DescriptionCentre-cockpit family cruiser. 1990 Maxi 35 with reconditioned engine, renewed rig and new sails. The big spend is behind you. Dartmouth, South Devon.

Overview
A centre-cockpit family cruiser with a Swedish pedigree, a rare layout for her size and a long record of careful ownership. The same owners have had her since 2016, and in that time her engine, sails, rig and heads have all been renewed or overhauled. What you're buying is a well-found boat with the big-ticket work already completed and a low maintenance outlook.
She sails with confidence. Her owners describe a boat that tracks straight on a light touch once balanced, with a generous rig and three reefs in the main. Reef early and she rewards you.
Below, the saloon is warm and comfortable, with bespoke upholstery and covers made by the owner, a large fridge and renewed heads. New headlining for the saloon and aft cabin fitted October 2026. On deck, the centre cockpit gives a protected, sociable space with a fixed windscreen, spray hood and winter tonneau cover.
She is ready to be enjoyed and loved as she has been, and her owners have set a price to find her the right home.

Specification
Model: Maxi 35, centre cockpit
Designer and builder: Pelle Petterson / Maxi Yachts, Sweden
Year: 1990
LOA: 10.59 m (34'9")
Beam: 3.28 m (10'9")
Draft: 1.45 m (4'9")
Displacement: 5,300 kg
Construction: GRP, cored/sandwich hull
Keel: Cast iron fin keel with bulb
Engine: Volvo Penta MD2003 diesel, reconditioned unit fitted 2018
Antifouling: Coppercoat
Berths: 2
Location: Brixham, South Devon

Highlights
Centre cockpit: sheltered, secure and good for family and guests. Reconditioned Volvo Penta 2003 (2018), serviced annually, with a new saildrive seal and spindle this autumn. New sails from Dart Sails (2025) and three reefs in the main. Standing rigging renewed in 2016, surveyed and re-tensioned by riggers in Lymington. Rig loads spread into the hull with stainless reinforcing plates at the bow and stern. Coppercoat antifouling and a repainted hull. Raymarine Axiom chartplotter with integrated AIS, plus a new Standard Horizon VHF with GPS and DSC (2026). Heads renewed around 2023.

Accommodation
Forward cabin, saloon, pilot berth and aft cabin, with bespoke upholstery and covers throughout, a large fridge and heads renewed around 2023.

Rig and sails
Sloop rig with generous sail area, three shrouds each side and no compression post. Three reefs in the mainsail. Sails by Dart Sails, 2025. Standing rigging renewed 2016, surveyed and re-tensioned by Lymington riggers. Stainless reinforcing plates at the bow and under the twin backstays spread rig loads into the hull. Set up for cruising, with no spinnaker gear to manage.

Engine and mechanical
Volvo Penta MD2003 diesel, reconditioned unit fitted 2018. Simple, robust raw-water cooling. Serviced annually. New saildrive seal and gearbox-to-engine spindle fitted autumn 2026.
Electronics and navigation.
Raymarine Axiom chartplotter (non-touchscreen, removable) with AIS integrated. Raymarine depth and speed instruments. Raymarine autopilot. NASA apparent wind instrument. Standard Horizon VHF with built-in GPS and DSC, fitted 2026.

Deck and cockpit
Centre cockpit with fixed windscreen and spray hood. Tonneau cover for the cockpit through winter. Custom-made cockpit cushions. Teak refreshed 2017.

Hull and finish
GRP cored/sandwich hull, an early example of this build method for the model. Cast iron fin keel with bulb. Hull repainted, with gelcoat cracks filled and faired beforehand. Coppercoat antifouling.

Recent investment
2016: standing rigging renewed.
2017: teak cheeks refreshed.
2018: reconditioned Volvo Penta MD2003 fitted.
2023 heads renewed.
2025: new sails by Dart Sails.
2026: new saildrive seal and spindle, stern reinforcing plates, new VHF, headlining replaced.

What I love most about Lady Em is how fully she has been part of this family. She taught them to sail, and it has worked both ways: she has given them as much as they have put into her. The centre cockpit puts the crew at the balance point of the boat, in the middle of the seesaw rather than out on the end, so she feels settled and secure underway. Below, she is roomy and full of homely touches her owners have added over the years, and she has given them a front-row seat for more sunsets than they can count. They are now ready to move up to a bigger yacht, once Lady Em has found her next keen crew to teach.