Sandbar 35

Coming from a sailing background my passion for yacht design was fuelled by my experiences with boats driven by the wind, not by engines, which from my perspective made a lot of noise and required the inconvenience of regular refuelling with relatively expensive petroleum products.

There's change in the air, or maybe better to say "on the water." The era of fossil fuels being the dominant source of powering motor yachts is not yet over. Petrol and diesel powered engines are still the preferred choice for extended voyaging in power boats but the potential for that to change is unfolding before our eyes as we see the unrolling of new and evolving technologies including the design of propellors, energy storage systems and electric and hybrid engine installations, both inboard and outboard

Introducing Sandbar 35

Sandbar 35 has been created to make the most of these evolving technologies.

The design work for Sandbar has been cooking in the background for the best part of two years and the design is now coming into focus as a platform for the developing powering technologies and to provide a range of layout options customised for the intended purpose including diving, fishing, charter work or just plain lazing on the water.

I didn't want to create a bus or compromise seakeeping in spite of the relatively compact size of the design. Ability to make bar crossings and handle a decent chop was fundamental to the overall concept. Sandbar 35 retains a reasonably sleek profile while maintaining generous wing clearance and headroom in the cabins. The hulls of a semi displacement type for optimum fuel efficiency and comfort in open waters.

Having spent so much time evolving the design and studying what else is out there - what stands out to me about the power cat concept is the living space and flexibility of the layout when compared with a monohull in the same size range.

For the power cat even at 35' LOA you can accommodate two private double cabins each with a private ensuite, while maintaining a broad open deck space on the wing that can be arranged to accommodate galley, navigation, dining, lounging and whatever equipment you wish to carry, whether that be dive equipment, fishing gear, paddle boards, or just more lounging space.

Below decks there is space for a third sleeping cabin in the forward quarters if required.

Because the cabin is able to be fully enclosed and thanks to the generous wing clearance the Sandbar 35 can be fairly described as a coastal cruiser with short offshore capability when compared to designs that might be referred to as sports boats, weekenders, or even day boats.

The structure of Sandbar 35 is arranged so that no permanently fixed bulkhead is required between the cockpit and the saloon space. A bulkhead with sliding doors and windows can be fitted to provide security if preferred and we have proposed two possible positions for this bulkhead depending whether the boat is organised primarily for the saloon space or the cockpit space.

Comparing the power cat with a mono in the same size range we have ample galley space with all round visibility, good ventilation and direct communication with the helm and cockpit seating. Much more appealing than a typical monohull where the galley is either very restricted in size and often situated forward below decks with minimal light and ventilation.

A Flybridge? Yes, I know they are popular, but they add weight, windage, build time and cost. And a flybridge will detract from fuel efficiency and motion at sea. We'll be producing some larger power cat designs in 2025 and some of these will feature a flybridge option. For now the Sandbar 35 offers a spacious top deck that can be used for solar panels, stowing of water toys and sun baking.

Contact us for more information on this design. graingerdesigns@gmail.com

Tony Grainger. January 2025