Dragonfly 36 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

What sets the 36 apart in the Dragonfly lineage is its all-composite Swing Wing folding system. Earlier models used beefy stainless steel brackets to articulate the floats; the new boat replaces those connections with a seamless, CNC-cut composite structure, and the beam join is engineered for 25 tonnes of compression anchor. The main hull and deck are built by X-Yachts in Poland from vinylester, Divinycell foam core, and GRP, while the floats are vacuum-infused at the Dragonfly shop with the same core materials and a hand-laid inner liner. Carbon reinforcements sit in the main bulkheads and at load points. For the first time on a Dragonfly, the main hull carries an inverted bow alongside the wave-piercing outrigger bows; the asymmetric floats are set 70 centimeters forward of the main hull to aid directional stability. Closed-cell foam cored construction renders the boat unsinkable, and four stainless deck eyes allow craning anywhere.

Rig and Handling

The 36 uses a deck-stepped rotating carbon mast—tall carbon masts have been standard at the yard since the early 1990s—with the performance version standing 60 feet 8 inches and the touring version 54 feet 1 inch. All spars and rigging, including mast base and head fittings, are custom built in house from industrial carbon tube sections joined by carbon inserts and stainless sleeves. Sail handling is led cleanly underdeck to powered Andersen winches within reach of twin helms, and a 4:1 single-point mainsheet runs through the cockpit floor. A boom vang on block and tackle substitutes for a traveler, and inboard genoa tracks keep sheets tight. The buoyant foam-cored centerboard draws 6 feet 7 inches down for upwind work or 2 feet 2 inches up for beaching, and the single carbon rudder from Marstrom kicks up with a curved profile to resist cavitation at speed. A Jefa steering system and a 30-horsepower Yanmar with a folding GORI prop on a saildrive mounted between the helms round out the package; under power she cruises near 6.5 knots at 2,500 rpm.

Performance

Capable of 10–15 knot cruising and a 23-knot top speed, the 36 was clocked by test sailors at 20.5 knots on flat water, with polars suggesting around 24 knots in those conditions. In lighter air she proved lively: testers recorded 8.5 knots at 40 degrees to a true wind averaging 7–13 knots, and the same speed in 7 knots true at 45 degrees apparent under a Code 0. The boat sails wing on wing with a Code sail and main, and the snub bowsprit houses the furler for that sail.

Accommodations

Below, the 36 sleeps six with two meters of headroom but offers no layout options because the centerboard trunk and bulkheads are fixed. A well-appointed galley to port holds an 85-liter Isotherm fridge at counter level. The aft double cabin serves as the owner's berth—wide but short on stowage—while the dining table drops to form another double and the forward V-berth becomes private behind a sliding door, reached by climbing through a ring frame. A small wet head sits forward to port where one sits on the toilet to shower, and the only hanging locker is a half-height double opposite it. Hand-built elm or ash joinery warms the interior.

Known Issues

On the water, testers noted the boat needed a light guiding hand on port tack, which Dragonfly attributes to a possible centerplate alignment issue the builder is working to resolve anchor. The compact interior and restricted access to the forward cabin are inherent to the fixed-trunk design rather than defects.

The Verdict

The Dragonfly 36 is a thoroughly modern trimaran that trades the metal folding hardware of its predecessors for a lighter, composite Swing Wing and wraps genuine 20-knot performance in a package that folds to marina-friendly dimensions. The fixed interior layout and modest stowage are the price of that structure, but the build quality and sailing envelope are exceptional for the size.

Pros