Design and Construction
The Contrast 36 measures just over 36 feet overall, with a waterline length near 30.5 feet and a beam of about 10.8 feet. Her fin keel has a lead bulb and draws roughly 6.1 to 6.4 feet, depending on load.
Both the hull and deck are fibreglass sandwich structures rather than solid laminate. The original review noted that this construction improves the cabin climate by buffering temperature and condensation.
Displacement is about 10,976 pounds, including 4,928 pounds of ballast, for a ballast ratio of 45 percent. Her length-to-beam ratio is 3.33, while a displacement-to-length ratio near 180 places her among what one performance index calls “light racers” rather than heavy cruisers.
Her theoretical hull speed is 7.4 knots. Under power, the Yanmar 3GM20SD diesel and saildrive produce a reported 7.5 knots. The capsize screening value is 1.89, and the Motion Comfort Ratio ranges from 21.6 to 24.2. Together, those figures frame the Contrast 36 as a stiff coastal performer with comparatively easy motion, rather than a heavy offshore cruiser.
Rig and Handling
The Contrast 36 carries a fractional sloop rig. Her sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 16.3 using the ISO reference sail and rises to 19.0 with a 135 percent genoa. The Relative Speed Performance index is 66, consistent with a boat that rewards sail trim over raw horsepower.
The hull bottom has about 387 square feet of wetted surface. The immersion rate is roughly 1,151 pounds per inch, so the boat sits at a predictable waterline as crew and stores come aboard.
The running-rigging specifications are thoroughly documented. The mainsail, jib, and spinnaker halyards are each about 113 feet long and run at a half-inch diameter. The jib, genoa, mainsheet, and spinnaker sheets are 14 mm; the mainsheet alone is 90 feet long.
Because the Contrast 36 was also sold for home completion, individual boats may differ in how their systems and fittings were executed, even though the underlying factory product is coherent.
Accommodations
The interior is finished in mahogany, as were many Scandinavian yachts of the period. No berth count or cabin plan has been published for the design.
The same sandwich construction used for the hull and deck helps insulate the living space from outside temperature swings, contributing to the cabin’s overall feel.
Known Issues
The only documented caveat is the Contrast 36’s home-completion history. Because some boats were completed by their owners, the quality of each boat may vary. Factory-finished and amateur-finished examples may not meet identical standards.
The saildrive transmission is listed without any accompanying warning.
Verdict
The Contrast 36 is a thoughtfully engineered, light-displacement cruiser-racer from the early days of the Scandinavian performance-cruiser movement. Her sandwich construction, lead fin keel, and fractional sail plan suit responsive handling and tolerable cabin comfort rather than brute carrying capacity. The possibility of variable workmanship on home-completed boats is the one cloud over an otherwise coherent design.
Pros
- Sandwich hull and deck improve the cabin climate
- Lead fin keel and 45 percent ballast ratio
- Light-racer displacement profile with a 7.4-knot theoretical hull speed
- Fractional rig with a strong sail-area-to-displacement ratio under genoa
Cons
- Build quality may vary among home-completed boats
- Draft of 6.1 to 6.4 feet restricts her to major marinas
