36' sailboat

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Beneteau First 36, Sailing World 2023 Boat of the Year

• By Dave Reed
• December 16, 2022

Sailing World Magazine’s  annual Boat of the Year tests are conducted in Annapolis, Maryland, following the US Sailboat Show. With independent judges exhaustively inspecting the boats on land and putting them through their paces on the water, this year’s fleet of new performance-sailing boats spanned from small dinghies to high-tech bluewater catamarans. Here’s the best of the best from our  2023 Boat of the Year nominees »

The Total Package

• Beneteau First 36 2023 Boat of the Year
• Stated purpose: Shorthanded racing, club racing, coastal cruising
• Crew: Solo to six
• Praise for: Build quality, deck layout, versatility
• Est. price as sailed: $345,000

Like a runaway, the Beneteau First 36 careens across a westerly-whipped Chesapeake Bay. The boat’s big-shouldered spinnaker and mainsail are silhouetted in the early October morning light. It’s making trees on the Eastern Shore as we peg the throttle down to keep chase in a 19-foot RIB. The four crewmembers on board are having a casual conversation—like no big deal—when a cold and meaty gust fills the spinnaker. The leech flickers, and the boat surges forward onto plane. Twin rudders zipper the slick streaming out from the transom as the helmsman, hands at 10 and 2 on the carbon steering wheel, effortlessly weaves the boat across waves tops. The boat is, as the saying goes, on rails.

“Wicked,” is how senior Boat of the Year judge Chuck Allen summarizes his experience when he steps off. “That boat is going to be hard to beat.”

Three days and 10 boats later, nothing comes close to usurping the Beneteau First 36 as the obvious and unanimous Boat of the Year, a boat that has been a long time coming and overdue. It’s a boat that will serve many masters.

Beneteau initiated its First 36 project in 2019 by surveying a broad focus group of First “Point 7” owners and dealers about what they wanted in the marketplace, and the takeaways were: 1) Not another ­displacement boat—it had to plane. 2) They wanted a lounge, not a dining room. 3) They wanted their nav station back, and 4) for that, they were OK with having a smaller head.

Given the boat was to meet all three of its club racing, shorthanded and cruising demands, the brain trust assembled inside and outside of Beneteau focused on No. 1—keeping it light and fast. Naval architect Samuel Manuard, the new hot talent of the IMOCA 60 and Class 40 scenes, did the hull, keel and rig. Pure Structural Engineering took care of the structure, and the weight-obsessed glass slingers at Seascape’s factory in Slovenia ensured the boat came in at not a pound more than 10,580. At that weight, of course it’s going to plane.

The entire boat is ­vacuum-infused with CoreCell (hull) and PVC (bulkheads) from the deck down, inside and out, and everything, except the fridge, is somehow a piece of the structure puzzle.

“We are saving big weight there, as furniture is also part of the structure, and all of it glued together makes the boat extremely stiff and very light,” says Beneteau’s Tit Plevnik. “What is special is how calculated it is. In mass-production building, you can’t rely on precision, but we do. The boat is built to the same standard as a pure ­racing boat.”

“The moment I saw it, I knew it would be good. It’s a great-looking boat at the dock and even better with the sails up.” —Greg Stewart

Built like a race boat, the judges all agree it sure sails like one. “It’s a big 36-footer,” says veteran BOTY judge and naval architect Greg Stewart. “It’s a full-ended boat that has a hint of a scow-type bow with a lot of buoyancy forward. Looking at the numbers, what they achieved with the weight and its placement is impressive—10,000 pounds for a 36-foot waterline length is a very good number. I could tell the minute we put the spinnaker up it was a slippery boat.”

Stewart set the day’s top speed at a tick over 18 knots and says: “I remember feeling the puff hit and load the rig, and the boat just scooted off with really nice steering. It felt like a Laser when you get it in that groove and it just levitates. With the dual rudders, which are pretty long, the boat has more of a power-steering feel upwind, so it lets you do a lot of things. There’s so much control, which is a good thing because you can drive out of situations, but at the same time, it’s easy to oversteer.”

