c&c 36 sailboat review

Sailboat Review for the C&C 36

The C&C 36 Sailboat is an exceptional ship with an impressive pedigree .  By far it is the best ship I have sailed. They are high-performance ships with attractive interiors that can sail well in a variety of conditions.

The designers of C&C boats built ships that were squarely aimed at the high-end of the sailboat market. It is the attention to detail that sets the C&C sailboat apart from other production boats. When you look in the deep recesses of a C&C’s hull, places where people at boat shows don’t see, you find neatly finished seems, not gobs of resin.

The C&C 36 sailboat’s machinery and electrical systems are laid out so you can actually work on them, unlike other boats I come across. The ship’s mast has a well-rounded leading edge and is completely supported by Navtec rod rigging.

The interior consists of separately molded modules for the forecastle, head, saloon and galley/navigation/quarter berth. A separately molded headliner has plenty of removable inserts for access to wiring and deck mounted hardware.

The sailboat has a shallow rounded bottom with the low wetted area, a swept-back deep fin keel, a moderately swept-back rudder, and a reverse transom. Equipped with a 30 hp Yanmar diesel engine, this ship easy to sail and extremely maneuverable.

C&C 36 Sailboat Specifications

• Hull Type: Fin w/spade rudder
• Rig Type: Masthead Sloop
• Length Over All: 36 ft
• Length at Waterline: 28 ft
• Beam: 11.5 ft
• Total Sail Area: 599 sq ft
• Draft: 5.5 ft
• Displacement: 12000 lbs.

Ships Captain The Dread Pirate Dave

David is the Editor in Chief of Postcards From the Edge. I was born on a cold November morning on the showy plains of Colorado. Like my father, before me, I am an American Nomad.

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Previously published in

C&c continues its production of beautifully styled.

This review gives us the opportunity to compare C&C's latest 36-foot offering, which is actually a progression of the C&C 34+, with the 1975 vintage C&C 36. Both boats share good looks. The old 36 shows a deck that is typical of vintage C&C designs, with a shapely trunk fairing into a rounded bullet shape as it goes forward. The new 36 shows an exquisitely sculpted trunk, far more dramatic than the older 36, but with the same basic character.

The hulls share some numbers in addition to similar LOAs. Both boats weigh 12,000 pounds and have beams within an inch of each other at 11 feet, 6 inches and 11 feet, 7 inches. The biggest difference in basic dimensions is at the DWL. The old 36 had a DWL of 27 feet, 9 inches, and the new 36 has a DWL of 30 feet for an additional 2 feet, 3 inches. This extra DWL brings the D/L down from 251 to 198.4. The plan view shows that while the beams are similar, the distribution of beam is distinctly different. The old 36 was still trying to keep its measured IOR length down with what we came to call "pinched ends." The new 36, on the other hand, has an extremely broad stern.

Looking at the rest of the hull shape, I can see a strange little kick to the counter profile aft. Generally, you like to keep the run and counter as flat as possible. Both hulls show small skegs in front of the rudders, but the newer 36 has a vertical rudder stock and a rudder that cuts off at the DWL and doesn't meet the counter.

The keel of the new 36 shows that we have come to fins with bulbs from the days of the old 36 when keels were bladelike fins. People want horsepower and you need stability to carry a big rig. The best way to increase stability is to put some type of bulb on the keel. Interestingly, the older fin-keeled 36 had 400 pounds more ballast than the newer fin-keeled model. There is also a wing keel, shoal draft model with 4 feet, 11 inches of draft and 5,225 pounds of ballast.

Going below we see dramatic differences between the two boats. The arrangement p lan differences are as marked, if not more marked, than are the hull shape differences. The old 36 is very typical of the layouts of the day, very boxlike with lots of 90-degree angles. The quarter berth of the old 36 is a double in the new 36, hinting at things to come.

The new 36 has a layout developed from the years of influence the European designs have had on us, such as the queen-sized quarter berth in its own separate stateroom. This puts pressure on the galley, so the new 36 has less counterspace. The head on the new boat is aft and includes a shower stall. The nav station is coupled to the starboard settee. Forward V-berths are history, and the new 36 has a large double berth forward. Progress is wonderful. I would also like to know how much the layout had to do with the width of the stern on the newer design. I'm partial to the older layouts, but that's just me trying to hold on to the things I loved about boats as a boy. Interiors are so subjective.

