Cavalier Yachts leased the design and commissioned Laurie Davison to rebuild the deck to its specifications. Only twenty examples were built—a small, focused production run for a boat with genuine offshore credentials.
Design and Construction
At 36 feet overall, with a 30-foot waterline and 12-foot beam, the Cavalier 36 draws 6 feet 3 inches. Displacement is 14,500 pounds, including 7,500 pounds of ballast. These figures place the boat firmly at the performance-oriented end of the cruiser-racer spectrum.
Like its smaller sibling, the Cavalier 32, the Cavalier 36 has balsa-sandwiched fiberglass construction, and the hull is well built throughout. Seven high-tensile monel keel bolts secure the keel. Rather than being bolted through separate plates, the chainplates are integrally molded into the hull and deck—a structurally serious detail.
Rig, Cockpit, and Performance
The masthead sloop carries 860 square feet of sail. Combined with Peterson’s hull form, that rig rewards active sailing. The Cavalier 36 is stiff and quick on all points of sail, with a marked preference for downwind runs, while its performance on a reach is also superb. The design’s racing pedigree carries directly into the way the boat handles its canvas.
The 7-foot cockpit can seat up to ten people, generous for a boat of this class. It reflects the deck rebuild commissioned from Laurie Davison, which prioritized crew space as well as the structural integration of the chainplates.
At least two Cavalier 36s have circumnavigated the globe, a testament to the seaworthiness built into the original lines rather than any later cruising concessions.
Accommodations
Below, the Cavalier 36 provides berths for seven, divided among a seagoing quarter-berth, settees with pilot-berths, and forward V-berths. Headroom is a full 7 feet, and the interior is finished in high-quality teak or mahogany.
The layout balances the needs of a crew underway with the livability required for a bluewater passage. The quarter-berth, in particular, reflects the boat’s offshore intent.
Verdict
The Cavalier 36 is a designer’s boat through and through: a Peterson offshore racer with a One Ton Cup-winning lineage, built in small numbers by Cavalier Yachts, NZ, with serious construction details and a genuinely seakindly record.
It suits a sailor who values stiffness, speed, and structural integrity over volume for its own sake. Its accommodations are also finished to a standard that belies the limited production run.
Pros
- Peterson design with a 1974 One Ton Cup-winning pedigree
- Balsa-sandwiched GRP construction, integrally molded chainplates, and monel keel bolts
- Stiff and quick on all points of sail, superb on a reach, with global circumnavigations to its credit
- High-quality teak or mahogany interior, 7-foot headroom, and berths for seven
Cons
- Only twenty were built, limiting availability for buyers seeking this model specifically
- Its downwind preference means it is less naturally tuned for windward work than dedicated cruisers
