Cabot 36 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Brewer conceived the Bite as a way to modify a full keel, and he was convinced the shape would give the boat the windward advantage of a fin-keel design while making steering in reverse a more pleasant experience anchor. The feature also lets the rudder sit at the aft end of the keel while keeping both propeller and rudder fully protected. Structurally, the Cabot 36 is a traditional fiberglass boat built from a mold, but its deck and hull are cored with Airex rather than the marine plywood or balsa wood common to many contemporaries. Airex is strong yet does not absorb water, removing the threat of seawater intrusion and the delamination that plagues other core materials. Owners have described the boat as fortunately overbuilt, its solid construction evident above and below deck. The modified full keel carries 5,500 pounds of lead ballast to help the vessel stay upright in a blow, and the 17,800-pound displacement with a 304 displacement-to-length ratio marks her as a heavy, settled ocean cruiser rather than a light racer.

Rig and Handling

The Cabot 36 is rigged as a single-spreader cutter, with an aluminum keel-stepped mast and a substantial rig designed for crossing oceans without concern for failure. The design's more modern cutaway keel promised more nimble maneuverability in tight quarters anchor, and with a cutaway forefoot and keel extending back to support the rudder she will track true in open water and provide a comfortable motion in almost any sea state. The mainsheet and traveler sit aft of the helm seat, mounted atop the coaming behind the wheel, keeping sail controls close to the person steering. There are no genoa tracks on the wide side decks; the slotted aluminum toe rail running bow to stern serves as the attachment point for turning blocks. From the factory the non-self-tailing, two-speed primary winches were mounted on the coaming, a little too far forward to be handy to the helm, a minor ergonomic quirk on an otherwise ocean-minded deck.

Accommodations

Below, the Cabot 36 exudes what owners describe as a feeling of coziness, with most of the fiberglass interior covered in rich teak bulkheads and handcrafted cabinetry of finely made joinery. The T-shaped cockpit offers adequate room for crew and is enhanced by a raised helm seat that can be reversed to serve as a bench across the stern, while teak floorboards keep feet dry. Ventilation comes from five opening bronze portlights, four opening ports with large seaworthy Lewmar hatches, and four fixed cabin-trunk windows that admit plenty of light. The standard factory layout placed a U-shaped galley with a three-burner propane range to port at the companionway, a huge icebox against the aft bulkhead, and a double sink with storage underneath. Forward of the salon sits a relatively spacious head to port with shower and vanity, opposite a large hanging locker to starboard, and a large V-berth occupies the bow. A small forward-facing navigation table sits to starboard of the companionway, and a quarterberth lies under the starboard cockpit seat.

Equipment and Factory Package

The boat presented as a heavy-duty cruiser with stainless steel bow pulpit and stern rail, stanchions, lifelines, dodger, bimini, and roller-furling headsails all part of the package. A 24-inch wheel on a binnacle came standard, with engine controls abeam the wheel to port, and waist-high custom stainless-steel guards flank the mast for security on the cabin top. The deck carries an aluminum track along the toerail for sheet adjustments, and substantial bulwarks topped by a teak cap rail reinforce the sense of security on deck. Two separate water tanks — a 60-gallon fiberglass unit under the cabin sole and a 30-gallon tank forward under the V-berth — fed the interior, with a 15-gallon holding tank beneath the V-berth.

Mechanical Background

The original factory-installed engine is a four-cylinder Westerbeke 30 residing under the companionway steps, paired with a Paragon transmission still considered bulletproof. The factory fuel tank was originally black iron but was replaced after two years of service with an aluminum tank, a detail worth knowing on any surviving example.

The Verdict

The Cabot 36 stands as a small but purposeful fleet of Canadian bluewater cutters whose Brewer Bite keel and Airex-cored hull gave her real offshore credentials without the water-intrusion worries of her peers. She is a heavy, comfortable tracker rather than a lively performer, and her teak-lined interior remains a warm, well-built refuge. The limited production and short builder life mean rarity, but a later revival effort saw at least one new hull completed in 2005.

Pros