You can choose from three different rigs for the new 36: the 36+ for cruising, and the 36XL or 36R for racing. The difference among them is horsepower, with an SA/D on the hottest model — the 36R — of 20.94, compared to the 18.31 on the original 36 (which was considered relatively high at the time). The new rigs have triple spreaders and running backs. The old chopped-off E dimension so typical of the IOR has been replaced with a boom that can sheet to the aft end of the cockpit. The sailplans show this to be an exceptionally handsome design in every respect.

"Bob Perry's design reviews are available in book form. Five volumes of his work, going back over twenty years, have been assembled. Information on ordering these books is available from Sailing Magazine , www.sailingonline.com or by e-mail at [email protected]."

George H. Cuthbertson Archives

LOA: 35' 8”          LWL: 27' 9"

Yacht Names

Selah, 

Chamamé - Reflection - Cirrus

MMOTGL Accession Number 

2008.0012.0026 (1-4), 

2008.0012.0096 (1-4), 

2008.0012.0094 (1), 

2008.0012.0084 (1-3), 

2008.0012.0132 (1), 

2008.0012.0159 (1-3), 

2008.0012.0093 (1)

2001.0066.0172.0001, 

2001.0066.0172.0002, 

2001.0066.0172.0003

Designer / Draughtsman

C&C Design Group, 

"Killing, Steve : SK", 

"Mazza, Rob : RM", 

"Kelly, Bruce", 

Project Manager

"Mazza, Rob : RM"

Year of Design

C&C Yachts Limited

Other People

"Rutherford, Tim"

Perry Design Review: 

C&C 36 C&C continues its production of beautifully styled boats. 

By Bob Perry

August 25, 2000 

This review gives us the opportunity to compare C&C's latest 36-foot offering, which is actually a progression of the C&C 34+, with the 1975 vintage C&C 36. Both boats share good looks. The old C&C 36 shows a deck that is typical of vintage C&C designs, with a shapely trunk fairing into a rounded bullet shape as it goes forward. The new 36 shows an exquisitely sculpted trunk, far more dramatic than the older 36, but with the same basic character. The hulls share some numbers in addition to similar LOAs.

Both boats weigh 12,000 pounds and have beams within an inch of each other at 11 feet, 6 inches and 11 feet, 7 inches. The biggest difference in basic dimensions is at the DWL. The old 36 had a DWL of 27 feet, 9 inches, and the new 36 has a DWL of 30 feet for an additional 2 feet, 3 inches. This extra DWL brings the D/L down from 251 to 198.4. The plan view shows that while the beams are similar, the distribution of beam is distinctly different. The old 36 was still trying to keep its measured IOR length down with what we came to call "pinched ends." The new 36, on the other hand, has an extremely broad stern.

 Looking at the rest of the hull shape, I can see a strange little kick to the counter profile aft. Generally, you like to keep the run and counter as flat as possible. Both hulls show small skegs in front of the rudders, but the newer 36 has a vertical rudder stock and a rudder that cuts off at the DWL and doesn't meet the counter. The keel of the new 36 shows that we have come to fins with bulbs from the days of the old 36 when keels were bladelike fins. People want horsepower and you need stability to carry a big rig. The best way to increase stability is to put some type of bulb on the keel. Interestingly, the older fin-keeled 36 had 400 pounds more ballast than the newer fin-keeled model. There is also a wing keel, shoal draft model with 4 feet, 11 inches of draft and 5,225 pounds of ballast. Going below we see dramatic differences between the two boats. The arrangement plan differences are as marked, if not more marked, than are the hull shape differences. The old 36 is very typical of the layouts of the day, very boxlike with lots of 90-degree angles. The quarter berth of the old 36 is a double in the new 36, hinting at things to come. The new 36 has a layout developed from the years of influence the European designs have had on us, such as the queen-sized quarter berth in its own separate stateroom. This puts pressure on the galley, so the new 36 has less counterspace. The head on the new boat is aft and includes a shower stall. The nav station is coupled to the starboard settee. Forward V-berths are history, and the new 36 has a large double berth forward. Progress is wonderful. I would also like to know how much the layout had to do with the width of the stern on the newer design. I'm partial to the older layouts, but that's just me trying to hold on to the things I loved about boats as a boy. Interiors are so subjective. 