Multiple cockpit mock-ups done at ­different heel angles produced a workspace that the judges could find no flaw with. “It’s all legit, easy and clean in the pit,” Allen says. “With the four of us in the ­cockpit, we had plenty of space to move around and were never into each other.

“I was doing a lot of trimming downwind,” Allen adds. “You can feel the boat take off. It was really stable and easy to handle. The thing is light and fast, and we did push it to try and wipe it out, but it was hard to do.”

All the judges praised the clever location of the primary winches on sloped coamings, which were easier to trim from than a traditional winch-on-the-coaming setup. “They’re at the perfect height,” says judge Dave Powlison, “and with them angled like that, you don’t have to crane your neck to see the sail, and the lead is virtually override-proof.”

Also noteworthy is the generous space between the high carbon wheels and the cockpit walls that allow the helmsman to slide forward without having to step up and around the wheel. The jib trimmer has easy access to the three-dimensional clue adjustment systems, and for the pit, there’s plenty of clutches, redirects and cleats to keep everything sorted and tidy.

The standard spar, and that on the demo boat, is a deck-stepped Z Spars aluminum section with Dyform wire rigging that carries 860 square feet of upwind sail area, which Stewart says is considerable for the displacement of the boat. The mast is well aft, which really stretches out the J dimension and opens the foredeck for a quiver of headsails—for this, you’ll find two tack points on the foredeck. There are four halyards total: one for a masthead gennaker, a 2-to-1 for a code sail, a fractional gennaker, and a 2-to-1 staysail. Allen, a semi-retired sailmaker, put an estimate for a complete race inventory at $60,000, which would put the boat on the racecourse for roughly $400,000. (Base boat is priced at $345,000.)

When the race is done, however, how about that interior?

Step down the wide companionway steps into a space of design simplicity and efficiency, some of which makes you say, “Duh, of course.”

For example, there’s no ­traditional L-shaped galley to port or starboard. There is, however, a tall and slender fridge smack in the middle of the boat (that you connect to the galley with a removable cutting board to complete the L). Walk on either side of it to get forward, past the proper nav station, the fold-down dinette table in the middle with roomy 6-foot berths on both sides, a jetliner-size head with a stowaway sink to starboard, and then a gigantic V-berth that benefits from all that volume in the bow. Back aft, under the cockpit, are large quarter berths as well that easily cruise-convert into storage space for water toys, like kites, wings and foils, all of which takes us back to survey result No. 2. This is where the post-race party begins and ends.

With the usual supply-chain delays, compounded with the build and design team’s obsessive and calculated approach to getting the Beneteau First 36 perfect at Hull No. 1, its debut got off to a later start than hoped. But with early boats landing at eager dealers worldwide, Plevnik says the goal is 32 boats per year for the next two years. The BOTY judges assure us it’ll be worth the wait and give you plenty of time to start planning what you can and will do with it.

• More: 2023 Boat of the Year , Beneteau , Boat of the Year , Print Winter 2023 , Sailboats
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• Sailboat Guide

Catalina 36

Catalina 36 is a 35 ′ 6 ″ / 10.8 m monohull sailboat designed by Frank V. Butler and built by Catalina Yachts starting in 1982.

• 2 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 3 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 4 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 5 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 6 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 7 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 8 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 9 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 10 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 11 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 12 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 13 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 14 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 15 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 16 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 17 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 18 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 19 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 20 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 21 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 22 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 23 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 24 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 25 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 26 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 27 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 28 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 29 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 30 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 31 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 32 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 33 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 34 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 35 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 36 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 37 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 38 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View
• 39 / 40 Lake Ray Hubbard, Dallas, TX, US 1990 Catalina 36 $39,500 USD View
• 40 / 40 Kemah, TX, US 1989 Catalina 36 $49,900 USD View

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)

Also available with a shallower draft wing keel and tall rig. Wing Keel draft: 4.17’/1.27m Disp.:14100 lbs./6396 kgs

TALL RIG: I: 46.75’/14.25m J: 14.33’/4.37m P: 41.00’/12.50m E: 13.00’/3.96m Sail Area (100%): 601.46 ft2/55.88 m2 A MkII version was introduced in 1994 that features a larger cockpit, with modified deck and interior.

