Following a subsequent business dispute, Edwards moved his production elsewhere, but the Union yard retained the physical molds and continued to market the vessel under a variety of names depending on the importing broker. Perry, who famously dubbed the boat one of his "bastard children" because he never received royalties for the stretched mold, nevertheless championed the design as a robust, safe, and highly capable offshore voyager. Built by the Union Yacht Company (formerly Union Ship Co.) starting in 1978, the EO 36 is the quintessential heavy-displacement, double-ended cruising cutter of its era.
Design Brief & Intent
The EO 36 was built for sailors seeking an uncompromising, traditional bluewater passagemaker capable of transoceanic voyages. Unlike the lighter, fin-keeled production cruisers emerging from Europe and North America at the time, this design prioritized ultimate safety, tracking, and structural integrity. It competed directly with other legendary heavy double-enders of the era, such as the Tayana 37 and the Baba 30, sitting comfortably in the middle of this class in terms of interior volume and displacement.
Aesthetically, the boat is defined by its sweeping sheerline, substantial bowsprit, high bulwarks, and a beautifully balanced canoe stern. Perry utilized the canoe stern to stretch out the hull's buttocks and pull volume aft, which helped maximize sailing length and stability while offering generous lazarette storage. Below decks, the interior is heavily clad in solid Burmese teak, conveying an opulent, secure, and classic atmosphere. The joinery and finish quality are remarkably high, though the layout is decidedly traditional, featuring deep sea berths, a massive U-shaped galley, and a dedicated, ocean-ready navigation station designed for charting in heavy weather.
Sailing Performance & Handling
With a displacement of 22,000 pounds and a displacement-to-length (Disp/LWL) ratio of 299.73, the EO 36 is a true heavyweight cruiser. It does not pretend to be a light-air racer; instead, it is designed to maintain momentum in rough seas and high winds where lighter boats are tossed about. This comfort in a seaway is underscored by an exceptional comfort ratio of 39.66, which translates to a slow, predictable motion that significantly reduces crew fatigue during long passages. The capsize screening ratio of 1.64 confirms its excellent righting capabilities and offshore safety margins.
The boat is cutter-rigged, which divides the sail plan into manageable, easily balanced sections ideal for shorthanded crews. A ballast-to-displacement ratio of 35.45% ensures a stiff, stable ride under a full press of canvas. However, with a sail area-to-displacement (SA/Disp) ratio of 14.87, the EO 36 can feel sluggish and underpowered in light air, particularly under 10 knots of wind.
At the helm, the full keel ensures superb directional tracking, allowing the boat to hold its course for hours with minimal autopilot or windvane adjustment. This tracking ability does come at the expense of maneuverability in tight marinas, where the long keel and substantial windage require deliberate planning and a deft hand on the throttle. Additionally, some owners note a slight performance drag caused by a design quirk: the original keel casting had a blunt, squared-off leading edge. Perry later admitted this was an oversight from his early designing days where the yard did not taper the leading edge, a factor that slightly limits the boat's pointing ability.
Known Issues & Triage
As with most classic Taiwanese yachts from the late 1970s and 1980s, the primary issues on the EO 36 stem from aged woodwork and structural fastening choices. The most critical area of concern is the teak-over-fiberglass deck. The original decks were fastened with thousands of screws directly through the fiberglass laminate and into a plywood core. Over decades, failing caulk seams and missing bungs allow water to migrate down the screw threads, leading to widespread core rot and delamination. A thorough moisture and sounding survey of the side decks is mandatory for any prospective buyer.
The original fuel tanks present another significant structural challenge. Often constructed of black iron and glassed into the bilge area, these tanks are prone to severe external and internal corrosion if water sits in the bilge. Replacing these tanks is a labor-intensive endeavor, often requiring the temporary removal of the cabin sole or interior cabinetry.
Additionally, early-production hulls often featured laminated spruce spars. These wooden masts and booms must be inspected with extreme care for glue-line failures and internal rot, especially around hardware attachments and mastheads. Finally, the chainplates—which secure the standing rigging—were sometimes glassed into the hull structure or bolted through thick sections of fiberglass without adequate backing plates, making them susceptible to crevice corrosion if water penetrates the deck seals.
Modernization & Upgrades
Many EO 36 and Union 36 hulls have undergone extensive modernization by dedicated owners. The most significant and common upgrade is the complete removal of the screw-fastened teak decks. Owners typically peel the old teak, excise any rotten plywood core, re-glass the deck with epoxy and marine plywood or foam-core, and finish the surface with a durable, low-maintenance non-skid paint.
Rigging upgrades are also highly common. Boats still carrying the original spruce spars are frequently retrofitted with modern aluminum masts and booms to reduce weight aloft and eliminate rot concerns. During this process, owners often pull and replace the chainplates, upgrading the structural support by installing heavy G10 fiberglass backing plates to better distribute the rigging loads.
To address the hydrodynamic drag of the keel's blunt leading edge, some owners haul the vessel and use high-density foam and fiberglass to reshape and taper the front of the keel, resulting in a noticeable improvement in light-air performance and pointing angles. Under the hood, the ubiquitous Perkins 4-108 engine is frequently updated with new exhaust elbows, modern heat exchangers, and upgraded high-output alternators. To support these upgraded charging systems, modern refits often involve replacing the heavy, traditional lead-acid house battery banks with compact lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) systems, allowing long-term cruising crews to run refrigeration and modern navigation electronics without constant generator support.
The Verdict
The EO 36 is an exceptionally robust, sea-kindly cruising yacht that represents the golden age of traditional, double-ended design. For the offshore sailor who values structural safety, comfortable motion, and classic aesthetics over racing speed and modern docking ease, it remains an outstanding and highly affordable platform for world cruising.
Pros
- Exceptionally safe and comfortable motion in a seaway due to heavy displacement and a high comfort ratio.
- Outstanding directional tracking provided by the full keel, reducing helm fatigue.
- Beautiful, classic aesthetic with a timeless canoe stern and high-quality interior teak joinery.
- Highly secure hull-to-deck joint that is both through-bolted and glassed over internally.
- Cutter rig provides a highly versatile and easily managed sail plan for short-handed crews.
Cons
- High maintenance requirements due to extensive exterior teak trim, cap rails, and bowsprits.
- Prone to severe deck core rot if the original screw-fastened teak decks have not been properly addressed.
- Sluggish performance in light winds (under 10 knots) due to a conservative sail-area-to-displacement ratio.
- Difficult maneuvering in tight quarters and marinas under power.
- Challenging and costly replacement process for the original black iron fuel tanks.
