Design and Construction
Aluminium is the defining material of the Bestevaer 36, used not only for the hull and deck but as the structural and aesthetic language carried over from the brand's bigger sisters. The hull is built from aluminium and the first boat used 70% recycled metal, with the yard quoting 60% recycled content in its specification and describing the insulation as recycled cork and mineral wool. There is no paint system; the bare metal approach is paired with an antifouling wrap in standard spec. Watertight fore and aft bulkheads give the hull real subdivision, and the boat was conceived from the outset to give its crew plenty of protection. A plumb bow, deep bulwarks, and thick bottom plating let the yacht dry out safely on a beach or shoal, the retracted centreboard leaving a flat surface on the hull's thick plating.
Rig and Handling
The 36 is rigged as a cutter with Seldén rigging and Nitronic rod, and a big rig was specified to deliver good performance on all points of sail, including close-hauled and in light airs. Dykstra describes it as a high-performance little yacht that is very easy to sail and versatile, capable of circling the globe yet equally at home in local wetlands. All control lines are led aft for easy singlehanded operation. A 95% jib on a Hoyt boom is offered as a sail plan option, and a square-top mainsail with 14% more area than the standard pinhead version can be specified. The 2-tonne ballasted centreboard drops to give a generous 2.4m draught and retracts fully into the canoe body to reduce draught to only 0.7m, while the generous 3.80m beam provides good form stability and increased accommodation volume.
Accommodations
The pilothouse is the social and navigational heart of the boat, with a 360-degree view and seats situated on each side. Its coachroof extends over the cockpit to create an extremely sheltered area, a defining feature for cold or exposed cruising. Below, the interior is a flexible semi-open plan with three different style options, lit by overhead hatches and strong hull portlights. The galley sits to port of the companionway, with the heads and diesel heater to starboard. Standard specification includes a traditional-style floor of thermally modified European timber and heating from a Dickinson Alaska diesel heater. The layout is compact enough to fit easily into small harbours and marinas.
Power and Sustainability
This is a hybrid yacht with electric drive: a 15kW OceanVolt unit with sufficient battery capacity for four hours of autonomy under power. The electric drive is recharged through regeneration while sailing and by a large solar panel array on the pilothouse roof, with solar panels included as standard. The yard's first boat also used environmentally friendly and largely recycled interior materials, reinforcing the model's role as a case study in lower-impact yachtbuilding.
The Verdict
The Bestevaer 36 distills the protective, go-anywhere character of the larger aluminium Bestevaers into a 36-foot package that can dry out on a shoal, thread a small harbour, and still cross an ocean. Its centreboard, pilothouse, and led-aft rig make it genuinely singlehandable and beachable, while the electric drive and recycled-content construction mark a deliberate step toward sustainable cruising without sacrificing the rugged subdivision of watertight bulkheads.
Pros
- Aluminium hull with watertight fore and aft bulkheads and thick bottom plating for safe drying out
- 2-tonne ballasted centreboard giving 0.7m–2.4m draught range and full retraction into canoe body
- Protected pilothouse with 360-degree view and coachroof extending over a very sheltered cockpit
- Led-aft lines for singlehanded control and optional square-top or Hoyt-boom sail plans
- 15kW OceanVolt electric drive with regeneration and solar array as standard
Cons
- Only four hours of battery autonomy under electric power per the published specification
- No paint system means bare aluminium finish care is integral to ownership
- As the smallest and newest model, it post-dates the longer-established larger Bestevaer cruisers
