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Quarken 35 Cabin review: Fast, fun and fantastic value

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Alex Smith takes a test drive of the new Quarken 35 Cabin, Quarken’s largest model yet, which follows much the same principles as the award-winning 27

Although Quarken was founded fewer than three years ago, we already have a very clear grasp of what this ambitious Nordic builder is all about. We know, for instance, that a Quarken is designed and built in Finland with a twin-stepped hull, a vertical stem, a fine entry and a flared bow.

We know that it uses asymmetrical deck layouts and convertible furniture to improve on-board movement. We know that it comes with a Yamaha outboard rig and a keenly resolved helm arrangement for intuitive, easy-access boating. And we know that it adopts very clean, understated lines that combine modern Nordic design with extremely competitive pricing.

So when a new flagship emerges from Quarken’s HQ in the Gulf of Bothnia, our excitement is not so much wide-eyed and frothy-mouthed as informed and expectant. The new Quarken 35 Cabin might be 8ft longer and twice as powerful as anything that’s gone before but as we make our way toward the pontoon, we feel pretty confident in what we’re about to see…

This is a 46-knot boat with a novice-friendly drive and a cruising range of almost 200 miles. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The ten-man back end

Quarken’s 27 T-Top was a very deserving MBY award winner, so it’s good to see that, in spite of the new boat’s extra length, beam and volume, the designers have again dug deep to squeeze maximum utility out of limited space. Access to the aft cockpit, for instance, is easily done via one of two symmetrical swim platforms on either side of the F300s.

Ahead of this, the stern bench is framed on both sides by fender bins and the fact that these lockers are drained means they serve equally well as ice buckets when you want to fill the deck with day boating guests.

The layout back here is flexible too. You can choose an open deck for load carrying and fishing; you can add a large transverse galley directly opposite the stern bench for alfresco cooking; or you can use a pair of facing benches and a large table for extra seating space.

You can also opt for a pair of 350s for a 52-knot top end and a more flexible cruising band. Photo: Paul Wyeth

That’s what we have on our test boat – and it’s made all the more sociable by the inclusion of some half-height drop-down bulwarks on either side of the deck that double as seats. With these extra benches deployed, you can seat the full ship’s company of ten in the cockpit, while still keeping the companionways clear and unobstructed.

The fact that these two-man benches lower the freeboard by a foot or so means they also generate some handy disembarkation points when you’re berthed alongside; and while the sheer breadth of the deck threatens to separate you from the main party, the compact adjustable tables keep those on the bulwark seats properly involved.

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It’s a strong start and, for the most part, the side decks and bow space continue that form. The narrower port side deck, for instance, is raised to help create volume for the port heads compartment down below but it still provides a decent toe rail, a roof-top grab rail and very little in the way of roof-top projection to obstruct your progress. It’s much more navigable than most examples of its type but it could still do with a rooftop rail extension at the aft end, just to ease your passage up and down from the cockpit.

Over at the deeper, wider starboard side deck, there’s a sharp edge on the low-level runner at the aft end of the sliding door, so you do need to be wary you don’t catch an ankle bone while making your way forward from the cockpit. But when you get to the foredeck, Quarken’s trademark bow arrangement is about as perfect as you’ll see on a boat of this size. There are central sundecks, a four-person lounge, permament skylights, safe peripheral walkways and a bow platform so broad that it provides the space for an offset anchor and a step-through forepeak.

The starboard side deck is considerably wider and deeper than the port one. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The ‘open’ pilothouse

As you would expect these days, the external cockpit and internal saloon get some decent integration thanks to a single-level deck, an inward-opening port door and a swing-up starboard panel that nestles flush against the deckhead.

That enables you to recline on the dinette’s aft bench and conduct conversations very naturally with the guys outside. That said, it would be good to see the hinged window equipped with a retaining catch because as things stand, you can’t leave it open underway.

With the folding bulwarks deployed you can seat up to ten without hindering access to the side decks. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The port galley is a neat piece of work though. It provides enough of everything that most people will be content to forego the optional cockpit wet bar, but it still leaves plenty of space for a proper co-pilot seat at its leading edge.

There’s also remarkable visibility all round and lots of natural light in here, thanks to the forward-raked windscreen, slender mullions and plunging side windows. A decent fore-and-aft sunroof helps open things up even further and the provision of a vast sliding Skipper’s door to supplement the one aft makes movement around the boat pretty easy too.

The highlight in here though is undoubtedly the starboard dinette. It’s substantially raised, partly to improve the views and partly to create extra storage inside the seat bases.

The raised dinette comes with a footbrace to prevent the discomfort of dangling legs . Photo: Paul Wyeth

A flip-over backrest helps integrate the helm bench, enabling you to make use of the entire starboard side – and to compensate for the extra elevation, it also comes with an integrated steel bar so you can prop your feet up and stay comfy. The fact that you can rig the dinette as an occasional double bed is of course very handy too but the best feature involves the sliding side panels, which can be pushed forward, creating a very authentic open boating sensation for the people arranged around the table.

