Length 45.57 ft / 13.89 m
How It Compares

vs. Coronado 35, Dufour 35, Rustler 36

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Nicholson 35 2 ★
35.3 ft
Coronado 35
35.3 ft
Dufour 35
35.3 ft
Rustler 36
35.3 ft
LWL
Nicholson 35 2 ★
26.8 ft
Coronado 35
27.5 ft
Dufour 35
27.8 ft
Rustler 36
26.9 ft
Beam
Nicholson 35 2 ★
10.4 ft
Coronado 35
10.1 ft
Dufour 35
11.3 ft
Rustler 36
11.0 ft
Displacement
Nicholson 35 2 ★
15 lbs
Coronado 35
13 lbs
Dufour 35
13 lbs
Rustler 36
16 lbs
Ballast
Nicholson 35 2 ★
7 lbs
Coronado 35
4 lbs
Dufour 35
5 lbs
Rustler 36
7 lbs
Sail Area
Nicholson 35 2 ★
551 sq ft
Coronado 35
—
Dufour 35
551 sq ft
Rustler 36
693 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Nicholson 35 2 ★
14.1
Coronado 35
—
Dufour 35
15.3
Rustler 36
17.0
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Nicholson 35 2 ★
46.0 %
Coronado 35
36.2 %
Dufour 35
41.6 %
Rustler 36
45.3 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Nicholson 35 2 ★
36.4
Coronado 35
—
Dufour 35
28.2
Rustler 36
36.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Nicholson 35 2 ★
1.67
Coronado 35
—
Dufour 35
1.89
Rustler 36
1.72
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Nicholson 35 2 ★
365
Coronado 35
279
Dufour 35
287
Rustler 36
384
Hull Speed
Nicholson 35 2 ★
6.9 kts
Coronado 35
—
Dufour 35
7.1 kts
Rustler 36
7.0 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Nicholson 35 2 ★
1.1
Coronado 35
—
Dufour 35
1.7
Rustler 36
—
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