You can choose from three different rigs for the new 36: the 36+ for cruising, and the 36XL or 36R for racing. The difference among them is horsepower, with an SA/D on the hottest model — the 36R — of 20.94, compared to the 18.31 on the original 36 (which was considered relatively high at the time). The new rigs have triple spreaders and running backs. The old chopped-off E dimension so typical of the IOR has been replaced with a boom that can sheet to the aft end of the cockpit. The sailplans show this to be an exceptionally handsome design in every respect. https://www.boats.com/reviews/perry-design-review-campc-36/ C&C 36 BW StaffJuly 1, 1989 — No Comments ↓ Author: BoatingWorld Staff When Tom West went shopping for his dreamboat, he had an advantage not many of us have: airline passes. Tom is a commercial pilot, and free travel on various airlines is one of the perks of his job. Anyway, itinerant Tom flew to the major boat shows around the country, from Seattle to Annapolis, from Miami to Newport. He poked around all sorts of new sailboats. He endured scores of windy sales pitches. And he listened, not just to the salesfolk, but to boat owners at the shows. " I was about ready to buy a 30-footer from a major builder when I happened to run into the CEO of the company at the Annapolis show,"  Tom recalled. "As we were chatting about the boat’s virtues, an irate owner spotted the CEO and broke into the conversation. He proceeded to give the guy an earful about leaks, misaligned prop shafts, and on and on. It put me off that boat in a hurry." So Tom continued his quest. Then, at the New York show he found the boat, a C&C 30."As a pilot, I was particularly concerned about a boat’s structural integrity. When you’re in the air or at sea, you don’t cut corners with safety. And in that respect, I was very impressed with the C&C,"  Tom said. He was even more impressed after he used another of his airline passes to visit the C&C factory in Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, Canada. "I was ready to give up flying and become a boat builder. Those guys at C&C are real craftsmen. Everyone there looked like they had been building boats all their lives" Well, maybe not that long.

 But Cuthbertson & Cassian, named for the company’s co-founders, has been turning out one acclaimed model after another for two decades now. In fact, C&C celebrates its 20th anniversary in September. The company’s work force is unusually stable. Many workers have been with C&C for 15 years or more. Despite the company’s relatively long history, C&C boats aren’t exactly chock-a-block in West Coast marinas. The company has been able to sell all it can build in its own backyard: that is, on the Great Lakes and on the Eastern Seaboard. But as Bill Forsythe, owner of Yacht Connection in Newport Beach and a C&C aficionado, pointed out, C&C’s designs are made to order for West Coast sailors. " Sailors here have no interest in shoal drafts, swing keels and split rigs. They reject austere, formica interiors. They want high performance sloops or cutters with attractive interiors that can sail well in a variety of conditions. And that’s what C&C builds."  

C&C boats are squarely aimed at the high end of the sailboat market. They’re designed, by the company’s respected in-house C&C Design Group, with an emphasis on performance. They’ve built strong. And they’re expensive. Pound for pound, they’re considerably higher priced than other popular, similar-sized boats. And what do C&C buyers get for their money? Attention to detail: myriad details, many invisible to all but an experienced sailor or marine surveyor. " C&C boats generally show better detailing," said Clark Barthol, a surveyor based in Mar Vista, California. " For instance, they have proper bedding compounds and backing plates for hardware. Their gelcoat work is good. And instead of having the smallest size fastenings necessary, they’ll have a step above.⠝ â C&C’s have impressive detail for production boats,"  agreed Fred Lynch, a surveyor with Admiralty Marine in Newport Beach, California. " When you look in the deep recesses of a C&C’s hull, places where people at boat shows don’t see, you find neatly finished seams, not globs of resin."  " C&C designers obviously give a lot of thought not only to how their boats look at the boat show dock, but about ease of maintenance years later,"  said Peter Britton, a surveyor from Fountain Valley, California. " C&C’s machinery and electrical systems are laid out so you can actually work on them, unlike other boats I come across"  If those endorsements of C&C quality aren’t enough, consider a few construction details of the C&C 36. Some 270 C&C 36s were built from 1977 through 1981, and the model is typical of C&C’s midrange designs.

 The C&C Design Group is quick to embrace high-tech materials: The company claims to have been the first major sailboat builder to use balsa-cored hulls for added stiffness and insulation, and now Kevlar in the new C&C 34 and 37 models. The 36’s hull and deck/cabin are separately molded structures of balsa-cored fiberglass. Alternate layers of mat and roving were hand laid, with extra roving used to reinforce hull sections subjected to particular stress. The keel is made from lead with a bit of antimony added for extra strength. It is attached to the hull with stainless steel bolts that are accessible for tightening later in the boat’s life. And after it is attached, the keel is carefully faired to the hull: a nice, custom boat touch. C&C is particularly proud of its spars, rigging and hull-to-deck joint work. The latter is a through bolted lap joint with three layers of sealer, all capped off by an anodized aluminum toe rail. The 36’s C&C-designed mast has a well rounded leading edge, and is completely supported by Navtec rod rigging. Rod rigging, though more expensive, is stronger than wire rigging and thinner too, for less windage. The masts on C&C boats are also stepped on the keel, not just on the deck. The interior consists of separately molded modules for the forecastle, head, saloon and galley/navigation/quarter berth. A separately molded headliner has plenty of removable inserts for access to wiring and deck mounted hardware. 

