Integrity 35

 

Issue: September 2001

The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary uses the words wholeness, soundness and honesty to describe the word integrity and these are all words that define this model perfectly. Integrity is exactly what this 35 footer is all about, a sound, well designed and laid out flybridge cruiser that delivers everything her builders promise.

When I first saw the test boat at the Anchorage Marina at Port Stephens in NSW, I initially thought she was European, maybe a Phantom or the like. But as my family, who accompanied me on this test, and I got closer it became clear this was a completely individual boat and an impressive one at that. Beauty is sometimes only skin deep, but in this case there is performance to match.

Naval architect Bernie Cohen, from the Sunshine Coast-based company, Integrity Marine Australia, originally designed this boat to accommodate twin sterndrives and produced the hull in two formats. The first were fairly basic vessels for the bareboat charter market. They were powered by twin 50hp Volvos and designed to cruise around at about 10knts. The second were well-appointed, flybridge cruisers powered by twin Volvo Penta, 260hp, DuoProp diesel sterndrives that pulled more than 40knts at 3800rpm. But this vessel has completed a motive transformation and now she's powered by two Yanmar 230hp shaftdrive diesels.

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Not only has this made vast improvements to fuel consumption figures, but it makes berthing and slow-speed manoeuvring a breeze because the boat can be steered with the engines without using the rudders.

To accommodate the shafts, props and rudders, tunnels have been built into the hull, which reduces the chance of cavitation and limits below-keel extensions.

The hull is a monohedron design with a 15-degrees deadrise, which incorporates wide, downturned chines that generate exceptional lift. This helps the hull jump onto the plane, while remaining level with no bow-up attitude. The chines actually lift the transom rather than burying it when the power is initially applied. That's unlike many other vessels in this class.

The monohedron hull also aids the boat's turning ability. Like all shaftdrives with rudders, she won't turn on a dime, but the turns are smooth, extremely stable and give the driver plenty of confidence in her handling abilities. There is also absolutely no cavitation during tight turns. The bow slices through chop easily and those big chines throw the spray well away from the hull to produce a dry ride.

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