Head down the steps and the lower deck accommodation also has a trick or two up its sleeve, not least in the form of a pull-out bench at the foot of the double bed that transforms into an extra berth. It does so by means of a slide-and-hinge mechanism that makes great use of the backrest so there’s no need for extra infils. And unlike the smaller models in the Quarken fleet, there’s also space for a separate heads and shower compartment on the port side, which radically ramps up the practicality of the 35 Cabin for keen cruisers.

The side panels can be shunted forward for big, open views from the aft bench. Photo: Paul Wyeth

In principle, then, you could sleep five or even six people on board this boat – and the fact that the new Quarken comes with a 750L fuel tank (more than twice the capacity of the 27 Cabin) suggests that the designers are keen to use that functionality to the utmost. We do need to keep that in perspective though because the 35’s chief strength is undoubtedly as a a day boat or couple’s cruiser. But if you don’t mind a bit of camp-style overnighting, it will work well as a family cruiser too.

The easy ride

Quarken is the brainchild of industrial designer, Jussi Hurskainen, in collaboration with Osmo Roukala and Antero Sundeberg. They bring with them valuable experience in award-winning fleets from Yamarin, Finnmaster, Husky, Grandezza and Saxdor – and the drive, like the deck arrangement, has a distinct whiff of time-honoured experience about it.

For a start, Quarken has been characteristically modest about performance. Though they suggest that 44 knots is likely, our twin Yamaha F300s actually push us on towards 46 knots during our test session and that’s with three people on board and more than 400 litres of fuel.

It’s a compact bathroom but the fact that it’s a separate compartment makes a big difference. Photo: Paul Wyeth

That said, according to the guys at Quarken, it’s likely that a pair of F350s will also be an option in the future, and while you might look at that and question what possible reason the family boater might have for going any faster than 46 knots, it actually makes sense…

After all, the test boat’s optimum cruising band runs from 22 to 32 knots. At that point you’re burning around 3L/Nm for a range in the region of 185 miles. But with the 350s on the transom, you should get an increased top end of around 52 knots, alongside a more flexible fast cruising band of up to 36 knots plus some extra grunt for watersports and heavy loads, while only increasing the price by £10,000 (or around 4%).

As with every other Quarken we’ve tested though, it’s not just about the straight-line performance. It’s about user-friendly helming dynamics. That goes for the adjustable wheel, the twin-bolstered bench seat and the various helm controls.

The big forward bed conceals a huge storage zone beneath the hinged mattress. Photo: Paul Wyeth

It also goes for the secure and responsive handling, which once again, dials just enough slip into the turn to keep it all feeling placid and accessible rather than hard-edged or highly strung. And it goes for the helming practicality too, which is very strong thanks to the all-round visibility and easy-access starboard side deck.

It could be taken to a fresh level with a couple of simple additions though. An opening window on the port side would enable both better communication and better access to the port cleat without having to head outside; and a larger, retractable overhead sunroof would improve visibility in the turn. But happily, having spoken to the guys at Quarken, it looks like both features will be made available on future models.

Quarken 35 Cabin specifications

LOA: 35ft 0in (10.68m) BEAM: 11ft 5in (3.48m) DRAFT: 3ft 4in (1.00m) DISPLACEMENT: 4,400kg (light) FUEL CAPACITY: 700 litres WATER CAPACITY: 120 litres ENGINES: Twin Yamaha F300 outboards RCD: B10 CONTACT: www.boatpoint.co.uk

Quarken 35 Cabin cost & options

From: £218,750 ex VAT. Test boat includes the following options… Weekend Package (inc shore power and warm water system) Foredeck cushions with cover Cockpit table, cover and forward bench Bow windlass with stainless steel anchor Cabin diesel heater 4kw

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For all the Quarken 35 Cabin’s merit, you might argue that the Axopar 37 Cross Cabin is a potential stumbling block. After all, in spite of measuring nearly 3ft longer and 5in wider, with the option of two separate cabins for more private weekends away, its base price looks broadly comparable. But while the Quarken feels cool and distinctive in the same way that perhaps a Saab 900 used to, you could argue that Axopar’s global success has made it feel a touch – well, if not bland, then certainly obvious. More to the point, while Axopar is built alongside a bunch of other mainstream brands in a huge industrial unit in Poland, this thing is put together amongst its home waters in the heartland of Finnish boat building. Considered in that context, the fact that it costs £315,000 all-in inc VAT (more than £100,000 less than you might expect to pay for a Wellcraft 355) ought to be ample cause for knowing nods and considered applause. And that’s particularly true, given that (in stark contrast to most brands, including Axopar and Wellcraft), this highly specced test boat adds a remarkably modest 25% to the price of the base package. However you look at it then, the upshot is clear. Good to drive, cleverly arranged, easy to use and accessibly priced, Quarken’s award-winning formula has been as keenly realised on this new flagship as on any Quarken that has gone before.

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