38ZR comparison 35ZR any major differences
 

Wondering in particular the difference in maneuverability at the dock with the staggered 38's are these a handful in marina with a little wind. Do they respond to the typical forward-reverse rotation. Bow thruster (they look ugly) but better than crashing the dock.

Question #2 top speed 38 vrs 35 dame power ..... staggered to side by side. And high speed handling.

The couple 35's and 38's currently listed are pretty close on price.. Bigger I'd better.
Does the cockpit shrink on the staggered ????

My buddy just bought a 35 with 496HO's, I have not gotten in it yet but as far as cockpit size to a 38 it seems a little smaller. Not much smaller, most of the length came from the engine room with staggards. I will say the 38's look a lot bigger, not sure if they added free board since I did not see them side by side but the 38 seemed like a BIG boat. I think they were 38'8" counting the swim?

Side by sides will definitely be easier around the dock than staggered. I believe a 38 with 525's will do 88-89 and a 35 with 525's will do 93-94mph.

Just remember, the swim platform is counted in the overall measurement of the boat. The 38' ZR is more like a 36' boat and the 35' is more like a 33' boat when it comes to comparing to some of the other brands.

I have not been in a 35, just a 38. But I'd want to know specifically where the difference is made up. I would assume a longer bilge/engine bay on the 38 to accommodate the staggered setup option.
Personally, I'd want to know if/that the 38 has a deeper cockpit than the 35. It is always better to feel IN the boat vs. ON it. And the lower you are behind the windscreen the better. That windscreen is pretty far out in front of the front bolster occupants, and will be a windy ride for everyone.

I've had both a 35 and a 38. The 38 is just a touch deeper than the 35 and the cockpit is also a bit longer. Is it noticeable? Hardly. Not enough to mention.

The 35 and 38 are two very different boats but very similar. Let me explain.
The true length of each boat is 35' 3" for the 35Zr and 38' 8" for the 38Zr.
The cabin on the 35 and 38 are identical with the cockpit in the 38 being a touch deeper and 6" longer. Most of the extra length in the 38 is in the engine bay area for the stagger set up. They both share all the same hardware and components as well. That is where the same part of these boats ends.
The 35 with the side by side layout will give you better docking ability and it will give great performance (80+ mph) with very reliable 496 power. With 525s the boat will run 90+ and that is as fast as that hull should run. It tends to get very loose as you get into the 90's. The 38 will be more difficult around the docks like all staggered boats, but will outshine the 35 in overall performance. With 525's the 38 will touch 90mph, and be close to 110 with 700's. The 38 hull can easily handle speeds up to 120 and handle like its on rails. The 35 is a good boat (and a great boat for a reliable 496 package) but the 38 is much better performer if you want to run over 90 and is worth the upsize.