Rockport Marine has been commissioned to produce a custom 35-footer. The Maine-based boatyard describes its new AM35 as a modern take on a New England classic, a vessel that’s outboard-powered and can either host a couple for weekends or up to 10 passengers for cocktails at sunset.
“In terms of styling cues and design language, it’s more modern than other work we’ve done,” says Rockport Marine Chief Designer Sam Chamberlin. “This boat has a modern, deep-V planing hull. That’s the thing that really differentiates it from the 37 we launched a couple years ago, which was semi-planing.”
Following a period of collaboration with Langan Design Partners on a large sailing yacht, Rockport Marine commissioned the firm as naval architecture counsel on the AM35. Langan Design Partners has similar recent experience with their design of the North Coast 415HT.
Comfortable, convivial seating is a focal point on the AM35. In the cockpit is a forward-facing settee for two. Below the hardtop are facing settees, one to port and the other to starboard. At the helm are two fixed seats. Chamberlin says he expects all furniture to be built in-house, except for the adjustable table.
The AM35’s hardtop will have a sunroof, and early designs show an opening windscreen. The wheelhouse has doors that open onto the sidedecks for easy access to the amidships cleats.
Belowdecks is an offset double berth to starboard, as opposed to a traditional forepeak V-berth. This makes room for a design feature that Chamberlin once used on a lobster boat turned yacht—a portside armchair that faces the companionway. Chamberlin says the chair is one of those features that allows the design to strike a nice balance between dayboat and weekender. “If you’re on the dock, or if you’ve got a lot of people on board, it’s a place to sneak away.”
The accommodations level also has a portside galley with a single burner, stove, sink, and refrigerator. To starboard is a private head.
Like most Rockport designs, the AM35 will be a vessel intended for high usage. The boatyard will use cold-molded, monocoque construction, with four layers of planking and a single layer of fiberglass on the exterior. Teak planks will cover the cockpit sole.
Power for the boat is expected to be twin 300-hp Yamaha outboards that produce a projected top hop of 35 knots and a cruising speed near 25 knots. The boat will likely have bowthrusters and Yamaha’s Helm Master joystick system.
The design will be fine-tuned throughout the spring, and construction should start sometime in the summer.
Specifications:
LOA: 35’0”
Beam: 11’0”
Displ.: 16,750 lbs.
Transom deadrise: 24 degrees
Power: (2) 300-hp Yamahas
Top speed: 35 knots
June 2025
