Design and Construction
The Mamba 36 measures 11.05 meters overall and 9.30 meters at the waterline, with a beam of 3.22 meters and a displacement of 5,600 kilograms. Her 2,250 kilograms of lead ballast gives her a 40 percent ballast ratio. The resulting capsize screening value of 1.83 places her within accepted offshore-race thresholds.
The fiberglass hull and deck use sandwich construction with a Divinycell core rather than solid laminate alone. A period review credited this construction with providing a better interior climate. The wet-surface area below the waterline is about 35 square meters.
A 27-horsepower Yanmar diesel drives a saildrive and produces a measured 7.0 knots under power. The boat’s theoretical displacement-hull speed is 7.4 knots.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries a reported 60.2 square meters of sail. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 17.3 using the ISO reference sail, rising to 19.9 with a 135 percent genoa. A displacement-length ratio of 194 places the boat among what one review called “moderate racers.” Her Motion Comfort Ratio of 25.4 describes a hull that moves with intent rather than sluggishness.
Depending on load, the fin keel draws between 1.78 and 1.88 meters—shallow enough to tuck into most marinas.
The halyard and sheet specifications are generous for a boat of this size. The main and genoa halyards are each 35.4 meters long and 12 mm in diameter. The 14 mm mainsheet is 27.6 meters long, while the 14 mm genoa sheets are 11.1 meters long. Those dimensions give a buyer confidence that the original lead blocks and winches were sized for real loads.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the teak interior reflects Scandinavian cruising practice of the early 1980s. The available records don’t specify the berth count or chart-table arrangement, but the sandwich construction was described as improving the cabin environment rather than merely saving weight.
Freshwater capacity is 32 gallons, while the fuel tank holds 16 gallons. Those modest capacities point to coastal cruising with periodic replenishment rather than long, self-sufficient passages.
The Verdict
The Mamba 36 is a thoughtfully engineered Scandinavian cruiser-racer, with cored fiberglass construction for comfort, a lead-ballasted fin keel for balance, and a fractional rig that remains lively under sail. She isn’t a voluminous passagemaker, but her numbers describe a quick, manageable, and well-proportioned boat for two-person cruising or club racing.
Pros
- Divinycell-cored sandwich hull and deck provide a steadier cabin climate
- A 40 percent ballast ratio and 1.83 capsize screening value indicate a seaworthy profile
- Fin keel is shallow enough to enter most marinas
- Generous halyard and sheet dimensions for a 36-footer
Cons
- Small fuel and water tanks limit autonomous range
- Saildrive transmission requires careful underwater-seal inspection over time
