She measures 36 feet on deck and 41 feet 3 inches overall, including the bowsprit. Displacement is 18,500 pounds, with 6,500 pounds of lead ballast in a long keel. Her 12-foot beam sits over a 30-foot 6-inch waterline. The result is a robust, up-to-date cruising boat suited to a couple with guests or a small family.
Design and Construction
The hull is single-skin fiberglass, laid up using conventional roving-and-mat hand methods. Horizontal deck areas are balsa-cored, with plywood inserts wherever deck gear is mounted.
The long keel is a direct extension of the hull molding. A cast-lead ballast insert is lowered into it, with an enormous sump above the ballast holding the stainless steel fuel and water tanks. The hull-to-deck joint is bolted through an ordinary perforated toe rail.
The chainplates sit a short distance inboard and are tied either to the main bulkhead or to stubs glassed to the hull. Rigidity comes not from a single liner trick, but from an unusually large number of full and partial bulkheads glassed to the hull. These are complemented by a glassed-in structural hull liner and a fiberglass headliner. Ridges on the liner support teak-strip inner liners in the sleeping cabins.
Rig, Deck, and Handling
The Bayfield 36 carries a cutter rig on Isomat spars. The keel-stepped mast stands directly atop the internal ballast casting.
Three two-speed Lewmar 16 halyard winches are mounted on the mast. The outhaul and slab reefing are also handled at the mast base, using a small winch below the gooseneck and integral lock-offs at the front of the boom.
Elsewhere, the deck hardware includes four Lewmar 40 two-speed primary winches, two number 16 mainsheet winches on the cabintop, and twin Harken mainsheet tackles with ratchet blocks. Together, they give the crew plenty of purchase. A low, angled bulwark helps provide secure footing, while sand mixed into the deck gelcoat—instead of a molded nonslip pattern—adds grip underfoot.
The standard cutter sail plan totals 738 square feet, or 870 square feet across three working sails.
Accommodations
Below, the interior is divided into several cozy compartments rather than arranged around one large central saloon. Turned teak posts and louvered doors reinforce the traditional atmosphere, and the joinery is good-quality and nicely finished.
The main saloon has a half dinette to port. Two well-isolated, enclosed sleeping cabins each contain a double berth, dressing space, and a hanging locker. A larger hanging locker is located beside the navigation station.
The galley is adjacent to the companionway. It has a good-size cold box with standard 12-volt refrigeration, along with a two-burner Origo alcohol stove and oven. Many buyers replace that stove with propane, against Bayfield’s advice.
The plumbing system supplies pressure hot and cold water to the galley, head sink, and shower/bathtub. There is also a marine toilet with a holding tank, a bronze hand pump for lake water at the galley, and a substantial manual bilge pump.
Machinery and Systems
A Yanmar 4JHE four-cylinder diesel provides 44 horsepower. It is well mounted and smooth-running. Although no sound insulation is fitted, the engine ran quietly in review.
Bronze thru-hulls are used throughout. The electrical and plumbing layouts reflect a production boat intended for extended cruising rather than weekend racing.
Known Issues
The long-keel construction that gives the Bayfield her sea-kindly profile can cause problems if grounding damage allows water to enter a porous region between the outer skin and the lead. Buyers and surveyors should therefore treat any grounding history as grounds for close inspection of that interface, rather than as a cosmetic concern alone.
Verdict
The Bayfield 36 is a thoughtfully modern interpretation of a traditional cruiser. Her hand-laid hull, network of glassed-in bulkheads, and keel-stepped mast show structural seriousness. At the same time, the compartmented interior and well-equipped deck make her a comfortable liveaboard for two, with room for occasional guests.
The main cautions are the potential path for water ingress between the keel structure and lead ballast after grounding, and the common substitution of a propane stove for the standard alcohol unit despite the builder’s advice.
Pros
- Long-keel lead ballast, sump-mounted tanks, and a keel-stepped mast provide structural continuity
- Numerous glassed-in bulkheads and liners produce a stiff, quiet hull
- Comprehensive winch package and mast-base reefing suit manageable short-handed cruising
- Traditional compartmented interior with two enclosed double cabins and finished teak joinery
Cons
- The porous interface between the outer skin and lead can admit water after grounding damage
- Owners frequently replace the standard alcohol stove with propane against the builder’s advice
