Hunter E36 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The standard e36 carries the "e" in its name from a swing-down extended swim platform that replaces a molded transom swimstep. That feature is not cosmetic: by eliminating the swimstep cutout, it frees room for more accommodations below and a larger cockpit table, and the aft stateroom gains extra volume and comfort from the folding platform, with plenty of hatches. The performance version drops the platform for an open transom in the interest of weight reduction, so its aft cabin will not show the same space gain. In both layouts the saloon, nav station, galley, and head sit to port of the companionway, the saloon is lit by portlights, overhead, and hull windows with varnished cherry joinery, and the forward V-berth is a little tight for the toes but storage-rich. A sturdy handrail to port serves the companionway steps.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, these boats commonly come fitted with solar, bimini, dodger, furling main, dinghy davits, and radar. Electric winches, a freezer, swim platform, and chartplotter are often seen. The factory Performance Package—when present—adds a big square-top UK-Halsey carbon Tape-Drive main giving 12 percent more sail area, a retractable sprit for a big asymmetrical spinnaker, a winch upgrade, a folding propeller, and a larger 42-inch wheel; the standard rig flies a full-batten main with aluminum spars and wire standing rigging on a backstay-free B&R fractional rig, and a stainless steel cockpit arch bases the Bimini and main traveler. The swim platform itself locks in place and is deployed on a single line through a Spinlock clutch with a gas shock damping the lowering.

What to Inspect

Documented construction details point to specific inspection focuses. The hull and deck use balsa coring above the waterline with solid fiberglass below and a Kevlar layer from stem to keel for impact resistance; the deck is through-bolted and bonded to the hull with 3M 5200 on an outward-turning flange encased in a rubrail, so check that seam for prior dock impact. The standard keel is iron and a deep lead keel marks the performance version—confirm which is fitted. Stanchion bases sit on top of the toerail to avoid pooling, but verify no prior corrosion at deck hardware. The low bridgedeck at the companionway should be checked for any water ingress path, and the swim platform hinge and Spinlock clutch should be cycled to confirm the gas shock and lock still function.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats typically appear in the United States and France. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm standard versus performance variant (swim platform present or open transom), verify keel material, cycle the swim platform and inspect the flange-rubrail joint, and confirm whether the Performance Package mainsail and sprit are fitted. Choose the standard e36 if aft-cabin volume and easy water access matter; choose the performance version if sail-carrying ability and weight savings outweigh those needs.