Design and Construction
The most obvious design feature of the Luders Clipper 36 is the pronounced clipper bow, with reverse curvature worked into the stem and hull together rather than as a bolted-on false nose. The hull itself is solid fiberglass, built to Lloyd’s 100A1 specifications, with company literature stating laminate thicknesses running from about 7/16-inch at the sheer to 1-inch at the keel anchor. Ballast is 5,375 pounds of cast iron externally fitted to the keel, and the hull carries a moderately high displacement of 16,250 pounds for a displacement/length ratio of 464. Decks are fiberglass, most with a teak overlay, and bulkheads are tabbed to the hull. Spars are Sitka spruce or other wood, a period detail that reinforces the traditional aesthetic.
Rig and Handling
The 36 came as a ketch or schooner rig, and in practice most are cutter-ketches carrying a Yankee, staysail, main, and mizzen on wooden spars with bowsprits. The main uses roller-reefing rather than the jiffy reefing common on later boats. With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.8 and a full-keel attached-rudder hull, the Clipper sails best on a reach; she is a bit tender initially but stiffens nicely once her shoulders are in the water, and most owners rate her balance as above average. The ketch rig does compromise upwind performance, and the boat does not excel going to weather or off the wind. Practical Sailor notes the expected six knots at 1600 rpm under power, but full-keel boats with attached rudders and an aperture-mounted propeller do not back down well, and the Clipper is no exception anchor.
Accommodations
Inside, the Clipper 36 is all wood and was described in the original brochure as a lavish teak interior. Two floor plans were offered. Berths were foam rubber with vinyl covers, countertops were Formica, and sinks were stainless steel, with the original toilet a Wilcox-Crittenden Imperial. Ventilation comes from a teak-and-Plexiglas skylight, a forward hatch, four cowl vents, and two Dorades. The 100-gallon fiberglass water tank and 60-gallon fiberglass fuel tank reflect a cruising intent rather than a daysailer’s compromise.
Known Issues
On some boats there was no provision for an emergency rudder, a point Practical Sailor raised for offshore intent anchor. The solid hull, tabbed bulkheads, and Lloyd’s specification build characterize her construction.
Refits and Ownership
Power was originally a choice of diesel or gasoline per the brochure; owner records show Westerbeke 4-107 or Perkins 4-108 diesels, with some hulls carrying Atomic 4 gasoline engines. The 37 HP Westerbeke 4-107 appears on at least one owner’s boat. Cable-quadrant steering is standard. A buyer or owner should plan around the wooden spars’ upkeep and the roller-reefing main if modern shorthanded reefing is desired.
The Verdict
The Cheoy Lee Clipper 36 is an exceptionally good-looking boat from one of the finer designers of her generation, built to Lloyd’s 100A1 with a traditional wood-sparred ketch rig that rewards reaching and steady cruising rather than tactical upwind work. She is a heavy-displacement full-keeler whose tender initial heel gives way to a stiff, well-balanced platform, and her teak-laden interior remains a draw for classic-cruiser buyers.
Pros
- Built to Lloyd’s 100A1 with solid fiberglass hull and tabbed bulkheads
- Pronounced clipper bow and lavish teak interior with strong ventilation
- Above-average owner-rated balance; comfortable on a reach
Cons
- Ketch rig compromises upwind performance; tender initially
- Does not back down well under power
- Some hulls lack emergency-rudder provision; wooden spars need care