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Catalina 36 MK II

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*Recommended retail price. Value-Added Tax is subject to change, according to the country of purchase. For pricing information, availability and product characteristics, thank you to contact your dealer.

• Description
• Main Points

Specifications

You can now experience the thrill of high-performance sailing – not only on the race course, but also on family holidays or day-sailing trips. We have made this possible through a carefully placed high-tech and meticulously designed deck and interior ergonomics, which is bringing the most important features of grand prix racing boats into the hands of a club racer or active cruiser. First 36 is the first mainstream racer/cruiser where onboard comfort doesn’t affect the experience of high performance sailing.

EXCLUSIVE:  In April and May, reserve your sea trial aboard the First 36, wherever you are in Europe. 

NAVAL ARCHITECT : Samuel Manuard Design : Lorenzo Argento Structural engineering : Pure Design & Engineering Innovation and research : Sito

THE FIRST 36 IN NAVIGATION

For the special occasion of the 140-year anniversary of the BENETEAU brand , the BENETEAU dealer network is holding exclusive sea trials , throughout Europe, of this multi-award-winning sailboat.  Contact your dealer right away to plan your sea trial, from April 1st through the end of May. 

Reserve an exclusive sea trial

WHY FIRST 36 ?

SPEED MADE EASY

When you boat can do 14 knots on jib alone, fun and excitement will result in simply sailing more. 

THE DESIGN TEAM

Our designers are not only world-class names from the nautical industry but also passionate sailors and friends. In this project, they found a common goal of designing a true sailing boat for the coming age.

MORE THAN JUST 36 FEET

A modern hull design brings about an extensive interior volume. This allows for an interior with the size and comfort of a 40-footer from the previous generation.

INDUSTRIALIZED HIGH-TECH

The hull, deck, bulkheads and interior components are fully cored and vacuum infused. Everything contributes to structural strength. To date, this building technique has only been used in racing or expensive niche brands. The result is a very stiff boat, weighing only 4.800 kg.

VARIABLE COCKPIT

The cockpit is modular, as it needs to address a wide variety of setups. Removable bench extensions transform the cockpit area into a comfortable cruising lounge. When extensions are removed, the cockpit has an ergonomic and efficient racing/shorthanded setup.

SAILING EXPERIENCE

A whole new sailing experience opens up when you can achieve double-digit boat speeds easily and in complete control.

The main components of making this possible are the light weight and the world-class nautical design of Sam Manuard. An ergonomic and extremely precise steering system is also vital. With race-grade rudder blades, the steering wheels remain light and direct even when planing downwind or at higher heeling angles.

To stay true to its 40 years of Beneteau heritage, a First needs to excel in fully-crewed club racing, relaxed family cruising as well as shorthanded sailing. Cockpit ergonomics was one of the main focuses in the design process. The higher wheel position gives the helmsman direct access to the mainsail winch, an important detail for shorthanded sailing.

LIVING ONBOARD

The First 36 features a traditional three-cabin layout. To maximize living space in the saloon, the bathroom footprint is minimized, using an innovative foldable sink. The extra space makes room for a navigation table/onboard office.

Another innovation standing out in the saloon is the standalone fridge island. A removable cutting board can significantly extend the working surface of the standard L-shape galley and make it the largest kitchen area in the class.

High-quality wooden details, in combination with minimalistic GRP, provide a modern, elegant living space below deck.

A connected boat

The mobile application, Seanapps , and its onboard unit lets you view the status of the boat's various systems (battery charge, fuel or water tank levels, maintenance scheduling) via your smartphone, as well as planning your route or reviewing your sailing status using your mobile phone.

