Design and Construction
The Freeport 36 stretches 35.75 feet on the deck and draws 5.25 feet at the fin keel, carrying 17,000 pounds of displacement against 6,300 pounds of ballast anchor. Those figures place her firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser class, and the 12-foot beam gives the interior the volume that Perry's raised-coachroof profile exploits. A 1978 example surveyed by an owner writing in a sailing web log revealed that the hull is insulated, and the same examination showed a zippered headliner run below the deck to reach hardware without tearing panels down. Solid fiberglass hull construction follows the builder's long practice, while the deck and cabin top use cored fiberglass to trim weight overhead. Engine access is through the salon sole, and that owner found the panels easy to lift and the working space genuinely good — a detail seldom so cleanly resolved on a 36-footer of the era.
Rig and Sail Plan
The boat is a masthead sloop with an I dimension of 46.75 feet and a J of 16.75, the P and E measuring 42 and 12.75 feet respectively. The standard mainsail covers 273 square feet, and the working jib 383 square feet, but the sail range runs well past that: genoas are listed from a 524-square-foot 135-percent overlap up to a 593-square-foot 150-percent, and a drifter of 608 square feet sits in the light-air inventory. An asymmetrical spinnaker of 1,008 square feet and a 137-square-foot storm jib round out the offwind and heavy-weather ends. Double-speed self-tailing winches handle the sheets. The sail area to displacement ratio of 15.95 and the capsize screening value of 1.87 mark her as a moderately powered cruiser in conventional offshore-cruiser territory.
Accommodations
Perry gave the Freeport 36 a deck salon with a raised coach roof and large fixed port lights that, notably, do not open anchor. The popular "plan B" arrangement devotes the aft port side to a generous owner's cabin with a double berth and drawer storage beneath, while to starboard sit double cedar-lined hanging lockers — one deeper than the other because of the hull shape — separated by a bureau of drawers. A fold-down dining table serves the main saloon. Forward, the entire bow is given over to a head compartment with the shower set into the open floor space. The galley is fitted with a pull-out cutting board, a built-in slot for a small trash bag beside the sink, and dedicated stowage for dishware. Outside, four lazarettes provide storage, one arranged as a propane locker, and a fold-down swim step at the stern doubles as a steering bench for the helmsman.
Known Issues
The one accommodation quirk worth flagging is that the fixed salon port lights limit natural ventilation through the deck saloon, so a buyer should not expect to crack a window for airflow in the main living space. The insulation noted in one hull and the zippered headliner are owner-observed features rather than flagged problems.
The Verdict
The Islander Freeport 36 is a thoughtfully laid-out Perry cruiser that punches above its 36-foot length through a raised-trunk deck saloon and an aft owner's cabin that rivals larger boats. Solid fiberglass hulls, good engine access, and a versatile sail range make her a credible coastal and blue-water candidate, provided the fixed port lights suit the buyer's ventilation expectations.
Pros
- Robert Perry design with blue-water capability and traditional lines
- Raised deck saloon with large owner's cabin and four lazarettes
- Excellent engine access through easily removed salon sole panels
- Insulated hull and zippered headliner for hardware access
- Broad sail inventory from storm jib to 1,008 sq ft asymmetrical
Cons
- Large salon port lights are fixed and do not open
- Often confused with the unrelated Islander 36 and later Freeport 38C
