Design and Construction
Frers laid out the F 36 as a solid-glass hull and deck structure built by Carroll Marine, with a lead ballast of 5,700 pounds set in a fin-keel configuration drawing about 6.99 to 7.29 feet depending on load anchor. The ballast ratio sits at 50 percent, a figure higher than 93 percent of comparable sailboat designs and one that gives the boat a very high ability to resist heeling. Displacement is 10,900 pounds against a displacement-length ratio of 190, which categorizes her among moderate racers; 79 percent of similar designs are heavier. The capsize screening value is 2.15, a number that would bar her from ocean-race acceptance, while her Motion Comfort Ratio of 19.6 is more comfortable than only 14 percent of similar designs — useful context for a buyer weighing offshore ambition against day-sailing steadiness.
Rig and Handling
The F 36 carries a masthead sloop rig with a sail area of 668 square feet and a theoretical hull speed of 7.3 knots. Her wetted surface runs about 419 square feet, and the immersion rate is 1,224 pounds per inch, meaning she sits sensibly to her load without excessive sinkage. The estimated control-line geometry is well documented: jib and genoa sheets run about 36.3 feet at 14 mm diameter, the mainsheet about 90.6 feet at the same diameter, and spinnaker sheets about 79.8 feet anchor. These lengths tell a practical story for anyone re-rigging — the mainsheet traveler and winch layout must absorb a long, heavy line, and the spade rudder paired with the fin keel gives her the directional sensitivity typical of a moderate racer rather than a heavy cruiser.
Accommodations
Within the hull, the 3.04 length-to-beam ratio yields a cabin plan that is more spacious than 69 percent of all other similar designs. The 11.92-foot beam translates to a broad midsection and a footprint that rewards the interior volume without pushing the boat into barge-like proportions. The 27-horsepower Yanmar diesel, where fitted, serves auxiliary propulsion in a hull whose 10,900-pound displacement and 5,700-pound lead ballast keep motion predictable in a seaway even if the comfort ratio lags many cruising-oriented contemporaries.
Refits and Ownership
With only 35 boats built from 1982, the F 36 is a low-production design, which shapes both parts availability and owner community size. The solid fiberglass hull and deck avoid the cored-structure moisture issues that plague some contemporaries, and the rig dimensions let an owner order sheets and runners to known spec rather than guessing. Engine model specifics and tankage should be verified per individual boat.
The Verdict
The F 36 is a Frers-designed, Carroll Marine-built performance cruiser-racer with a stiff, lead-ballasted fin-keel hull and a roomy beam-driven interior. She is quick for her length and resists heeling well, but her capsize screen and comfort ratio mark her as a coastal and moderate-condition sailor rather than a bluewater campaigner. The small production run means careful survey and community networking matter more than with a mass-produced 36-footer.
Pros
- High 50 percent ballast ratio, stiffer than 93 percent of similar designs
- Roomy beam-driven layout, more spacious than 69 percent of peers
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck, no cored-structure moisture risk
- Known rig dimensions simplify re-rigging
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.15 bars ocean-race participation
- Motion Comfort Ratio better than only 14 percent of similar designs
- Low production (35 boats) limits parts and community support
