Sessa C 35, comfort cruising in a boat full of good ideas

The Sessa C 35’s beam is a svelte 11’6″, which is the same as Formula’s 34 and six inches narrower than both the Sea Ray 340 Sundancer and Rinker 350, both similar-genre boats. But even though her beam is narrower, she sports a world of room below decks. Average headroom there is 6’1″, and there’s a forepeak double berth, crescent-shape dinette table that converts to a single, head with MastroMarine MSD, double-berth guest stateroom aft, and galley with two-burner Origo cooktop and Dometic microwave. The saloon/galley area of the Sessa C 35 feels bright in spite of being deep in the boat. Why? A combination of generous overhead halogen lighting, a hatch over the forepeak berth, a light oak interior and optional oak saloon sole, and standard stainless steel galley countertops that pick up and reflect light. The contemporary styling here is eye-catching. The Sessa C 35 should be an effective family weekender, although with her raked, wind-in-your-hair appearance, she could be equally attractive to the high-speed, sharp-turning performance enthusiast. 

“Power and Motor Yacht” Sea Trial

On a stretch of flat water inside, Muir spooled up the optional 260-hp Volvo Penta D4 diesel Duoprop stern drives (Volvo Penta’s 270-hp gasoline stern drives are standard), and we were off to the races. In just four seconds, the 35 was up on plane, with a slight loss of visibility due to a maximum of six degrees of bow rise as she got over the hump at 2000 rpm and 17.5 mph. In another 20 seconds, after a quick tap of the standard Bennett trim tabs to bring her nose down, the 35 made an average top hop of 41.8 mph at 3400 rpm, 100 rpm under the engine’s rating. At WOT the diesels ate 24 gph, which after factoring in her 132-gallon fuel capacity works out to a cruising range of 207 miles and 1.74 mpg. Dialing the D4s back to 3000 rpm produced a comfortable cruise of 38 mph, 18-gph fuel burn, and range of 250 miles at nearly 2 mpg. That’s pretty impressive speed and economy. Sessa Marine has put together an impressive midsize express here. Even after a shakedown in some decent seas and a good helping of high-speed driving, there was not a single loose screw, drippy porthole, or a dropped door latch. The Sessa C 35 is sturdy, attractive, speedy, and easy on the eyes.

“Boating” magazine verdict:

In the cockpit, you’ll love the double-wide chaise adjacent to the helm. On the water, the C35 proved smart too, besting 42 mph at 3,550 rpm powered by twin 260 hp Volvo Penta diesel sterndrives. Sometimes visibility can be challenging in an express-style boat, but I found clear sight lines from my test boat’s helm. Like the salon’s, I deemed the C35 cockpit’s layout thoughtful and found the boat’s engine compartment serviceable. The Sessa C35 is one boat chock full of good ideas.

Who’d Want One: A cruising couple or small family seeking private, ergonomic belowdecks accommodations.

We Say: Living space aboard a 35-foot express like Sessa’s C35 is most often a compromise. If you want privacy, you opt for a boat with two staterooms separated by a bulky doorlike hatch forward that swings into the wrong space at the worst time. Those who like a more open layout wind up with a boat that sleeps a second couple on a no-privacy pullout settee.