Design and Construction
The Evasion 36 measures 10.8 metres overall, with a 3.85-metre beam, a 9.7-metre waterline, and a shallow 1.45-metre draught. Bénéteau gave her a full, shallow-bodied hull and a shallow-draught wing keel, making her comfortably shoal-minded for a 36-footer.
The hull is solid, while the deck is a balsa-cored sandwich. That core must never be allowed to become damp: once water reaches it, the balsa rots very quickly. Every Evasion 36 left the yard with the wing keel and a furling mainsail as standard.
Displacement is 5,500 kg, including 2.1 tonnes of iron ballast—about 38 percent of the boat’s weight. She therefore sits firmly for a cruiser of this type, while the 9.7-metre waterline gives a theoretical hull speed of 7.6 knots.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The masthead sloop rig has two spreaders and a roller-furling mainsail as standard. Period testing described it as a manageable setup requiring little rig trim. Sail shape is controlled through a traveller, a foot stretcher, and genoa rails; the test boat also carried large winches.
In 16 knots of wind, the Evasion 36 managed a turning angle of just under 95 degrees in smooth water without current and made 5.9 knots. That is respectable close-winded performance for a shallow-keeled cruiser.
On one surveyed boat, a refit moved the mainsheet from the cabin superstructure down to the cockpit, simplifying the workflow at the helm. The steering itself, however, drew criticism for being stiff. The boat as surveyed was also judged less than ideal for singlehanded use because of the indoor/outdoor steering handoffs and the arrangement of the rig controls.
Wheelhouse and Accommodation
The wheelhouse brings the galley, dinette, and combined steering and navigation station together beneath the trunk cabin, with a double cabin at each end of the boat. The inside helm allows the helmsman to leave the cockpit and steer from the saloon. A small navigation table forms part of this interior station, and the indoor wheel is linked to the quadrant by a hydraulic system.
The galley is to starboard, while a large, cosy settee and two movable stools sit to port. Almost all the windows open, which is a real benefit for light and ventilation, although the many superstructure windows can also provide potential paths for leaks. The view from the deck saloon remains one of the boat’s enduring attractions.
A wet room, accessible from both the saloon and the forward cabin, is a standout feature. Its doors are narrow, however, at 1.60 metres high and 40 centimetres wide, and standing height inside is 1.72 metres.
The forward berth is a generous 2.04 metres long and 1.70 metres wide at the shoulder, narrowing to 71 centimetres at the foot. A structural arch crosses the bunk at knee height and is only 33 centimetres tall. Ventilation comes solely from a deck hatch.
The aft berth mirrors the forward berth’s dimensions but doesn’t narrow toward the foot. Its lowest height is a usable 48 centimetres, although here again ventilation is limited to small hatches.
Standing height in the saloon is 1.90 metres—not generous by modern standards. At 1.80 metres long, the port settee is also rather short for use as a sea berth. Elsewhere, the passage to the bathing platform and the amount of storage space are practical advantages.
Tankage and Cruising Use
Factory tankage is substantial: 459 litres of fresh water and 170 litres of diesel. This capacity gives the boat long-range cruising autonomy. The generous storage space is another practical advantage.
Later owners have had to contend with the indoor hydraulic steering system, which needs to be moved or serviced even though it duplicates the cockpit steerage. Along with the steering handoffs between the wheelhouse and cockpit, this redundancy contributes to the boat’s limited suitability for singlehanded sailing.
Known Issues
The most serious structural concern lies below the waterline. The keel fasteners used corroding washers, while the bolts themselves were driven into the keel, which makes replacement almost impossible.
Above deck, the many superstructure windows are potential leak paths, and the balsa-cored deck requires particular care to keep water out. The steering is reported to be stiff, while the wet-room door is too narrow for comfortable use.
The Verdict
The Evasion 36 is a distinctive, shoal-draught wheelhouse cruiser that combines Océanis breeding with an enclosed-pilothouse layout rarely found in a boat of this size. Her accommodation was genuinely innovative for the era, and her opening windows, twin double cabins, substantial tankage, and inside steering remain attractive cruising features.
The compromises are equally clear. The keel-bolt arrangement and tendency for the superstructure windows to leak call for a careful survey, while stiff steering, awkward helm handoffs, and rig controls that are less than ideal for one person limit her singlehanded appeal. With only about 50 built, she remains a low-production interpretation of the wheelhouse cruiser.
Pros
- Shallow 1.45-metre wing keel, solid hull, and sound Océanis-build base
- Indoor steering and navigation station, with opening windows throughout
- Generous twin double cabins
- Large factory water and fuel tankage
- Manageable furling-mainsail rig with a good close-winded turning angle
- Plenty of storage, access to the bathing platform, and a good view from the deck saloon
Cons
- Keel bolts use corroding washers and are effectively unreplaceable
- Stiff steering and superstructure windows that may leak
- Balsa-cored deck must be kept dry
- Narrow wet-room door and short saloon sea berth
- Limited suitability for singlehanded sailing
- Indoor hydraulic steering duplicates the cockpit steering and may need to be moved or serviced