OK, so C&Cs are thoughtfully designed and well made. But can they sail? With the best of them. It was the abiding philosophy of co-founder Cuthbertson that race boats and cruising boats aren’t mutually exclusive. " He believed a high performance boat is an easier boat to sail, even when cruising,"  said Neal Esterly, San Diego’s dealer. " A boat that tracks well requires less intense concentration. A boat that goes to weather well requires less tacking. A fast boat gets you where you’re going sooner, which can be safer if you’re trying to outrun bad weather. It all adds up to a boat that’s less tiring and more fun to sail."  Toeing to that line, the C&C Design Group has consistently turned out quick boats, be they custom one-off racers such as Red Jacket or Sorcery or C&C’s bread and butter production sailboats. The production boats usually evolve directly from the race boats. Consider the 36’s configuration: It has a shallow rounded bottom with low wetted area, a swept back deep fin keel, a moderately swept back rudder and a reverse transom. Definitely the stuff of racers. And the C&C 36 sails quite like a racer too. In a Sea Trial for the August 1977 issue, the article said," Sailing tests of the C&C 36 gave it an unqualified thumbs up! Easy to control off the wind, quick on its acceleration in puffs of wind, and a well-balanced helm made sailing a pleasure"  In fact, the Sea Trial boat had taken first place honors against One Ton boats designed by Peterson, Holland and Hood in a 125 mile race on Long Island Sound the day after its launching. But like other C&Cs, the 36 is a family cruiser too. 

The 36 was especially beamy for its day, and its designers made the most of it. They put in a double quarter berth, a nav station, a U-shaped galley, a U-shaped dinette, a settee, forward V-berths and a head compartment. To be sure, the C&C 36, like most C&C production boats past or present, is no long distance voyager. It’s not that its hull isn’t up to the rigors of blue water, it’s just that the tank only holds 40 gallons of water and 20 gallons of fuel. Its head compartment, though adequate, is small and the galley lacks enclosed storage space for much more than a good supply of hors d’oeuvres. Instead, the 36 is a fast coastal cruiser designed for the way most of us use our boats.

https://www.boatingworld.com/boattests/c-c-36/

Number Built

https://boatbrochure.com/products/c-c-36-brochure?_pos=1&_sid=15e34d207&_ss=r

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/cc-36-1

Gilbert Moulds

C&C 36, C&C 36, C&C 36D deck

View more images and info in Airtable

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The C&C 36 Sailboat Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The C&C 36, an aft-cockpit sloop, was designed and built in Canada by C&C Yachts.

Published Specification for the C&C 36

Underwater Profile:  Fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material:  GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall:  35'7"  ( 10.9m)

Waterline Length:  27'9"  ( 8.5m)

Beam:  11'6"  ( 3.5m)

Draft:  5'11"  ( 1.8m)

Rig Type:  Sloop

Displacement:  12,000lb (5,443kg)

Designer:  Cuthbertson & Cassian Ltd

Builder:  C&C Yachts (Canada)

Year First Built:  1977

Published Design Ratios for the C&C 36

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:  18.4

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  41.7

3. Displacement/Length Ratio:  251

4. Comfort Ratio:  23.8

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   2.0

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the C&C 36

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 18.4 suggests that the C&C 36 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 41.7 means that the C&C 36 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 251 tells us the C&C 36 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 23.8 suggests that crew comfort of a C&C 36 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.0 tells us that a C&C 36 would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas, when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

More about the C&C 36 Sailboat...

The C&C 36 is a 10.9 m (36 ft) monohull sailboat designed by C&C Design and built by C&C Yachts starting in 1977 . It is a sloop-rigged boat with a fin keel and a spade rudder. It has a fiberglass hull and deck, with a balsa core for stiffness and insulation. The boat has a sleek and elegant profile, with a reverse transom and a low cabin top. The boat is well balanced and responsive, with good performance in light to moderate winds. The boat can accommodate up to six people in two cabins and the main salon.

