Production figures vary by source. One record says fewer than 100 were moulded, while another states that Southern Ocean Shipyards built 52. Today, the Excalibur 36 remains a compact, weatherly example of a particular mid-century cruiser-racer philosophy.
Design and Construction
Van de Stadt designed the Excalibur 36 as a large ocean cruiser and offshore racer for her era, and her proportions still reflect that brief. She measures 10.97 metres overall, with a waterline length of 8.01 metres and a beam of just 3.01 metres. Her length-to-beam ratio of 3.61 makes her narrower than 88 per cent of comparable sailboat designs.
Displacement is roughly 14,450 pounds, with about 5,500 pounds of lead ballast in the fin keel. That produces a ballast ratio of 41 per cent, higher than 58 per cent of similar boats. Her displacement-to-length ratio of 363 places her among the “ultra heavy cruisers,” with only 15 per cent of peer designs weighing more.
The hull and deck are solid fibreglass. Tyler Boat Company Ltd moulded them to the exacting Lloyds +100A1 standard. Like most Tyler hulls, the laminate has lasted well and presents a low risk of osmosis.
A fin keel and spade rudder give her a draught of around 1.82 metres, depending on load. That depth limits her to major marinas but anchors her downwind stability.
Rig, Sailing and Handling
The Excalibur 36 has a sturdy masthead rig stepped on the coachroof. Her sheet dimensions reflect a manual, rope-driven deck layout: the mainsheet is 27.4 metres long and 14 mm in diameter; the jib and genoa sheets are 11 metres long; and the spinnaker sheet is 24.1 metres long. All are 14 mm in diameter.
Writing in Yachting Monthly, reviewers described her as long, slim, weatherly and sea-kindly, with a comfortable motion in a seaway. Her Motion Comfort Ratio of 33.4 to 37.4 supports that verdict; the data ranks her as more comfortable than 93 per cent of similar designs.
She was no passenger on the race course. The Excalibur 36 won the RORC Class II Championships in 1963, 1964 and 1965, and was highly successful in that class throughout.
Her wetted surface is about 312 square feet, and her immersion rate is 904 pounds per inch. Together, these figures describe a hull that is slow to accelerate but steady once moving. Theoretical hull speed under sail is 6.8 knots. Under power, the calculated maximum through a shaft drive is only about 3.8 knots.
Accommodation
Below, the Excalibur 36 has traditionally designed accommodation for six in a single cabin. Settee and quarter berths provide five of those berths, and the layout also includes a galley and a head.
The arrangement works well at sea, which is the more meaningful test for a boat with this passage record. The trade-off is volume. With only 10 feet of beam, space is restricted, and the single-cabin layout reflects an era that placed greater priority on seakeeping than on saloon square footage.
Condition and Known Issues
The solid Tyler hull has lasted well and carries a low risk of osmosis. The main structural watch item is therefore the passage of time on a fibreglass laminate now several decades old, rather than any systemic fault.
That low osmosis risk means a buyer is unlikely to face the blistering remediation common to some later production boats, although any survey should still confirm hull moisture readings.
Verdict
The Excalibur 36 is a slender, heavily built van de Stadt sloop that punched above her size in RORC racing and later proved herself offshore. She is a good option as a first offshore cruiser for someone who values sea-kindly motion and a tough, Lloyds-standard hull more than interior volume.
Her narrow beam and deep fin keel define the compromise: restricted cabin space and draught suited only to major marinas, in exchange for weatherliness and comfort in a seaway.
Pros
- Long, slim hull, with a comfort ranking above 93 per cent of similar designs
- Solid fibreglass construction to Lloyds +100A1 standard, with low osmosis risk
- Winner of the RORC Class II Championships for three consecutive years, with genuine ocean passages to her record
- High ballast ratio and ultra-heavy-cruiser displacement for stability
Cons
- Accommodation restricted by a beam of just 10 feet
- Draught of around 1.82 metres limits her to major marinas
- Calculated maximum speed of only about 3.8 knots under engine
- Few were built, so spares and class support are limited
