Prout Snowgoose 37 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

What defines the Snowgoose 37 structurally is its solid bridgedeck forward and a centre nacelle, which together make the boat very rigid and strong. Early hulls include molded stub keels and are solid fiberglass, while newer models are solid below the waterline and cored from the waterline up; the deck on older boats is balsa cored, with some newer boats cored with other materials to keep weight down. The hulls were among the first cats to have rounded bilges and show a slight reverse sheer, and they are double-ended with canoe sterns that dissipate wave energy from behind. Bulkheads and furniture facings are securely tabbed to the hull in traditional fashion. With flat keels, a narrow 15-foot 3-inch beam, and small skegs protecting the rudders, the boat is easy to haul, beach, or dry out between tides. The bridgedeck clearance is not as high as more modern designs, which contributes to some slamming in rougher weather but also keeps windage low.

Rig and Handling

The Snowgoose 37 carries a relatively low-aspect cutter rig on a deck-stepped anodized aluminum single-spreader mast with air draft under 50 feet, giving a working sail area of 570 square feet. Most boats are cutter rigged with both genoa and staysail roller furled, and the main is generally fully battened with a decent roach. Prout were early proponents of the mast-aft rig: all sail controls lead to the cockpit, and a clever stainless fairlead with a vertically mounted winch eases hoisting, while the aft mainsheet traveler leaves a useful aft deck behind it. Writing in Katamarans, the reviewer noted the sail plan with the mast set aft is well set up for single-handed or short-handed sailing. Owners report the boat is easy to singlehand with three smaller sails from the cockpit, balances easily, and handles well under autopilot; the big genoa draws her along and the staysail helps on a close reach. She is not a performance catamaran, but sails well for her length and admirably in light air, averaging 6 to 7 knots and 150 miles per day on Atlantic crossings. Punching upwind in chop is challenging, and bridge slam is most likely on a close reach in heavy weather.

Accommodations

Below, the Snowgoose 37 came with two interior plans. The family layout has a full queen berth forward open to the saloon, which offers wraparound settees and a large table; teak and quality joinerwork lend an elegance rare on a cat, though headroom is around 5 feet 8 inches. The starboard hull holds a changing station, locker storage, full-length bookshelf and two hanging lockers forward, with the galley centered and fitted with a unique three-sink basin and three-burner stove and oven; the refrigerator and freezer sit under the aft bunk. Each aft cabin has a double berth, hanging locker, seat, vanity and deep shelves. The port hull houses a roomy navigation station with a folddown seat and chart drawer, and the single head is all the way forward and quite large. The open plan continues the saloon settees forward, eliminating the third cabin. The cockpit is comfortable but small beside modern cats, with a bulkhead-mounted wheel to starboard and a bi-fold Plexiglas companionway door that closes quickly in ugly weather.

Equipment and Propulsion

Most Snowgoose 37s were manufactured with a single engine — typically a two-, three- or four-cylinder diesel of 30 to 40 horsepower such as the Volvo MD series or three-cylinder Yanmars — centered on the bridgedeck with excellent access through cockpit and aft deck hatches. The defining feature is the Sonic Drive by Sillette stern drive: steerable, turning as the wheel turns for good control forward and reverse, and retractable so the boat can be beached. Later Elite models and some retrofits carry twin engines. A 35-gallon fuel tank sits under the cockpit. The narrow beam lets the boat fit a standard marina berth and, mast off, motor the French canals to the Med.

The Verdict

The Snowgoose 37 is a solid, capable world cruiser with a proven track record, built for oceans rather than charter fleets. Its rigid solid bridgedeck, tabbed bulkheads, and beachable retractable drive suit long-term cruising, while the cutter rig and cockpit-led controls make short-handed passage-making realistic. The trade-offs are a low bridgedeck with slamming in heavy close-reach conditions, modest headroom, and a small cockpit by modern standards.

Pros