CS 36 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The layout across the CS 36 fleet is essentially uniform — Wall worked from a single accommodation plan throughout the production run, and variations are minor. Forward is the V-berth master cabin, followed by a starboard head with shower and a large hanging locker to port. The main saloon runs settee-to-settee with a centerline drop-leaf table; the starboard settee converts to a double, giving the boat a total of six berths if needed. The galley occupies the port aft quarter with a three-burner stovetop and oven, a substantial icebox, and outboard stowage. The navigation station is to starboard opposite the galley, with the quarter berth serving double duty as the navigator's seat. A wet locker adjacent to the companionway on the starboard side is one of the more thoughtful touches and one owners consistently praise.

Interior finish is heavy on teak joinerwork, which darkens the cabin compared to more contemporary interiors. The molded fiberglass liner panels that make up parts of the interior are functional but limit customization and can make some hull areas difficult to access for inspection. Water tankage is generous by the standards of the era — split port and starboard tanks giving substantial total capacity. Some boats were configured with a tank under the V-berth as a holding tank rather than water storage, so the actual plumbing layout should be confirmed on any specific boat.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Boats on the used market are commonly fitted with a bimini and dodger combination, often added by early owners and refreshed by subsequent ones — the cockpit is comfortable to sail from and owners invest in keeping it that way. Autopilots are widely fitted across the fleet, reflecting how well-suited the CS 36 is to shorthanded sailing; she is known to balance well under sail and responds predictably to both wind vane and autopilot steering. Chartplotters and radar are found on the great majority of brokerage examples, and heating systems — appropriate given the boat's Canadian heritage and Great Lakes and East Coast market — appear frequently.

Solar panels and inverters are a frequent owner upgrade, typically added as part of broader electrical updates rather than as original equipment. Asymmetric and symmetric spinnakers are commonly found aboard, a reflection of the boat's cruiser-racer roots and active racing histories on the Great Lakes and coastal waters. Upgraded primary winches are among the most common modifications; the standard Lewmar 43s are widely considered undersized for the genoas most owners carry, and Lewmar 52s or larger self-tailers are a recurring upgrade across the fleet. Hot water systems and electric winches are seen on a meaningful portion of boats, particularly on examples that have been more extensively fitted out for extended cruising. A freezer conversion of the icebox is an occasional owner upgrade on boats used for longer passages.

Rod rigging and backstay adjusters were factory options and appear on some examples, particularly those with a racing history. The backstay adjuster is awkward to operate in its standard low-transom location, and some owners have relocated it. Halyards are typically led aft to cabin-top winches, which works well for shorthanded sailing.

What to Inspect

The rudder deserves careful attention from any surveyor. The semi-balanced spade rudder on a partial skeg uses a foam-filled fiberglass construction over a stainless steel rudderstock, and water intrusion into the rudder is a documented concern. Water weeping from the area where the stock enters the rudder is a warning sign; in saltwater use, corrosion of the internal stainless steel plates is a real possibility. A thorough inspection requires either cutting inspection ports into the rudder sides or splitting the rudder open — cosmetic probing is not sufficient on a boat of this age.

Through-hull fittings on early production boats were fitted with brass gate valves rather than proper seacocks, and any example that has not had these replaced should have the work done immediately. Marelon ball valves were used on later models, but the transition point varied and any pre-purchase survey should confirm the status of all through-hulls regardless of production year.

The AC electrical system on many CS 36s was installed with solid copper wire, inadequate circuit protection, and improper grounding — none of which meets current safety standards. Budget for a full AC electrical review and likely rewiring on any boat that has not had documented electrical updates. Similarly, the original LPG propane system will need pressure valves, overfill protection valves, and properly sealed storage lockers to meet current safety codes.

Balsa-cored deck areas deserve systematic sounding for delamination and moisture intrusion, particularly around fittings and chainplate penetrations. The chainplates on the CS 36 are bolted to steel tapping plates laminated into fiberglass buttress webs, which is a robust arrangement, but the deck penetrations are a standard vulnerability on any balsa-cored boat of this vintage. The anchor well was noted as prone to filling with water in heavy sailing conditions, so inspect the drain arrangement and the plywood reinforcement in the well floor carefully. Early boats also experienced a deck-to-bulkhead separation issue under heavy rig loads — Tennyson reportedly corrected affected hulls with heavier tabbing, but confirm the repair history on any early example.

Hull blistering is variable — most owners report clean bottoms, but osmotic blistering has appeared on some examples and should be assessed during the out-of-water portion of any survey. Engine access is genuinely difficult; the Westerbeke 30 diesel is mounted under the cockpit with a V-drive arrangement, and thorough inspection requires removing interior panels. Verify service history carefully, as deferred engine maintenance is harder to catch on this boat than on designs with better access.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The CS 36 fleet concentrates heavily in Canada and the Great Lakes region, which reflects both its Canadian origin and its design suitability for freshwater sailing in a range of conditions. Examples also circulate regularly along the US East Coast and occasionally appear in Pacific Northwest waters. Outside North America, the model is rarely seen — buyers in Europe or the Mediterranean will find it an uncommon discovery rather than a routine option.

For a buyer willing to do the pre-purchase work, the CS 36 represents a structurally sound platform with a strong owners association, documented ownership history in many cases, and a design that handles genuinely well offshore. The due-diligence checklist before committing:

• Survey the rudder thoroughly — inspect internally, not just externally
• Confirm all through-hull fittings have been replaced with proper ball valves or seacocks
• Have the AC electrical system reviewed by a marine electrician; budget for rewiring
• Verify the LPG system meets current safety standards
• Sound the entire balsa-cored deck, especially around chainplates and deck fittings
• Confirm the anchor well drainage is functional and the well floor plywood is sound
• Check tabbing at major bulkheads on early hulls for any sign of the known separation issue
• Review documented engine service history; inspect under removed panels, not just visual access
• Confirm keel configuration — the shoal-draft 4'11" option suits shallower cruising grounds, while the deep 6'3" fin gives a meaningful windward advantage
• Assess primary winch size; a winch upgrade is likely if the boat carries a large roller-furling genoa