Design and Construction
The SHE 36's hull is solid GRP outside, yet the interior is finished with the warmth and detail of a classic timber yacht, a contrast that owners still prize. The original gelcoat on the topsides is unusually thick, a detail one owner celebrated as evidence of a well-molded hull. Beneath the waterline the fin-and-skeg arrangement and the sweetly drawn lines have earned lasting admiration; writing in Classic Sailor, the reviewer called those underwater lines as sweet as they come. The boat is fundamentally sound, a point reinforced by a later refit chronicle that described a basically sound, nearly half-century-old hull being brought back to offshore standards without structural drama.
Rig and Handling
As a masthead sloop of 550 sq ft sail area, the SHE 36 was originally a racing boat and retains the quick, vice-free manners of that lineage. Owners report her performance as faultless apart from one quirk: a tendency to roll on a windy spinnaker run. That habit is manageable offshore by swapping the kite for twin headsails—a boomed-out genoa to windward and a flying headsail to leeward—which steadies the motion without sacrificing pace. Beyond that, she inspires go-anywhere confidence and can be sailed single-handed, short-handed, or with three or four friends aboard. Her seaworthy temperament was proven in the 1979 Fastnet, when the SHE 36 Lorelei rescued the crew of Griffin.
Accommodations
Below, the SHE 36 asks the crew to perform the standard limbo dance over a high bridgedeck and then negotiate the steep companionway descent typical of boats from this era. Once down, the layout rewards with extensive galley and chart table areas designed to be worked at sea, a snug pilot berth to starboard in the saloon, and V-berths forward that work well. The amidships heads compartment is offset to port and is surprisingly voluminous for a yacht of this size and period. The timber-style joinery softens what might otherwise read as a spartan racer's interior.
Refits and Ownership
A number of SHE 36s have evolved through owner refits that speak to the platform's flexibility. One well-documented example was converted from wheel to tiller steering, freeing cockpit and lazarette space, easing windvane use, and shedding stern weight. The original slab-reefing boom gave way to twin-line reefing, and a stowable bowsprit with a second furler now carries a furling flat reacher. Engine upgrades to a 3-cylinder 30hp Beta with a 17in folding two-blade prop, plus a Monitor windvane and Simrad tiller pilot, turn a racing boat into a comfortable passagemaker. Additions such as a 30L calorifier with shore power, Ebersbacher heating, a deck anchor locker, and extra bilge pumps show how far the basic sound hull can be pushed toward bluewater cruising.
The Verdict
The SHE 36 is a genuine S&S cruiser-racer that punches above her length: sound, quick, and forgiving once the downwind roll is managed. She is not a modern beamy cruiser, and the companionway and bridgedeck reflect her racing birth, but the joinery and sea-proven record make her a compelling classic.
Pros
- Fin-and-skeg lines drawn by Sparkman & Stephens, widely admired for balance
- Fundamentally sound GRP hull with thick original topsides gelcoat
- Faultless, vice-free performance with go-anywhere confidence
- Proven in the 1979 Fastnet rescue of Griffin's crew
- Adaptable to thorough cruising refits without losing character
Cons
- Rolls on a windy spinnaker run unless twin headsails are set
- High bridgedeck and steep companionway limit easy below-decks movement
- Originally a racer, so creature comforts need owner-added systems
