The starlight 39 took the sailing world by storm. Here was a yacht, which did everything, yet it became apparent after a year or so that there was something missing . . . a smaller version. Enter the Starlight 35, which shares virtually identical lines and layout to her larger sister. Shorter by four feet, a foot less beam, minus 170 square feet of sail area and 4,000 lbs less displacement – these are the principal differences.
It is hardly surprising that the 35 attracted keen interest from sailors planning long distance voyages. What is surprising is that this same boat appealed to coastal and family yachtsmen, moving up from smaller yachts and sometimes unsure of their ability to handle a larger vessel. These owners have found the 35’s docility, responsiveness and manoeuvrability soon makes them feel comfortably at home.
Significantly too, the 35 has been chosen by several previous owners of larger, heavy displacement cruising yachts who have wanted to move into something which is smaller and easier to handle and maintain. They have selected the 35 because it handles like a proper yacht and possesses many of the traditional yacht qualities, so often lacking in today’s mass-produced production craft.
The 35 was clearly going to be fast but what was surprising was that a fully-kitted cruising yacht was capable of beating dedicated racers, exactly as happened in the 1991 Round the Island Race. In this event, a Starlight 35 finished second in Channel Handicap Class 5, less than two minutes behind the winner of the Cowes Week Britannia Cup, while another won her non-rated division. Not a bad performance by boats loaded with creature comforts and raced by family crews, who rarely compete together as a team!
The Starlight 35 is a big 35 – she really is 35 feet long on deck. Compare her measurements with other 35 footers, look at her features and speak to some of the owners… it will become clear why the Starlight 35 sets the standards by which others are judged.
| Principal Dimensions | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| L.O.A. | 36′ 1 “ | 11.00m | |
| L.O.D. | 35′ 0 “ | 10.67m | |
| L.W.L. | 28′ 1″ | 8.56m | |
| Beam | 11′ 6″ | 3.51m | |
| Draft | (fin keel) | 5′ 11″ | 1.80m |
| (shallow fin) | 5′ 0″ | 1.52m | |
| (wing keels) | 4′ 9″ | 1.45m | |
| Displacement | 13,200 lb | 5,993 kg | |
| Ballast | 5,300 lb | 2,406 kg | |
| Ballast Ratio | 40% | 40% | |
| Fuel | 30 gals | 136 litres | |
| Water | 50 gals | 227 litres | |
| Sail Areas | |||
| 100% Foretriangle | 575 sq ft | 53.4 sq m | |
| Main | 279 sq ft | 25.9 sq m | |
| Roller Reefing Genoa | 443 sq ft | 41.2 sq m | |
| No. 1 Genoa | 453 sq ft | 42.0 sq m | |
| No. 2 Genoa | 403 sq ft | 37.4 sq m | |
| No. 3 Genoa | 302 sq ft | 28.10 sq m | |
| Storm Jib | 121 sq ft | 11.2 sq m | |
| Spinnaker | 950 sq ft | 88.3 sq m | |
| Rig Measurements | |||
| I | 45.00 ft | 13.72 m | |
| J | 13.25 ft | 4.04 m | |
| P | 38.75 ft | 11.81 m | |
| E | 14.25 ft | 4.34 m | |
