BoatsCape Dory 36

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.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a narrow beam gives 36 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 36
CoastalBluewater

At 1.69 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.69
LightHeavy

365 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 365
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 15.7
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

What the fleet has seen

The Cape Dory 36, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Cape DORY 36 is a Carl Alberg-designed cutter-rigged long-keel sailboat built by Cape Dory Yachts from 1978 to 1990, with an LOA of 11.0 meters and a displacement of 7302 kg. Aboard *Atom Voyager*, a Cape DORY 36 named *Swan* completed a solo Atlantic circuit of 10,000–11,000 miles, departing Brunswick, Georgia, and stopping in Bermuda, the Azores, Porto Santo, Agadir, Cape Verde, Dominica, and St. Thomas.0:24 This boat was refitted with a 6-kilowatt E-Propulsion electric outboard in a custom tilt-up well, powered by a 175 amp-hour 48-volt lithium battery bank and two 200-watt solar panels on an arch, with a gas generator for range extension.watch The refit also included a dry toilet, a Rego non-pressurized alcohol stove, and a battenless mainsail on a Tides low-friction track.23:16 During the Atlantic crossing, the Lofrans Royal manual windlass seized, a Harken Mark IV Unit 1 furler drum lost its lower plastic flanges, and the Monitor windvane's rudder latch cracked.17:25 The electric outboard's cooling fan corroded, and the genoa UV strip failed due to improper sewing.14:31 The boat maintained 3.0–3.2 knots under electric power, with solar panels providing all house loads.7:46

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 8 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Cape Dory 36 on video

Solo Bluewater Sailing: Beginner’s Path to an Atlantic CircuitA beginner completes a solo Atlantic circuit on a Cape Dory 36 with an electric motor instead of diesel.Atom VoyagerSolo Sailing the Atlantic: Africa to CaribbeanSolo Cape Dory 36 crosses the Atlantic from Cape Verde to Dominica, managing wind vane failures and wing-on-wing trade wind sailing.Atom VoyagerCape Dory 36 Refit Tour - Part 6The Cape Dory 36 Swan utilizes an ePropulsion E-175 electric outboard and a Monitor windvane for offshore passages.Atom VoyagerSailboat Electric propulsion with Gas GeneratorHonda EU2200i vs. PowerSmart 2500 tested as range-extenders on Cape DORY 27 and 36 electric-propulsion sailboats.Atom VoyagerSolar Charging Dual Bank 12v and 48v Lithium Batteries - Cape Dory 36 Refit Part 5A Cape Dory 36 refit uses transfer switches and a 30-amp Victron MPPT to solar-charge separate 12-volt and 48-volt lithium banks.Atom VoyagerCape Dory 36 Sailboat Refit Part 1A 1980 Cape Dory 36 undergoes a refit to replace its inboard diesel with an outboard motor.Atom Voyager

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

  • InstalledMonitor windvane

    A Monitor windvane has been installed for steering.

    aboard Atom Voyagerseen August 2024watch

  • InstalledVictron

    A single 30 amp Victron MPPT is used for the 12-volt charging path.

    aboard Atom Voyagerseen November 20234:38

  • WorkingGarmin

    The Garmin chartplotter was used for navigation and became part of the daily routine.

    aboard Atom Voyagerseen June 202619:33

  • WorkinginReach

    Two Garmin inReach Mini units provided critical redundant communication.

    aboard Atom Voyagerseen June 202622:39

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Cape Dory 36 may be fitted out entirely differently.

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
PREMIERE! ⛵️🎙️ Sailing Insight: Mara is going to sail solo around the world – without modern aids8:44from SEILmagasinet
Morgan Yachts Out Island 3610.92 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s production cruiser featuring a 1.14-metre draft and a heavy ballast ratio for stability in shallow waters
AMAZING MACHINES! How They Make Sailboat Sails12:02from Practical Sailor
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 moulded fiberglass
Carl Alberg’s Family Sailboat for the Ocean - Alberg 371:35from Practical Sailor
Cabo Rico 3411.28 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA heavy-displacement cutter designed by W.I.B. Crealock, featuring a long keel for steady, comfortable blue-water cruising
Cabo Rico 34 Boat Reviewfrom Practical Sailor
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
Sailboat Designers that Changed Sailing Forever! Lady K Sailing - Ep 3645:38from Lady K Sailing
Mariah 3111.28 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA heavy-displacement cutter designed by Henry Mohrschladt with a long keel and a signature extended bowsprit
Young Sailing Couple Explore the WILD And RUGGED British Columbian Coast. Ep 46 S313:42from Breaking Waves

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

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

Keep asking

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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