Introduced in 1978, the boat remained in production for 12 years. Cape Dory launched 165 hulls before the company closed, establishing the 36 as a well-proven Carl Alberg design with countless ocean miles logged. When the builder went out of business in 1991, Vavolotis retained the molds and moved them to Robinhood Marine in Georgetown, Maine. The design was reborn as the Robinhood 36 and offered on a semi-custom basis, although only a handful were built and sold.
Design and Construction
The Cape Dory 36 displaces 16,100 pounds. Its 27-foot waterline is just 75 percent of the 36-foot overall length, leaving 9 feet of overhangs. These long, narrow proportions are typical of Alberg’s work.
The hull was hand-laid in a rotating, one-piece mold, using alternating layers of fiberglass mat and woven roving. The deck is balsa-cored, except in high-load and high-stress areas, where the builders used solid fiberglass, plywood, or aluminum. A wide, 3-inch inward flange forms the hull-and-deck joint, which is through-bolted on 12-inch centers.
Separate molds were used for the headliner and for the pans in the V-berth and galley. A fiberglass subfloor adds athwartships support, but it also further limits access to the hull.
The ballast was cast in two pieces and placed inside the keel cavity. Several layers of fiberglass secure it in place, and gelcoat covers the assembly to give the bilge a smooth, clean finish. The rudder consists of two fiberglass half-shells filled with a polyester compound and built around a beefy 1 ½-inch stock.
Rig and Handling
The boat has a full keel cut away forward, with an attached rudder. The propeller sits inside an aperture, giving it protection suited to offshore work.
Most Cape Dory 36s were cutter-rigged with a club boom, although a few left the factory as sloops. Most also have wheel steering. The T-shaped cockpit was designed to accommodate a pedestal and a decent-sized wheel. The single-spreader mast is keel-stepped and heavily stayed.
With an SA/D of 15.7 and a displacement-length ratio of 356, the Cape Dory 36 isn’t fast. Its strengths lie elsewhere: it tracks well, resists pounding in a seaway, and heaves-to very well—a quality bluewater sailors find reassuring. The low SA/D and high D/L also mean modest performance in light air.
Accommodations and Machinery
The interior reflects the boat’s narrow beam rather than trying to disguise it. Headroom of 6 feet, 4 inches helps, but the saloon still feels distinctly narrow.
The cutter rig’s original staysail and club boom defined the forward working area. Many boats have since had the staysail converted to furling gear.
The standard auxiliary was the old, reliable Perkins 4-108, a 4-cylinder, 50-horsepower diesel. It was paired with a fiberglass fuel tank, although some owners have retrofitted aluminum tanks.
Known Issues
Before hull No. 71, Cape Dory used an unusual mild-steel web to connect the lower shrouds and backstay to the hull. This bracket was prone to trouble. After hull No. 71, the builder fiberglassed an aluminum angle bar to the hull just below the deck flange. Chainplate tangs were bolted to this weldment, distributing rig loads evenly and slowing corrosion.
Some owners have also reported rudder delamination. That possibility is worth weighing on any early or hard-used example.
Refits and Ownership
Replacing the staysail club boom with furling gear is the most common period refit, and many boats have received the conversion. The fuel system is another area owners have modified, with aluminum tanks replacing the original fiberglass tanks on some hulls.
The Robinhood 36 continuation produced a small number of semi-custom sisterships, but most owners and buyers will encounter the Cape Dory-built fleet of 165 boats.
The Verdict
The Cape Dory 36 is a deliberate bluewater cutter that trades speed and interior volume for seakindly tracking, a protected propeller, and a thoroughly conventional Alberg hull structure. Its principal weaknesses are corrosion around the early chainplate arrangement and the possibility of rudder delamination. Both call for careful attention during a survey.
Pros
- Proven offshore record, including circumnavigations
- Hand-laid solid hull with a robust, through-bolted deck joint
- Protected propeller, cutaway full keel, and attached rudder
- Excellent heaving-to behavior in heavy weather
Cons
- Narrow saloon limits livable beam
- Trouble-prone mild-steel chainplate attachment on hulls before No. 71
- Rudder delamination reported by some owners
- Low SA/D and high D/L contribute to modest light-air performance
