Cape Dory 36 Kth Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

The Cape Dory 36 represents the quintessential realization of the collaboration between builder Andrew Vavolotis and legendary naval architect Carl Alberg. Introduced in 1978, it was positioned as the flagship of the Cape Dory fleet, embodying the "full keel" philosophy that Alberg championed throughout his career. While the vast majority of the 165 hulls produced were rigged as cutters, a limited number were delivered with a ketch sail plan (the "Kth" designation), offering a split rig for sailors seeking smaller, more manageable individual sails. Built with the heavy-displacement characteristics necessary for true offshore work, the 36 is often cited as one of the most capable blue-water cruisers of its size from the late 20th century. Its construction reflects an era where robust fiberglass layups and high-quality bronze hardware—sourced from the builder’s own Spartan Marine division—were the standard rather than the exception.