Accommodation The C&C 36 has a spacious and comfortable interior, with plenty of natural light and ventilation. The boat has a traditional layout, with a V-berth cabin forward, followed by a head compartment with a marine toilet and a shower. The main salon has two settees that can convert into berths, a folding dining table, and ample storage space. The galley on the port side, comprising a stove with an oven, plus a sink and a refrigerator. The navigation station is opposite the galley, with a chart table, an electrical panel, and an instrument console. The aft cabin is accessed through the galley or the cockpit, and has a double berth and a hanging locker.

Hull and Deck The C&C 36 has a solid fiberglass hull with a balsa core sandwich construction for the deck. The hull has a moderate freeboard and a fine entry, with a flared bow that helps to reduce spray. The deck has molded nonskid surfaces for safety and traction. The cockpit is large and comfortable, with high coamings and wide seats. The boat is steered by a pedestal-mounted wheel. The boat has two large cockpit lockers for storage, as well as an anchor locker at the bow. The boat has stainless steel stanchions and lifelines, as well as bow and stern pulpits for security. The boat has an aluminum toe rail that runs along the deck edge.

Mast and Rigging The C&C 36 has an aluminum mast that is keel-stepped. The mast has two sets of spreaders and an air draft of about 15 m (49 ft). The mast supports a sloop rig with a mainsail and a furling genoa. The mainsail has slab reefing and is controlled by a traveler mounted on the cabin top. The genoa has roller furling and is sheeted to tracks on the side decks. The boat also has an optional spinnaker for downwind sailing. The boat has stainless steel wire standing rigging and dacron running rigging. The boat has two primary winches on the cockpit coamings for the genoa sheets, two secondary winches on the cabin top for the halyards and reefing lines, and one mainsheet winch on the pedestal.

Keel and Rudder The C&C 36 has a cast iron fin keel that provides stability and performance. The keel has a draft of 1.8 m (5.9 ft) and a ballast of 2,268 kg (5,000 lb). The keel is bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts. The rudder is internally mounted on the transom and connected to the wheel by cables. The rudder is balanced and provides good steering control.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

Other sailboats in the C&C range include:

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This midsized Canadian cutter is robustly built for bluewater passagemaking

More than 40 years after the first Cabot 36 cutter was built in Canada, the boats remain cherished by their owners and the stuff of dreams for sailors looking to purchase one. 

Only 49 of these bluewater cruisers were constructed in Sydney, Nova Scotia, beginning in 1974. Production continued until 1978, when Cabotcraft Industries went out of business due to a soured economy and unfavorable market influences. A massive spike in the price of crude oil had increased the cost of fiberglass resin. The change put the price of midsized sailboats like the Cabot 36 out of range for average-income sailing families.

The boatbuilding company was a financial partnership between the Canadian government’s Cape Breton Development Corp. and two Toronto businessmen, Fred Karp and Jerry Goodes. Cabotcraft Industries set up shop in 1973 in a World War I-era naval building. Canadian boat designers Ted Brewer and Robert Walstrom were hired on to draw the plans. According to the unofficial company history, getting the first boat to the Annapolis boat show in 1974 was a memorable feat. Towed from Maine to Maryland by an aging 1950s Mac truck, the boat arrived on time and was well received. 

By 1975, the production line in Sydney was capable of working on 10 boats in various stages. But the cost of doing business remained high and it was often difficult to obtain the necessary materials. In July 1978, after 49 Cabot 36s were built, some as kit boats, the company went out of business. 

Attempts to revive production began when Brian Smyth, a Cabot 36 aficionado, entrepreneur, and chief engineer at Yachtsmith International in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, purchased the molds along with a business partner and planned for a new line. At least one new Cabot 36 was constructed in 2005. 

First Impressions

The Cabot 36 has the classic, conservative appearance of a sturdily constructed ocean cruiser. The boat has an upswept bow and chopped-off stern. Out of the water, the hull is distinguished by the so-called Brewer Bite, which looks like a bite was literally taken out of the full keel.

Brewer was convinced the “bite” would give the boat the windward advantage of a fin-keel boat and make steering in reverse a more pleasant experience. The “bite” allows for the rudder to be mounted at the aft end of the keel while keeping the propeller and rudder fully protected.

In a review about keel design, Brewer wrote that the “bite” is a way to modify a full keel. “The size of the cutout depends on how insistent my client is on having a full keel, and I try to make the cutout as large as I can decently get away with,” Brewer said.

Brewer didn’t claim to have originated the bite, noting “the late L. Francis Herreshoff used a not dissimilar profile many years earlier in the design of the lovely 57-foot ketch Bounty.”