Length Overall

36'0"

Beam overall

12'6''

Lightship Displacement

Draught Min

7'5''

Cabin Number

Press Reviews

Yachting world.

Beneteau First 36 review: Is this the best First yacht in years? - Read the article

First 36 has her first test in Denmark Read the article

First 36: The genesis of a new creature

The First 36 is no ordinary boat. And its creation was not ordinary either: It took four years and the merging of two very different teams. So here's a rare look behind the scene.

1977-2022: The Story of the Firsts

With more than 25,000 boats built since 1977, the First line celebrates its 45th anniversary this year and it is still the gold standard of performance cruising.

Speed made easy : BENETEAU FIRST 36

Beneteau services.

With teams for sea trials, financing, customization, events, an after-sales service, and a network of dealers worldwide, BENETEAU delivers the help and expertise every boat owner needs throughout his boating life maintaining an enduring customer relationship.

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Modern classic.

Sailing Simplicity at its Finest

Long time single handed sailors love the M36 because within 5 minutes they can be off the dock and sailing. Beginners are equally as enthralled because the M36 is simple to sail, simple to learn on and immediately rewarding with her straightforward sail handling and control lines that are lead under deck to electric winches at the helmsman’s fingertips. In addition, all instruments are intelligently arrayed to quickly provide all the information you need.

More Than a Daysailer

Take her overnight! The elegantly appointed optional V-berth, standard fridge and enclosed head make her far more versatile than a mere daysailer. The M36 also has a deep, safe and comfortable cockpit which accommodates six adults allowing you to safely entertain your guests.

Beautifully Appointed Interior

No detail inside her cabin is overlooked. Large safety glass windows and a huge foredeck hatch flood the interior with natural light. The Herreshoff style interior is finished elegantly with white bulkheads, solid cherry trim and marvelously varnished hull sheathing. Twin port and starboard settees are ergonomically designed for comfortable lounging (or sleeping), and well placed reading lights invite you to enjoy the morning paper or catch up on some afternoon reading. Generous storage can be found in the forepeak. An alternative layout converts the forepeak space into a beautiful and functional V-Berth for overnight stays.

Remarkably Simple to Dock

The M36 does exactly what you tell her to do. She backs straight (no prop walk), turns on a dime and docks like a pro. In short, she maneuvers under power as responsively as she does under sail making her a pleasure to both sail and to bring back to port. Even the fenders are just a ‘clip’ away; pad eyes and stainless steel rub rails are placed on deck for ‘clip-on’ polar-fleece-covered fenders. What could be easier!

Perfectly Engineered

At Morris Yachts we’re not just boat builders; we’re sailors and boat owners too. Perhaps this is the reason the M36 is so intuitively designed with the owner in mind. Often overlooked by other builders, access to the engine, through-hulls and electrical systems is superb.

As with all sailing boats built by Morris Yachts, the M36 offers peace of mind. You are onboard one of the most seaworthy boats in the world. Setting the industry standard, Morris Yachts’ level of engineering, fit and finish sets the benchmark by which other builders measure themselves. Morris craftsmen and engineers demand only the finest equipment and use the most modern techniques and technology during the boat building process, proving that the beauty of a Morris is not only skin deep but integrated throughout all facets of the vessel.

Images and media on this page may represent optional equipment or previous specifications. Specifications and equipment are subject to change.

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• Sailboat Reviews

Columbia 36

A bargain-basement racer/cruiser from a granddaddy of american production boatbuilders..

It’s hard to believe, especially for those of us who learned to sail in the 1960s, that fiberglass sail boats built back then are now a part of history. The “fiberglass revolution” that seems like just yesterday, is now 30 years in the past. A lot has in the world of boatbuilding since then, but many of those old boats are still sailing.

 The Design

The Columbia 36 was in production between 1967 and 1972. One reader estimates that more than 600 were built, making it a very successful model.

