Hull and Design Philosophy
The fibreglass hull is relatively wide for its era, with a length-to-beam ratio that places it among the more spacious designs in its class — more spacious than 79 percent of similar designs. At 10.21 metres LOA with a beam of 3.54 metres, the 336 carries its volume well aft, which feeds directly into the cavernous aft cabin that is something of the boat's signature feature. The fin keel draws 1.68 metres in its standard form, with a bilge keel option at 1.20 metres available for owners who frequent drying harbours or shallow estuaries — a practical concession that helped the boat sell well in British coastal waters. The displacement of 5,720 kg puts it firmly in the moderate-to-heavy cruiser category, a choice that trades responsiveness for seakeeping and interior headroom.
Rig and Sailing Characteristics
The 336 carries a masthead rig. A masthead arrangement carries a given sail area lower than a fractional rig, reducing the heeling moment — a design advantage that also benefits from the simplicity of the standing rig. The working sail area of mainsail plus working jib reaches 44 square metres, and with a No. 1 genoa the foretriangle opens to 36.48 square metres — generous canvas for a boat of this displacement. The displacement-to-length ratio of 239 places the 336 among what analysts classify as moderate racers, meaning it is neither a sluggish heavy-displacement passage-maker nor a light flier. The sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.9 on the ISO reference sail indicates the boat benefits noticeably from sheeting on a larger genoa in light airs. One characteristic worth understanding before purchase: the ballast ratio sits at 32 percent, which is below the median for its class and means the 336 will feel more tender in a breeze than owners accustomed to stiffer, beamier designs might expect. The capsize screening value of 1.99 falls within the accepted threshold for offshore participation, so the boat is not precluded from coastal passages in mixed conditions, but its comfort ratio of 24.6 — just below average for comparable designs — is consistent with a moderate motion in a chop rather than the iron-steadiness of a heavy bluewater cruiser.
Accommodation and Interior Layout
The layout is a three-cabin arrangement that makes the most of the hull's generous beam. Forward, a forecabin with two single berths convertible to a double is flanked by lockers along the ship's sides, with a hanging locker to port and a vanity unit to starboard. The saloon features a U-shaped settee to port and a single settee to starboard, with a centrally mounted table that folds out to the full saloon width — a detail that signals the design's cruising intent over any racing pretension. The navigation area is aft of the saloon on the starboard side, followed by a heads compartment equipped with hot and cold pressurised water, wash basin, and shower. The galley on the port side carries twin sinks, a gas cooker, a top-opening refrigerated ice box, and pressurised hot and cold water. The boat's most discussed attribute is the extremely large aft cabin — described in the builder's own specification in those terms — which occupies the full after section of the hull and is accessed via a door aft of the galley. It contains an L-shaped settee, a vanity desk, and a large double berth. The 202-litre water tank and 118-litre fuel tank are sensibly sized for coastal cruising without impractical range expectations.
Engine Installation
The 336 left the factory with one of two engines: the Volvo 2003 at 28 hp or the Perkins Perama M30 at 29 hp, both diesel inboards. The Perkins unit is the more commonly referenced option, and calculated maximum speed under power is approximately 6.0 knots, consistent with the hull's waterline length of 8.76 metres. The engine is adequate for marina manoeuvring and motoring through calms, though owners of passage-making boats in tidal waters may find the modest reserve power limiting when pushing against a spring ebb in a confined channel.
Known Considerations and Ownership Notes
The masthead rig's simplicity is a genuine maintenance advantage — fewer adjustment points and a straightforward standing rig that any competent rigger can survey without specialist knowledge. The running rig dimensions are well documented, which eases replacement. The wide, flat hull sections that produce the spacious interior can generate a hobby-horsing motion in short steep seas, which the motion comfort ratio just below average partially reflects — not a fault unique to the 336 but a characteristic to set expectations around. The bilge keel variant, while extending the boat's harbour options, sacrifices some windward performance that fin keel owners retain; buyers choosing between configurations should weigh their typical sailing grounds carefully. The fibreglass construction requires only minimal seasonal maintenance, and the production quality from Marine Projects was regarded as consistent across the class.
The Verdict
The Moody 336 is a purpose-built family cruiser that never pretended to be anything else. Bill Dixon's design prioritises interior volume, three-cabin privacy, and accessible systems over the sparkling light-wind performance or the stiff offshore composure that other hull forms might offer. Within its intended brief — coastal cruising with a family aboard, sailing in tidal British waters, spending nights aboard in marina berths — it delivers generously. The aft cabin alone sets it apart from most contemporaries of similar LOA.
Pros
- Three-cabin layout with an exceptionally large aft cabin for a 33-foot boat
- Bilge keel option opens shallow-water harbours without sacrificing the fin keel alternative
- Masthead rig is simple to maintain and parts are well documented
- Fibreglass construction demands minimal seasonal upkeep
- Moderate displacement-to-length ratio gives reasonable light-wind motion for a cruiser of its weight
Cons
- Ballast ratio below class average means the boat feels tender in a stiff breeze
- Motion comfort ratio is just below average for comparable designs — expect some liveliness in a short chop
- Sail-area-to-displacement ratio on the modest side; benefits strongly from a full genoa in light airs
- 29 hp engine provides limited reserve power for challenging tidal passages under motor