Construction

The Cabot 36 is a traditional fiberglass boat built from a mold. Its deck and hull are cored with Airex rather than marine plywood or balsa wood, like many other boats of its era. Airex is a strong material but does not absorb water and so does not bear the threat of seawater infusion and subsequent delamination.

The modified full keel has lead ballast to help it stay upright in a blow. Owners have described the boat as “fortunately overbuilt,” its solid construction evident above and below deck. Jim Marsh, John Perring, and Walstrom did the lofting from Walstrom’s plans and Brewer’s line drawings.

What to look for

Given its age, an original Cabot 36 would likely require upgrade in its electronics, communication equipment, navigation instruments, and perhaps some engine work. The dodger and bimini might also need replacement, as would any sails that have outlived their performance capability.

Canadian Wilson Eavis, who lives in Sydney where the boats were made, owns hull No. 45, the 1977 Cabot 36 Goin’ On. According to Eavis, the boat was sailed on the Great Lakes, so it was not outfitted for ocean passagemaking. 

“We could tell she was gently used with her original sails and a brand-new, oversized diesel engine with just 27 hours total running time,” he said. 

Since Eavis and his wife were planning a five-year global cruise, they bought new sails, solar panels, anchors, communication equipment, auto-pilot, chartplotter, windlass, compass and a deck-wash system. 

“We swapped out some old gear for new equipment, as technology is advancing so quickly in the cruising world,” he said.

Not every Cabot 36 would require such extensive upgrades, but at minimum the standing rigging should be carefully inspected for wear. Attention should also be paid to the deck and cabintop for leaks, particularly at stanchions, chainplates and other deck fittings. The engine might also show signs of wear or lack of maintenance, evidenced by oil or fuel leaks, brittle fuel and exhaust lines, thinning belts, loose mounting bolts, and other telltales.

 A stainless steel bow pulpit and stern rail add to the boat’s overall appearance as a heavy-duty cruiser. Stanchions, lifelines, dodger, bimini and roller-furling headsails were all part of the package. The deck features an aluminum track along the toerail to accommodate sheet adjustments and gear attachments. The mainsheet and traveler are located aft of the helm seat.

The T-shaped cockpit has adequate room for crew, enhanced with a raised helm seat. The seat can be reversed to serve as a bench across the stern. The cockpit has teak floorboards to keep feet dry and further enhances the boat’s nautical look. There are five opening bronze portlights for illumination and ventilation.

Down below the Cabot 36 exudes what owners describe as a feeling of coziness. Most of the fiberglass hull interior has been covered over with rich teak bulkheads and cabinetry. The woodwork is handcrafted and the joinery finely made. 

Also in Used Boat Notebook

• Hunter Passage 42
• Pearson Rhodes 41
• Santa Cruz 52
• Allied Princess 36
• Kelly-Peterson 46
• C&C 36 Invader

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• Sailboat Guide

C&C 36-1

C&C 36-1 is a 35 ′ 7 ″ / 10.9 m monohull sailboat designed by C&C Design and built by C&C Yachts starting in 1977.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Keel/CB version: Draft (BD): 7.50’/2.29m Draft (BU): 4.00’/1.22m Displacement: 12800 lbs./5806 kgs. Ballast: 5900 lbs./2676 kgs.

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• Sailboat Reviews

C&C 27 Boat Review

With hundreds still sailing, the 27 is an affordable option in cruiser-racer market..

This fast and handsome cruiser/racer from the 1970s is an excellent example of what made C&C Yachts such a successful company. C&C stands for George Cuthbertson & George Cassian, the design team that, in 1969, joined in partnership with Belleville Marine Yard, Hinterhoeller Ltd. and Bruckmann Manufacturing to form C&C Yachts. The company had a tumultuous history, from growing to capture an estimated 20 percent of the U.S. market during the 1970s, to suffering a devastating fire in 1994 while owned by Hong Kong businessmen Anthony Koo and Frank Chow of Wa Kwang Shipping. Along the way, they built a tremendous number of boats, not only in the racer/cruiser genre that was their mtier, but also the Landfall cruiser line, and a few oddballs such as the 1977 Mega 30 with a retractable fin keel; the Mega 30 and a handful of others simply bombed.

Most boats were built at one of several Ontario, Canada, facilities, but short periods of construction also took place in Middletown, R.I., and Kiel, Germany. In 1998, Fairport Marine, which owned Tartan Marine, purchased the C&C name and some molds and moved the remnants to Ohio. Other than the name and the emphasis on performance, however, there is no tangible connection between that more modern C&C and the giant of 25 years ago that so dominated the North American yachting scene.