The boat was designed by William Crealock, the California naval architect who today is more readily associated with the Pacific Seacraft line of bluewater cruisers bearing his name. The Columbia 36, with its transom stern, aluminum frame windows, and step-down cabin, bears little resemblance to the Crealock 34 and 37, whose canoe sterns and bronze portlights give it a tough, traditional, go-anywhere look.

The Columbia 36 was a pretty slick looking boat in its day, and though its lines have worn reasonably well with time, we’re reluctant to call it a “classic.” The sheer is essentially flat, with modest spring, the sidedecks wide and the cabin nicely proportioned. The rig is on the small side for this size boat.

Underwater, the divided underbody shows a swept-back fin keel that looks like an inverted shark’s dorsal fin, and a skeg leading to the spade rudder. Interestingly, the propeller shaft (not shown in the drawings) is situated at the aft end of this skeg, which places it above and aft of the rudder and nearer the surface than one might expect.

The long cockpit rates highly with owners. One reader said it doesn’t feel crowded even with a crew of eight.

The displacement/length ratio is 261, which is a nice number for good all around performance—too high for a hot rod, but just right for comfortable family sailing.

A subtle point about Columbias is the tooling. A wooden boatbuilder in Maine once told us that one of his objections to fiberglass boats was the absence of crisp, sharp lines and edges. Study a glass boat, especially an old one like the Columbia 36, and you’ll see what he means. Every edge is generously radiused. Of course, some of this is necessary to pull a form from the mold, but not to the extent that Columbia rounded everything. In our opinion, many of the old Columbia’s lose a few points in looks for this reason. An exception would be the Columbia 50, where wooden toerails (instead of the usual rounded, molded fiberglass toerails) go a long way toward alleviating the impression of an amorphous, eggshaped structure.

Construction

Like nearly all production builders in the 1960s, Columbia used standard hull laminates of polyester gelcoat, chopped strand mat and 24-ounce woven roving. Columbia was a pioneer in developing what it called the “unitized interior,” or fiberglass pan, in which the engine beds, stringers and furniture foundations are all molded. This pan is then “tabbed” to the hull with wet fiberglass and is presumed to provide the necessary stiffening.

Finish work goes quickly after such a pan is in place. Teak trim, cut and milled in the woodshop, is simply screwed into place. The cabinet doors, juxtaposed against the gleaming white pan, and ubiquitous pinrails are as telltale of the late 60s and early 70s as shag carpeting.

The hull-to-deck joint is unusual in that it incorporates a double-channel length of aluminum into which the hull and deck flanges are fitted top and bottom. It probably made good engineering sense, but given the complaints about leaking,  and the fact that this method, to our knowledge, has not been used by other builders, suggest it had its problems. Because aluminum has little or no springback, we imagine that bumping a piling could permanently “dent” this channel, causing leaks that would be very difficult to repair properly.

The deck was cored, and to finish the interior a molded headliner was glassed in. The old Columbia brochures are rather funny to read, showing as they do plant workers dressed in lab coats, installing winches, cleats and windows as if building a boat was no more difficult than assembling pieces from a kit. In fact, Columbia fomented this idea, marketing its boats in kit form and calling them Sailcrafter Kits.

The basic structure of the early Columbias was reasonably sound, and sold with a two-year warranty. That many of those boats are still around says something positive about general construction quality.

On the other hand, the boats were pretty much bare bones. No frills. But then, they were more affordable than a comparable boat today. We don’t mind the opportunity to do our own customizing, but the interior pan limits what you can do.

Most readers responding to our Owner’s Questionnaire rate the construction quality of the Columbia 36 as above average. No major problems were reported, though we do have some complaints of deck delamination. In all fairness, separation of the fiberglass skins from the coring is common in many older boats and should not be judged as a weakness peculiar to Columbia. But you should have your surveyor check the deck for soundness before buying.

Miscellaneous complaints include inadequate ventilation, need for a sea hood (“The companionway hatch is a joke”); various leaks at windows and hull-deck joint; and mainsheet and wheel poorly located. The brochure says the keels are lead, but at least one reader said his was iron.

