The Controversy 36 is the flagship of the "Controversy" line, a series of yachts that challenged mid-century naval architecture with its radical embrace of light displacement and reverse sheer. Designed by E. Farnham Butler and Cyrus Hamlin at Mount Desert Yacht Yard, the model is famously a "37-foot boat sold as a 36-footer," with an actual length overall of 37' 3". The design was born from Butler’s desire for a family cruiser that could be handled with ease—a philosophy he famously termed designing for the "velocity of children." Built primarily using strip-planked cedar and mahogany, the Controversy 36 combined the weight-saving benefits of modern wood construction with a hull form that prioritized interior volume and sea-kindliness over traditional aesthetic norms.
Controversy 36 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview
- Make
- Controversy
- Model
- 36
- Builder
- Mount Desert Yacht Yard
- Designer
- E. Farnham Butler
- Number Built
- Production Year(s)
- 1960 - ??
Below are the most recent Controversy 36 sailboat listings (up to 10).
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| Source | Year | Make | Model | Price | Cabins | Heads | City | Country | Listing Date | |
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