BoatsIslander Yachts 36

Islander Yachts 36

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1971–1986

An Alan Gurney-designed masthead sloop with a 15-year production run and nearly 800 hulls launched

Designed by Alan P. Gurney.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Islander Yachts 36, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Wicked Salty

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 27 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 27
CoastalBluewater

1.88 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.88
LightHeavy

266 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 266
EasygoingPowered-up

16.4 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.4
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

What the fleet has seen

The Islander Yachts 36, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Islander Yachts 36 is a Masthead Sloop designed by Alan P. Gurney, built by Islander Yachts from 1971 to 1986, with nearly 800 units produced. This 11.0 m sailboat features a fin keel with a rudder on skeg, a 3.4 m beam, and a 1.8 m draft, displacing 6100 kg. It was offered with various engine options, including Universal Atomic 4, Palmer P-60, Perkins 4-108, Westerbeke L-25, Pathfinder, and Yanmar. Aboard *Lady K Sailing*, the Islander 36 is identified as a suitable budget-friendly option for cruising, including Gulf Stream crossings, when purchased for $15,000 to $20,000 to allow for upgrades like a Beta Marine diesel engine replacement, a $1,000 electrical system with golf cart batteries and solar, and Navionics on used iPads for navigation. *Wicked Salty* raced an Islander 36 in light, variable winds, demonstrating its performance in competitive conditions despite a penalty turn at the start.8:39 Kyle Jackney, with 40 years in the marine industry, considers the Islander 36 among the best value used production sailboats for cruising.0:02

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Islander Yachts 36 on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale
1channel looked into buying
$15,000Median asking

  • A specific boat listed for $15,000, noted as being dirty on the top side which could lead to a lower price

    from Lady K Sailingseen July 20238:24

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
40.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.4
Displacement / length
266.3
Comfort ratio
27.3
Capsize screening
1.88
Hull speed
7.1 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1128
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1986
Units built
770
Designer
Alan P. Gurney
Builder
Islander Yachts, Tradewind 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.

Hunter Marine 3610.95 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a 44% ballast ratio, designed for stable coastal cruising during a short early-eighties production run
#47 Investments to improve our life aboard!0:52from Sail Vessel Khalifa
Sabre Yachts 3610.97 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1985-1990 production cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a 1.93-metre draft for deep-water coastal performance
Spotting Land After 25 DAYS AT SEA!! (MJ Sailing - Ep 80)23:49from MJ Sailing
Moody 36S10.97 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn aft-cockpit variation of the Moody 36, featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for balanced coastal cruising
World Cruising Boat6:32from Sailing Gently
Catalina Yachts 3611.07 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile coastal cruiser offering optional tall rig and wing keel configurations to suit varying water depths
Stop Waiting — These Sailboats Are a STEAL!4:01from Lady K Sailing
Beneteau First 36.710.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Farr-designed racer-cruiser with a 2.2-metre draft and a balanced sail-area-to-displacement ratio for club competition
The Most Overlooked Sailboat on the Market | Beneteau First 36 7from Lady K Sailing
Beneteau 36111.10 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 11.1-metre masthead sloop marketed under multiple names and cabin layouts to suit both private and charter use
How To Get Sailboat Insurance7:13from Practical Sailor

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.

Islander Yachts 37A 1966 Bruce King design featuring a masthead rig and a 35% ballast ratio for balanced coastal performanceIslander 34A masthead sloop featuring a rudder profile inspired by the 1964 America's Cup defender ConstellationIslander 32A J.H. McGlasson-designed masthead sloop that served as the foundational hull for the later Islander 33 and 34 modelsIslander Yachts 40A Doug Peterson-designed masthead sloop built for performance with a deep fin keel and a balanced spade rudderIslander Yachts 41 (Gurney)An Alan Gurney-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder, distinct from the Lapworth-designed 41Islander 33A raised-deck masthead sloop with a 1.37-metre draft, built between 1964 and 1971 for coastal cruising

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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