Design and Construction
The Cavalier 36 carries the same balsa-sandwiched fiberglass construction as its smaller sibling, the Cavalier 32, and the hull is well-built throughout. Seven high-tensile monel keel bolts secure the keel, and the chainplates are integrally molded into the hull and deck rather than bolted on through separate plates — a detail that speaks to the structural seriousness of the design. At 36 feet overall with a 30-foot waterline, the boat draws 6 feet 3 inches and carries 7,500 pounds of ballast against a 14,500-pound displacement, figures that place her firmly in the performance-oriented end of the cruiser-racer spectrum. Her sail area of 860 square feet on the masthead sloop rig complements a beam of 12 feet, giving the volume needed for accommodation without sacrificing the quickness Peterson built into the hull.
Rig and Handling
Peterson's hull form rewards active sailing. The Cavalier 36 is stiff and quick on all points of sail, with a marked preference for downwind runs, while her performance on a reach is also superb. That combination of stiffness and speed under sail is no accident — the design's racing pedigree carries directly into how she carries her canvas. The 7-foot cockpit, capable of seating up to ten, is generous for a boat of this class and reflects the deck rebuild commissioned from Laurie Davison, which prioritized both crew space and the structural integration of the chainplates. At least two Cavalier 36s have circumnavigated the globe, a testament to the seaworthiness baked into the original lines rather than any later cruising concessions.
Accommodations
Below, the Cavalier 36 offers berths for seven people distributed among a seagoing quarter-berth, settees with pilot-berths, and V-berths forward. Headroom runs a full 7 feet, and the interior woodwork is finished in teak or mahogany of high quality — a refinement that sits comfortably alongside the boat's race-derived bones. The layout balances the demands of a crew underway with the livability a bluewater passage requires, and the quarter-berth in particular reflects the offshore intent of the design.
The 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. She rewards a sailor who values stiffness, speed, and structural integrity over volume-for-volume's-sake, and her accommodations are finished to a standard that belies the production count.
Pros
- Peterson design with 1974 One Ton Cup-winning pedigree anchor
- Balsa-sandwiched GRP construction with integrally molded chainplates and monel keel bolts anchor
- Stiff and quick on all points, superb on a reach, proven by global circumnavigations anchor
- High-quality teak or mahogany interior with 7-foot headroom and berths for seven anchor
Cons
- Only twenty built, limiting availability for those seeking the model specifically
- Downwind preference means she is less naturally tuned for windward work than dedicated cruisers
