Union 36 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Union 36 means taking on a 36-foot Robert Perry cutter built for ocean passage-making rather than dock-side show. These double-ended, full-keel cruisers carry 22,000 lb of displacement and a 6-foot keel, and the boats you find will reflect that serious cruising pedigree. Most were specified heavily with teak, and the example you inspect will likely show its age in ways specific to that material.
Layouts on the Used Market
The interior layout is consistent across the class: a large double berth forward, a head with separate stall shower to port, and a large hanging locker opposite. The saloon centers on a U-shaped dinette to port and a long settee to starboard that converts to a sea berth, with a full pilot berth above. The galley to port pairs a deep double sink, three-burner CNG stove, and 12-cubic-foot icebox with a navigation station across. A large quarter berth fills the starboard quarter. Ventilation comes from eight bronze ports and two hatches, and most bilge space is given to tankage.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used Union 36s often carry a heating system, solar panels, bimini, dodger, dinghy davits, and teak decks as common cruising upgrades. For a buyer, the power-and-energy cluster (heating and solar) speaks to livability off-grid, while canvas (bimini and dodger) and dinghy davits point to a boat set up for extended cockpit time and tender handling. Teak decks, when present, are original-spec rather than an add-on and carry their own inspection burden.
What to Inspect
Those original teak decks show the usual weak points of loose bungs, parted caulk seams, leaks, and eventual plywood rot anchor, so test for softness and trace any interior staining to its source. Some owners have reported mast compression and fuel or water tank failures, and the encapsulated iron keel deserves a careful look for any breach. The drag-inducing squared-off leading edge of the keel is a known Perry-acknowledged quirk rather than a defect, but confirm it has not been crudely modified. Where a worm-gear steering system is fitted, note the friction it introduces that can present challenges for windvane steering.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Union 36s typically appear on the market in the United States. For the shopper, the short list is: confirm teak deck integrity and core condition, check mast step and tank evidence, verify steering type and windvane compatibility, and validate hull identity by a USC or UYC prefix. A sound example rewards the maintenance-minded cruiser with a genuinely sea-kindly boat.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Union 36. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 | 1 | $32,900 | — |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $49,000 | +48.9% |
| Sep 25 | 2 | $72,498 | +48.0% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $37,500 | -48.3% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $47,000 | +25.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $45,000 | -4.3% |
Where they're listed
Union 36 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 6.
Country view
6 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $47,000 | 6 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Dory 36 | 36.12' | $ 54,900 | 35 | 11 |
| Westerly Conway 36 | 35.75' | $ 43,669 | 28 | 10 |
| Ericson 36 C | 36' | $ 36,000 | 13 | 3 |
| Cape George 36 | 36' | $ 89,500 | 9 | 1 |
| Union 36You are here | — | $ 45,000 | 7 | 0 |