2024 Wellcraft 435 Performance Cruiser

Boat Reviews

Boat Review by: Richard Crowder

Last year, Wellcraft introduced its brand new 355 Performance Cruiser to rave reviews. Building on this success is the stunning 435 Performance Cruiser for 2024. New boaters may be surprised to see this style and size from this builder, but seasoned boaters will remember back to the late 1980s and early 1990s when Wellcraft was recognized as one of the largest manufacturers of pleasure boats worldwide. In addition to its race-winning stable of high performance offshore-style boats, it also offered a full selection of family runabouts, pocket cruisers, and full cruisers including the popular and quick 43-Portofino Performance Motor Yacht.

The 355, and now this 435, look on the outside like nothing ever offered by Wellcraft in the past, but famed American Naval Architect Michael Peters, yacht designer Pawel Denert, and interior designer Camillo Garroni teamed up to produce a pair of performance cruisers with worldwide appeal and practicality.

From the modern requisite plumb bow stem providing greater interior room, to the very practical reverse-raked windshield, to the highly useful starboard-side pilothouse-style door at the helm, to the pair of electric folding side “terraces,” to the triple outboard power, to the two staterooms and two heads each with its own separate stand-up shower, this 435 Performance Cruiser from Wellcraft ticks all the right boxes in all the right places and much more.

The 12’6” beam on the 435 allows for a substantive U-shaped swim platform that flanks the three standard Cold Fusion White Mercury® V10 350-horsepower Verado engines. This platform provides lots of room for walking between the engine cowlings and the transom and allows lots of easy water access on both sides of the engines. To make it even easier, there is thru-transom gated access to this platform on both sides of the cockpit.

Then if you want even more water access or to in effect open up the entire cockpit for entertaining or watersports enjoyment, the cockpit aft portion of both hull sides fold down electrically while the boat is stationary to considerably increase the cockpit floor space. Hence the use of ‘terraces” to describe them. Then when folded up, a starboard side boarding door within the starboard side “terrace” provides easy egress when docked.

A stern L-shaped lounge connects via a removable stool to a single seat aft of the cabin bulkhead on the starboard side to create a massive seating area or a lay-down stretch-out lounge. A portable table with fold-out leaves serves the cockpit seating. Aft of the cabin bulkhead on the port side is a standard cockpit galley unit with Corian surface and lots of storage. To this you may add an optional refrigerator or ice maker and a Kenyon electric grill. Being outboard-powered, there is huge storage available beneath the cockpit sole. A hot and cold cockpit shower is standard.

The all-glass cabin bulkhead features a centre sliding door opening to starboard aft of the dinette and a flip-up window to port aft of the galley. Coupled with the electric sliding sunroof in the cabin hardtop, sliding opening helm door, and opening port side cabin window, full or partial fresh air circulation or full protection from the elements sans annoying canvas is fully realizable. You may optionally choose air conditioning/heating for the salon and staterooms.

The sizable galley with Corian top and stainless-steel sink offers lots of overhead and under neath storage cabinets and drawers along with 130-L refrigerator, ceramic cooktop, microwave oven and dustbin. Opposite is a decent sized dinette with foldable table. Overhead in the hardtop are a pair of tinted skylights which add to the surrounding natural lighting of the salon. A ceiling-mounted television is optionally available over the galley for viewing from the dinette.

Straight ahead between the double-wide helm and passenger seats with flip-up forward bolsters are steps down to the two cabins. At the bottom of these stairs in what Wellcraft calls “the lower lobby” and immediately to port is the guest head with vessel sink, upper and lower storage, electric toilet, lots of natural lighting and a separate glass-walled stand-up shower compartment.

Through a forward privacy door is the Master cabin with double pedestal-style bed with storage below, a closet with full-height mirror, mini bar with vanity, and an en suite head compartment equipped almost exactly like the guest head including a stand-up separate shower compartment. The midship VIP cabin a few steps aft offers a double bed to port plus a full-length sofa to starboard, a pair of closets and lots of natural lighting from the fixed hullside windows. Both cabins provide reading lights with USB plugs and opening portholes. Television, cushion sets, bed linens, and removable carpet may be optionally added to both cabins.

Access to the bow is via side deck walkarounds which are made safe with the addition of European-style substantial safety rails with an intermediate lifeline. Up front is a huge lounging sunpad immediately ahead of the windshield plus a double-wide aft-facing bench seat at the bow. An electric windlass within the forward anchor locker is standard. A stainless-steel anchor and chain are optionally available.

I have left the helm to the last as this is where many decisions must be made according to a buyer’s wish list and boating preferences. The helm itself is gorgeous and straightforward with lots of space to accommodate the navigational and safety aids and personal pleasures you may want. Sightlines are full surround and a pair of articulated windshield wipers with washers keep the forward vision clear as does the reverse rake on the windshield which eliminates most reflections.

Of course Mercury® engine controls and specific instrumentation readouts are provided as well as joystick control. An adjustable steering wheel is standard but opt for the “multi-functional steering wheel” which looks more like the one you are used to in your vehicle with lots of control buttons. This is part of the “Comfort Pack” option which, along with the wheel, includes a fresh water shore connector and retractable ambient lights in the bow area.

The “Electronic Pack” includes a pair of Garmin GPSMAP 8416 touchscreens and a “Premium Audio Pack” includes a Fusion APOLLO MS-WB670 stereo with remote control, a pair of JL amplifiers, additional speakers, and a subwoofer. While you are studying packages, consider the “Trim Level 2023” which gives you a bow thruster, special interior and exterior lighting, cockpit furniture protective covers, trim tabs, and raw water washdown among other niceties.

You may also want to individually choose a forward-facing rooftop Lumishore LED lightbar, underwater lighting, Garmin radar, AIS™ 800 transceiver, VHF radio, night vision GC200 camera, satellite TV antennas, Zipwake automatic trim tabs, and a Seakeeper SK3 stabilizer. Handy roof racks are also available as is a forward portable sun shade, an aft cockpit sun awning or an electric furling one. A full aft canvas enclosure is available as is a bow table, teak decking or Seagrass infinity carpeting and even AWL GRIP metallic hull paint.

Shore power of course is standard while a 7.5 KVA generator is optionally available. A pair of 40 AH battery chargers are standard and you may want to add additional AGM batteries, a 2000W inverter, or a Lithium battery pack which includes three 200 AH batteries and two 60 AH chargers. And since you’ve gone this far, go for the most practical option, the outboard engine automatic flush system, especially if salt water running is part of your boating.

Indeed, the Wellcraft 435 is a performance cruiser offering worldwide appeal while ticking all of the right cruising boxes.

2024 Wellcraft 435 Performance Cruiser Photo Gallery

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