Centurion 36 Buyer's Guide
The Centurion 36 is a French-built performance cruiser from the late 1980s and early 1990s, with only about 36 hulls produced, which makes any example on the used market a relatively rare find. Shoppers will encounter a Dubois-designed masthead sloop of 35.7 feet with a lead-ballasted fin keel and spade rudder, a boat conceived as a cruiser-racer for coastal, offshore, and short-handed use rather than a barebones racer.
Layouts on the Used Market
Because the production run was small and spanned roughly 1987 to 1994, used Centurion 36s share the same fundamental hull and rig rather than evolving through multiple layouts. The solid fiberglass deck and hull, lead ballast of 5,400 pounds, and 79-gallon freshwater capacity define the cruising envelope, while the 24-gallon diesel tank points to a boat meant for sailed passages more than motoring. Buyers should expect a single Volvo Penta MD2003 engine and a fin-keel hull around 16,100 pounds displacement.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the brokerage market, a spinnaker is commonly fitted, reflecting the boat's racing heritage and downwind capability. Cruising comfort is commonly supported by hot water, a bimini, cockpit shower, and autopilot, while navigation is commonly handled by a chartplotter and safety by a life raft. For a buyer, this means most available boats already carry the core cruising and safety electronics, leaving only personal preferences such as sail inventory condition to negotiate.
What to Inspect
Prospective owners should review the solid fiberglass hull and deck for osmotic or impact issues typical of 1980s French builds, verify the Volvo Penta MD2003 installation and cooling system, and confirm the lead ballast keel joint integrity given the boat's overbuilt construction reputation. Age-related checks remain the priority.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Centurion 36 boats are typically found in France, the country of the original builder. For a shopper, the checklist is short: confirm hull and deck condition, validate engine service history, inspect rig and sails for racing wear, and verify the commonly fitted safety gear such as life raft and autopilot are present and current. A rare, well-built cruiser-racer worth a close look if located.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Centurion 36. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 1 | $53,315 | — |
Where they're listed
Centurion 36 listings appear across 1 country. France has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | $53,315 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moody 336 | 33.42' | $ 54,308 | 27 | 6 |
| Elan 36 | 36.09' | $ 57,413 | 11 | 3 |
| Ericson 36 | 35.58' | $ 23,700 | 8 | 1 |
| Wauquiez 36You are here | — | $ 53,315 | 1 | 0 |