Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35)
Description
The Southern Cross 35 (also known as the Gillmer 35) is a classic American double-ended cutter designed by Thomas C. Gillmer as a capable bluewater cruiser. It was first built in 1978 by C. E. Ryder Corporation in Bristol, Rhode Island, with production continuing into the 1980s; approximately 95 boats were constructed in heavy fiberglass (some sold as factory-finished vessels, others as hull-and-deck kits for owner completion). Like its smaller siblings (the Southern Cross 28 and 31), it features a traditional canoe stern, cutaway forefoot, encapsulated lead ballast, and a skeg-hung rudder, delivering a smooth, forgiving motion at sea with excellent stability and righting capability—qualities that have made it a favorite for long-distance voyaging despite its moderate speed. Key features include a versatile masthead cutter rig (with bowsprit), solid construction for offshore work, and practical accommodations for 5–6 with good headroom and storage. It prioritizes seaworthiness, comfort, and strength over outright performance, with owners praising its bluewater reliability (many have completed extensive passages).
Construction Details
| Designer | Thomas Gillmer |
|---|---|
| Builder | C. E. Ryder Company in Bristol, Rhode Island (USA) |
| Length | 35.250 ft |
| LOA | 35.250 ft |
| LWL | 28.000 ft |
| Beam | 11.420 ft |
| Displacement | 17700 lb |
| Ballast | 5750 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.920 ft |
| Year Built | 178 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 45.25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 16.83 ft |
| p | 40 ft |
| e | 12.25 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 45.25 ft | 16.83 ft | 40 ft | 12.25 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 40 ft - (12192 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12.25 ft - (3734 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.18 ft - (12552 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 41.42 ft - (12625 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 252.4 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 38.62 ft - (11771 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 22.92 ft - (6986 mm) |
| Leech | * 32.68 ft - (9961 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.35 ft - (5898 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 373.65 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - GENOA
| Luff | 44.5 ft - (13564 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 20.92 ft - (6376 mm) |
| Leech | 40.67 ft - (12396 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 113.37 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.08 ft - (5816 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.82 ° |
| Area | * 424.49 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - GENOA
| Luff | * 45.86 ft - (13978 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 27.72 ft - (8449 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.69 ft - (13012 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 25.25 ft - (7696 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.97 ° |
| Area | * 578.99 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 45.86 ft - (13978 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 27.77 ft - (8464 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.19 ft - (12860 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 955 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 43.3 ft - (13198 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 27.5 ft - (8382 mm) |
| Leech | 40.6 ft - (12375 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 893 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - STAYSAIL
| Luff | 35.5 ft - (10820 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Leech | 32.25 ft - (9830 mm) |
| Length Perpendicular | * 10.85 ft - (3307 mm) |
| Area | * 192.56 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - STORMJIB
| Luff | 26 ft - (7925 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 10.25 ft - (3124 mm) |
| Leech | 21.5 ft - (6553 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 48.78 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.21 ft - (2502 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 16.34 ° |
| Area | * 106.78 ft² |
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Southern Cross 35 (Gillmer 35) - STORMTRYSAIL
| Luff | 17 ft - (5182 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 11.5 ft - (3505 mm) |
| Leech | 22 ft - (6706 mm) |
| Length Perp | * 11.93 ft - (3636 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 7.09 ° |
| Area | * 96 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.
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