The C&C 27 followed quickly on the heels of the successful C&C 35. The design dates to 1970, with the first boats coming off the line in 1971. C&C tweaked the design through four versions of the original 27-the Mark I, II, III and IV-but the hulls were very similar. The C&C 27s production ended in 1982 after nearly 1,000 had been built. From 1984 to 1987, C&C offered the Mark V, which was an MORC-influenced 27-footer with an outboard rudder; its design strayed far from the Mark I, II, III, and IV, and it should not be confused with the previous editions.

The 27 is a good example of what made C&C successful-contemporary good looks with sharp, crisp lines that still hold appeal today. The sheerline is handsome. Below the waterline, the swept-back appendages are dated, but thats of little significance to most owners. In the Mark I version, the partially balanced spade rudder is angled aft, with a good portion of it protruding behind the transom. In one of his reviews for Sailing magazine, designer Robert Perry described the C&C 27s rudder as a scimitar shape that was long in the chord and shallow. In 1974, when the Mark IV was born, the rudder was redesigned with a constant chord length and much greater depth and less sweep angle.

The keel, too, was redesigned in 1974, though most were swept aft like an inverted sharks fin. The Mark IIIs keel was given 2 inches more depth and the maximum thickness was moved forward to delay stalling. Hydrodynamic considerations aside, the worst that can be said of the 27s keel is that it takes extra care in blocking when the boat is hauled and set down on jack stands. Without a flat run on the bottom of the keel, the boat wants to rock forward.

Through its evolution, the C&C 27 not only gained draft, but it gained length overall as well: Both marks I and II were 27 feet, 4 inches long (21 feet at waterline), while marks III and IV were 27 feet, 10.5 inches from stem to stern (22 feet, 11 inches at waterline). The bow overhang is attractive, but more than what is found on most boats nowadays. Remember that waterline length directly affects speed.

All editions have a 9-foot, 2-inch beam, but displacement changed over the years-from 5,180 pounds to 5,500 pounds and then 5,800 pounds. And with the Mark III, the design shed about 400 pounds of ballast.

The later models rigs were masthead sloops with a mainsail luff length (P) of 28 feet, 6 inches and a foot length (E) of 10 feet, 6 inches; this gives an aspect ratio of .36. Rig height on the Mark I was 33 feet, and the Mark II had a 35-foot-tall rig.

Depending on which waterline dimension you use, the displacement/length ratio (D/L) ranges from 211 to 237. The sail/area displacement ratio (SA/D) is between 17.3 and 19.4. With moderate displacement and a generous sail plan, the C&C 27 is swift. PHRF ratings for the Mark I average around 200 seconds per mile, dropping to about 195 for the Mark II and 180 for the Mark III.

According to the C&C 27 owners association, C&C Yachts used only the Mark I and Mark II designations-the first for the original hull-form and the latter for a stretched and subtly reshaped development from the original. However, C&C 27 sailors added the other designations to distinguish between the different models, particularly for racing ratings.

About half of the C&C 27 owners use the boat strictly for cruising, while the other half also enjoy some club racing aboard the boat. Racing fleets are larger in Canada than the U.S., but they can be found in significant numbers on the West Coast and in the Great Lakes as well. There is a rather active owners association, and the groups website (see Resources) offers technical information, manuals, links to vendors for C&C 27 parts, as well as a forum for owners Q&A.

For more on the differences between the various models, see the accompanying The Evolution of the C&C 27 Cruiser-racer .

Construction

C&C Yachts was a pioneer in balsa sandwich construction, but the early C&C 27s had solid-glass hulls. Decks were balsa-cored. An old brochure says the marine-ply bulkheads are taped and bonded to hull and deck, though photos show a headliner, which seems to make deck tabbing not possible. The same brochure says fiberglass is hand-laid-up, using alternate layers of mat and cloth; no mention is made of woven roving, which is commonly used to add thickness quickly.

During this period, C&C used a molded fiberglass pan that incorporated the cabin sole and berth foundations, but did not extend higher. The berth/settee backs, and galley and head cabinetry are plywood, and access to parts of the hull is generally good.

Ballast is an external lead casting through-bolted to reinforced hull sections.

In our survey of C&C 27 owners, one owner said that the cabin sole needs supporting timbers underneath. One trick that C&C used in lieu of floors was to lay in thick bands of fiberglass athwartship (about 6 inches wide). These started on one side of the hull, crossed the bilge, and went up the other side.

