Design and Construction
Griffiths paired a typical long keel with a centreboard. The Clipper 36 draws nearly 6 ft 3 in when loaded, reducing to roughly 3 ft 2 in with the board raised.
The solid fibreglass hull places the boat firmly among heavy cruisers. Its displacement-length ratio is 332, and its ballast ratio is 45 percent. Wetted surface is about 258 ft², while the immersion rate is 845 lb per inch. Together, these figures describe a hull that sits deep and moves slowly through the water but resists being pushed around by added load or sea state.
Philip and Son Ltd. also offered the Atlantic Clipper 36 as a full kit for owner completion. As a result, surviving boats can vary in joinery, finish, and fitting-out details, although the hull and deck structure remain the common denominator across the class.
Rig and Handling
The Clipper 36 carries an easily handled ketch rig. Combined with the centre cockpit, the split sail plan makes for manageable shorthanded work.
Its sail-area/displacement ratio is 18.01, a modest figure that marks the boat as a steady voyager rather than a light-air sprinter. The theoretical hull speed for a displacement hull of this length is 6.8 knots, while the calculated maximum is about 7.5 knots.
A capsize screening value of 1.65 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 32.8 place the Clipper 36 in a reassuring band for an ocean-going cruiser of this size.
Accommodation
The layout below is dominated by a huge aftercabin and a big galley, with six berths distributed throughout the accommodation. The centre cockpit separates the living spaces and serves the aftercabin.
The galleon-style poop deck isn’t merely decorative. It shelters the aftercabin and gives the stern a degree of volume rarely seen in a 36-foot cruiser of the period. Within a length overall of 36 ft and a beam of 9 ft 8 in, the layout prioritizes private sleeping space and a working galley over open-plan saloon living.
The Verdict
The Atlantic Clipper 36 is a specialist’s boat: a heavy, centreboard-equipped ketch with an unusual stern profile and a genuinely large aft cabin. It won’t win around-the-buoys races, but its comfort ratios and flexible draft suit a cruiser who values steadiness and anchorage access over speed.
Pros
- Centreboard keel combines shallow-draft gunkholing with deep-keel stability
- Huge aftercabin and big galley support extended liveaboard cruising
- Easily handled ketch rig suits shorthanded offshore work
- Strong capsize screening and comfort ratios for a 36-foot cruiser
Cons
- Modest sail-area/displacement ratio limits light-air performance
- Deep loaded draft restricts access to minor marinas
- Unconventional poop-deck profile won’t appeal to every buyer
- Kit-built heritage means fit and finish can vary between hulls
