Cape Dory 36
Cutter · Long Keel · 1978–1990
Produced from 1978 to 1990, this long-keeled cutter was later marketed as the Robinhood 36
Designed by Carl Alberg.
- LOA
- Beam
- Draft (max)
- Displacement
- Ballast
- Hull type
- Long Keel
See her sail
The Cape Dory 36, on the water
The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.
Footage from Atom Voyager
Is it for you?
Character
Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.
LivelyComfort 36Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 1.69Bluewater
LightD/L 365Heavy
EasygoingSA/D 15.7Powered-up
TenderBallast 38%Stiff
Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.
The living fleet
Sailed by the fleet
Where the fleet has filmed this boat.
Seen 4 times across 2 channels of the fleet.
On the water
The Cape Dory 36 on video
Who's been looking
Market signal
Crews the fleet has filmed weighing this model up — no sale seen, and no asking price.
1channel looked into buying
Daniel considered this model for the race but found most were abroad
from 59° North Sailingseen September 20255:51
From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.
The record
Full specifications
The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.
Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
37.6%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.7
Displacement / length
365.2
Comfort ratio
35.7
Capsize screening
1.69
Hull speed
7.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1029
Hull
Hull type
Long Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1978–1990
Units built
166
Designer
Carl Alberg
Builder
Cape Dory Yachts
Boats like this, on the water
More boats like her, on the water
Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.
Rustler Yachts 3610.77 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Holman and Pye designed masthead sloop featuring a heavy-displacement long keel hull built for offshore stability
Bristol Yachts 4012.24 mSame hull family1.2 m longerA versatile masthead sloop available as a cutter or yawl, produced over sixteen years for steady, comfortable cruising
Nauticat 3310.11 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterSiltala's inaugural production model, this long-keeled ketch offers a stable, high-comfort platform for extended cruising
Alberg 3711.33 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA long-keeled masthead sloop produced for two decades with a transition from wood-heavy interiors to molded fiberglass
Chris-Craft Sail Yacht 3510.67 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA long-keeled masthead sloop from the boards of Sparkman & Stephens, featuring a hull shared with the Caribbean 35
Downeaster 3811.58 mSame hull family0.6 m longerA 1974-era cutter with a 35.4 comfort ratio, built for stable, long-distance voyaging on a heavy-displacement hull
The family
Related models
The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.
Cape Dory 40A Carl Alberg-designed cutter with a long keel, built for steady, traditional blue-water passage makingCape Dory 32A short-run 1986-1988 masthead sloop with a 40% ballast ratio, designed for steady, traditional cruisingCape Dory 31A Carl Alberg-designed cutter with a long keel, built between 1983 and 1985 for traditional, steady offshore cruisingCape Dory 33A 1980s production masthead sloop with a 41% ballast ratio, occasionally factory-fitted with a Volvo dieselCape Dory 27A 1977-1985 production masthead sloop featuring a 40% ballast ratio for stability in a traditional full-keel hull
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The fleet has more to say
Search what's been said about the Cape Dory 36, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.
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