A C&C trademark was the L-shaped aluminum toerail with slots for attaching snatch blocks. Of equal benefit was the ability to use carriage bolts for the hull-deck joint, which could be installed by one person rather than two. Other builders quickly copied this feature.

For weekending and coastal cruising, there is a lot to like in the light, rigid C&C 27, but many C&Cs have weak spots that would need to be addressed for offshore work: bulkheads not tabbed to the deck (which may result in the deck lifting as the boat and rig work); thin laminates in the outboard edges of the sidedecks where stanchion bases are bolted; absence of backing plates on pulpits; and thin portlight lenses that should be replaced or fitted with storm shutters.

And, as with any older boat, prospective buyers should check for bulkhead rot where the chainplates attach (water runs down the plate and through the deck, which is difficult to seal) and for delamination of the decks, especially around hardware, whose bedding may have disappeared years ago. Rebedding deck fittings is a boring job, but a very important one because the balsa core is at risk. It is made easier-and less boring-if you have a helper (one of you on deck, the other below). You don’t have to do everything the first year; start with the worst fittings and do them in groups, at least a few each year.

Twenty-seven feet is in many respects a magic number for a sailboat. At this length, it is possible to have standing headroom without distorting the boats proportions beyond all good taste, and to have an inboard engine, with its obvious advantages and status. Headroom around the 27 is between 5 feet, 10 inches and 6 feet, 2 inches.

The accommodation plan is plain vanilla, tried and true: 6-foot-plus V-berth forward, head and hanging locker, dinette with opposing settee, and aft galley. Without a quarterberth, the 27s cockpit seat lockers provide valuable and generous stowage for lines, fenders, barbecue and cleaning supplies, and all the other stuff that goes with sailing.

Testers liked that there is a bridgedeck, which we think is a sensible choice as it a) helps keep water out of the cabin in the event the boat is pooped; b) provides additional seating in the cockpit; and c) offers additional space in the galley.

A lot of C&Cs were not particularly well ventilated, and the 27 is no exception. The big windows in the main saloon are fixed. Most air will enter from the forward hatch, which on a small boat in northern latitudes may be adequate, but hardly ideal for southern sailing. A dorade vent over the head was an option.

Performance

The C&C 27 was one of the companys most popular designs, and much of this was due to its smart handling and good turn of speed. Not surprisingly, owners generally rate its upwind and off-the-wind performance as above average.

Several owners we surveyed said that light air is the Mark Is Achilles heel and that a large genoa of more than 150 percent is necessary to stay competitive. In 1974, the rig was lengthened 3 feet and sail area increased from 348 to 372 square feet.

The boat handles easily. Turns 360 degrees within its own length, said one owner of a 1973 model.

Extremely well balanced, wrote another owner.

The only negative comment made by owners concerned increasing weather helm as the wind builds; they advised reefing early. The owner of a 1971 model explained, The Mark III has a high-aspect rudder; the original rudder gives the boat extremely bad weather helm.

Points very high, wrote the owner of hull No. 146. Shes easily controlled off the wind. If sail is reduced intelligently, shes a dream to drive. Rock solid at about 18 degrees.

Early models featured mainsheet sheeting at the end of the boom, but in 1974, the standard setup was changed to mid-boom sheeting with the traveler on the bridgedeck.

The 27s auxiliary power ranged from an Atomic 4 gasoline engine to a two-cylinder Yanmar diesel. Most owners have reported that their boats back up beautifully. Best backing boat Ive seen, said the owner of a 1977 model. Comments on engine accessibility also ran the gamut, ranging from easy to ridiculous-which may say more about the size of the respondents than anything else.

With prices ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 (some with a trailer), the C&C 27 represents a fair value-standing headroom for most, berths for four (owners say the dinette is a bit narrow for a double when converted), and an inboard engine. The Yanmars of the late models are preferred over the old Atomic 4, but many of the boats on the market today have been re-powered.

Potential buyers should pay particular attention to the pulpit and stanchion bases and the surrounding fiberglass for signs of cracks; and check the deck core and the interior support structure that handles mast compression for signs of rot.

Boats built after 1974 (Mark III) seem to sail better thanks to the incorporated refinements-new rudder, deeper keel, taller rig, added shrouds, etc.

Of the many owner comments weve heard about the boat, one in particular rings particularly true: Simple systems, easy to maintain. That means owners wont spend an arm and a leg trying to keep the C&C 27 afloat, and that has a great deal of appeal for us.

• The Evolution of the C&C 27 Cruiser-Racer

• C&C 27 Owners
• C&C Photo Album

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