Design and Construction
The PDQ 36 has symmetrical hulls, a waterline length of 34 feet 4 inches, and a beam of 18 feet 3 inches, giving it a beam-to-length ratio just over 0.5. With an 8,000-pound displacement and a D/L ratio near 90, it is a light, beamy cruiser.
Its U-shaped hulls carry stub keels, and overall draft is a shoal 2 feet 10 inches. That gives the boat a major advantage in shallow water over deeper multihulls. The keels are NACA foils applied as secondary bondings, and they can support the boat’s weight when it’s hauled or careened without compromising the hulls’ watertightness.
The hulls are solid fiberglass below the waterline and cored with Klegacell or Corecell foam above it. The decks are also foam cored, except where high-load fittings land on solid glass. Vacuum bagging ensures uniform resin flow, while the laminate uses triaxial knitted fabric with epoxy or vinylester resin exclusively. Hull and deck meet at an outward flange secured with 3M 5200 and stainless fasteners.
The nonskid is excellent, and the construction reflects a practical, well-executed glass shop.
Rig, Sailing Performance, and Handling
Most PDQ 36s on the used market have a masthead sloop rig carrying 490 square feet of sail. A sportier fractional rig was also offered, though it attracted few buyers, if any.
The deck-stepped Isomat spar is paired with a full-batten mainsail, roller-furling genoa, and cruising chute. Boats set up for bluewater sailing often add a storm jib. Sail controls lead aft to the cockpit, including the single-line reefing system. Halyards typically run aft to the forward end of the cockpit, and most boats have Spinlock rope clutches, Harken roller furling, and Lewmar winches.
On earlier boats, the mainsheet traveler spans the cockpit on an aft bridgedeck; later examples moved it to the top of the hard bimini. The primary winches are within reach on the cabintrunk.
Under sail, the PDQ 36 sails great off the wind, performs adequately upwind, and doesn’t heel. It will run 25 to 50 percent faster than cruising monohulls off the wind and is an all-around 7- to 8-knot boat. Long, low-aspect fins set well forward help its windward performance. On long-range cruiser models, the small, foil-shaped rudders are mounted on skegs.
The cockpit is deep and secure, with a bulkhead-mounted wheel to starboard. Older boats use a push-pull steering linkage, while newer examples adopted the better pull-pull system.
Cockpit, Deck, and Interior
The cockpit is huge, but the seats sit low, leaving a clear sightline only directly aft. Forward, two trampolines and a partial bridgedeck offer supported lounging and optimum sunning space. The side decks are so narrow that crew must step onto the cabintrunk when going forward.
Inside, two double sleeping cabins sit side by side on the bridgedeck forward. Each has a queen berth, an overhead hatch, and a large hanging locker. The saloon includes a large table, wraparound settees, and unobstructed visibility. The highest layer of the cabintrunk provides headroom over the dinette.
The starboard hull contains a full chart table amidships and a molded head with a separate shower aft. A settee forward of the head doesn’t convert to a berth.
The port hull holds the galley, which has a two-burner stove, an oven, double sinks, ample counter space, and an optional aft cabin. Owners have finished that space in several ways: as a double cabin, with over-and-under bunks, or as a workshop, office, or dive space.
The finish is practical and workmanlike rather than elegant, with access to systems taking priority over elaborate joinerwork. The layout comfortably serves two couples.
Propulsion and Model Development
Classic PDQ 36 models use 9.9-horsepower four-stroke Yamaha or Honda outboards housed in lockers beneath the cockpit seats. The motors can be tilted clear of the water to reduce drag.
The Mark II LRC, or Long Range Cruiser, replaced the outboards with 18- or 27-horsepower diesel saildrives. It also added more tankage, beefier standing rigging, and mast safety bars. LRC boats typically carry 18-horsepower Yanmars or 27-horsepower Volvos; the latter have a 55-amp alternator. The port engine is reached through the aft cabin, while the starboard engine is accessed through a cockpit hatch.
Introduced in 1998, the Mark III offered a popular hard-top bimini. On later boats, the mainsheet traveler was mounted on top of it.
Known Issues and Ownership
The smoked-acrylic companionway door has proved difficult to secure in a blow. Beyond that single documented quirk, the list of known issues is short; the construction and systems are otherwise described as solid and serviceable.
The PDQ 36 holds its value on the used market.
The Verdict
The PDQ 36 is a thoughtfully engineered coastal and offshore cruising catamaran. It trades charter-style cabin count for liveaboard practicality and seakeeping. Its light displacement, shoal draft, and windward fins make it versatile, while the practical laminate and accessible systems reflect a builder focused on cruising owners rather than the bareboat fleet.
Pros
- Shoal 2-foot-10-inch draft
- NACA-foil stub keels that aid windward performance
- Solid fiberglass below the waterline, with vacuum-bagged foam-core construction above
- Offwind speed 25 to 50 percent better than cruising monohulls
- All-around 7- to 8-knot pace
- Practical, accessible interior with two forward doubles
- Flexible aft port cabin
Cons
- Smoked-acrylic companionway door is difficult to secure in a blow
- Narrow side decks force crew onto the cabintrunk when going forward
- Low cockpit seats limit the clear sightline to directly aft
