- Local News for Southern Sailors
- September 2001 Next Story
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Reviewing the Lightwave 35
By Charles E. Kanter |
Designed by Tony Grainger
and manufactured by Overell Stanton Yachts, Australia, the Lightwave 35 is imported by Southern Ocean Yachts in Miami. This catamaran is a newcomer to the American market but a well-known vessel in Australia. It is designed and advertised as a bluewater vessel. The Lightwave was one of the vessels that struck me as being better laid out and better arranged than most of the competing "swollen" boats. By swollen I mean the tendency of designers and builders to force more accommodation into the vessel than it should realistically carry for its length and displacement.This boat is a lot better than some of the other "wedding cake" style boats since it actually does have sufficient underdeck clearance and reasonable walkable decks and a well-thought out deck layout. What suffers is the helm position‹you must, gopher-like, poke your head up above the top to see. Newer models have modified the helm position somewhat, featuring a double seat and a mini-bimini for all- around visibility and protection from the elements.
On the other hand, the interior is one of the better arranged boats when it comes to space utilization and ergonomics. The vessel I inspected had a galley-down arrangement with three double staterooms and a single head. Two staterooms and two heads are available as an option, and I think that would be a much better arrangement in this size boat. The head compartment is palatial with a shower stall. The manual toilet is equipped with a holding tank.The saloon is enormous with room for some reclining chairs if desired. If you are living aboard for any length of time, the ubiquitous central table with surrounding bench‹common on other catamarans‹gets really old. You need a place to just flop and sprawl.Engine room access on the port side is through the shower, which is a really nice arrangement and provides a large equipment room with close to standing headroom‹the perfect place to install watermakers or other equipment. The starboard engine is under the bunk in the rear cabin (except the two-cabin model with two aft heads).For those not chartering, it is most likely not necessary to have three double cabins on a 35-foot boat. Having mirror image head arrangements would mean that both engines would be accessible through doors in the shower compartment. This is of inestimable value as easy servicing and separation of the engine and living compartments are an ideal arrangement. Accessing the engines from the interior rather than the transom steps also has a safety advantage. |
 One should not underestimate the need for sufficient comfortable space in an engine room. Aside from just being able to properly access all the machinery with room to swing wrenches, there should be room to store the tools and equipment required for maintenance. It promotes proper maintenance when all your parts and supplies are neatly arranged right where you need them, and you do not have to root through lockers all over the boat to find maintenance items.Rubrails are an option at the moment, but according to the importer, most likely will be standard shortly. Rubrails are critical safety equipment for short-handed live-aboard couples.One of the things that attracted me to this boat was the cockpit design and the access from the stern and from the sugar-scoop transoms. It is excellent flat walking access. There is no climbing across fortress-like coamings and no needing to step on seat cushions to access the vessel. Handling a dinghy in davits from the built-in arch is made easier by the aft deck layout.The aesthetics of the vessel are very pleasing. It handles its multitiered look with pleasing proportions and does not have that boxy look of some catamarans in the same size range.Steering is handled by an Edson cable system, and the keels are molded integral with the hulls. The rig is a fractional sloop with four shrouds, a single headstay, and double spreaders, which seem like overkill for this size vessel. The trampolines are nicely laid out and split by a promenade that also is a compression strut for the crossbeam. |
- Length Overall 34' 5"
- Maximum beam 21' 10"
- Sail area 700 sq. feet
- Draft 3' 5"
- Designed displacement 10,570 lbs.
- Mlast height above deck 47' 3"
- Bridge clearance 55' (est)
- Tankage: Water 88 gal.
- Fuel 50 gal. Aux. power: twin 18 hp diesel
w/ sail drives
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