Design and Construction
The Buccaneer 36 is a trimaran with a daggerboard, and its hull is fiberglass or plywood composite over a plywood core, with a deck of the same composite construction hull material of FG or plywood. The crossarms are demountable aluminum beams, which let the boat be broken down for trailering or shipping and reassembled afloat. At 10.9 meters LOA and 10.06 meters LWL, with 7.92 meters of beam, the platform is broad and light; the displacement-to-length ratio of 88.17 and pounds-per-inch immersion of roughly 3,064 confirm a hull that rides shallow. The capsize screening value of 5.42 and comfort ratio of 4.24 place her in the performance-multihull camp.
Rig and Handling
She carries a masthead sloop rig with 821 square feet of sail area, yielding a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 35.67 and an S# of 7.26. The minimum draft is 2.25 feet with the board up, and the maximum hull speed is 7.70 knots. Those figures describe a trimaran built to skim rather than plow, with the daggerboard supplying bite to claw off a lee shore when lowered.
Accommodations
The demountable beam system and plywood-cored composite shells define the envelope, and the 26-foot beam gives the central hull a wide footprint relative to the 35-foot length. No interior arrangement is described for the design.
Refits and Ownership
Because the boat was produced from plans by various builders, individual hulls differ in detail and the demountable aluminum beams mean a secondhand example can be relocated or stored disassembled — a real ownership advantage over a one-piece trimaran.
The Verdict
The Buccaneer 36 is a lightweight, beamy Crowther trimaran that trades absolute comfort for speed and practical portability. The demountable aluminum beams and shallow draft make her unusual among 36-foot cruising boats for ease of trailering and shoal access.
Pros
- Demountable aluminum beams allow breakdown for transport and storage
- Shallow 2.25-foot draft with board up for gunkholing and beach access
- High sail-area-to-displacement ratio (35.67) and S# of 7.26 for strong performance
- Broad 26-foot beam from a 35-foot-9-inch length gives a roomy footprint
Cons
- Low comfort ratio (4.24) and capsize screening of 5.42 indicate a light, less forgiving hull
- Plan-built by various builders means inconsistent detailing between hulls