Performance

The Columbia 36 was intended to be something of a hot boat when it was introduced. In fact, it was offered with a trim tab on the trailing edge of the keel for better control off the wind. A brochure credits the inspiration to the Twelve-Meter Intrepid ‘s “lopsided defense of the America’s Cup.”

We don’t know how successfully the boat was raced, but do know that its PHRF rating is about 162, making it just a hair faster than a Catalina 30 (168) and a Cal 34 (168). None of our readers indicate that they race. One said, “Built for comfort, not speed.” Typical reader ratings for speed are “average” upwind and “above average” off the wind. Several note the importance of sail trim (true of any boat!); annoying weather helm (excessive weather helm is unforgivable, but we suspect there’s always a few whiners in this department who must not understand that a boat without any weather helm is a bear to steer); and one reader noted that the spar doesn’t bend much to optimize sail shape (bendy rigs weren’t in vogue at that time).

The standard sloop rig doesn’t carry a lot of sail. One reader said he had a “tall boy” mast, which presumably was available as an option, as was— surprisingly—a yawl rig.

Overall, readers have positive remarks about seaworthiness, stability and balance. “The boat is a very good sailer,” wrote one reader, adding that his boat “…has taken all Lake Michigan has to offer and never broken.”

Most Columbia 36s were equipped with Atomic 4 gasoline engines. Several readers complain that the 30-hp. doesn’t move the boat fast enough—about five knots. One reader had an Albin 20-hp. diesel. Another said engine access was very poor: “No room even to check oil.”

Fuel tankage is 29 gallons; water is 44 gallons.

The layout of the Columbia 36 is standard, with a Vberth forward, U-shaped dinette amidships, and quarter berths aft. The sideboard galley puts the cook in the way of traffic, and the sink may have difficulty draining on port tack.

The most unusual feature of the plan is placement of the chart table opposite the head. This certainly isn’t convenient to the cockpit for navigator-helmsman communications, but it does allow two quarter berths instead of just one. Readers note that the boat sleeps an honest six people, and tall ones at that. Headroom is listed at 6′ 3″.

Fiberglass interior pans tend to make for a rather sterilized appearance—the proverbial inside look of a refrigerator or Clorox bottle. We’re not fond of them for several reasons: Pans restrict access to parts of the hull, tend to make the interior noisier and damper, and make it difficult to customize. But, that’s the way it is with most production boats.

The Columbia 36 was a popular boat in the late 60s and early 70s, and still has its fans today. The basic structure is good. The interior is plain. We suspect that prospective buyers will find a wide range of customizing by previous owners. The quality of this workmanship will have a lot to do with your decision to buy or look elsewhere.

The BUC Used Boat Guide lists average prices for Columbia 36s ranging from about $25,000 to $33,000, depending on year and condition. Our original research showed those prices to be reasonably accurate. In today’s market, you should be able to pick up a Columbia 36 in decent shape at a great price. One reader wrote, “The boat can be bought at bargain rates as it is the most underrated boat on the market.”

Prices for all boats tend to be higher on the West Coast than the East Coast. Freshwater boats from Canada and the Great Lakes are most expensive (BUC Research says 25-30 percent more), and those in Florida and nearby states are the least expensive (about 10 percent less).

We think the boat represents an outstanding value for the person who wants the most boat for the least money. On the other hand, it suffers from the usual economies and slap-together techniques of large production builders. And the design is beginning to look a bit dated. We doubt that you’ll make any money on the boat.

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The True Story Behind ‘The Boys in the Boat’

• The Boys in the Boat shows that rowing is not just for the elite, but for those who are determined to overcome adversity.
• The film illustrates the toughness of the sport and the grueling training that the rowers had to endure.
• Against the backdrop of fascism's rise in Germany, the University of Washington crew team's victory at the Olympics was a triumph of will and determination.

After nearly a decade since the rights to the story were first sold , and thanks to George Clooney for directing and co-producing, The Boys in the Boat is becoming a well-deserved film adaptation. The film stars Callum Turner as Joe Rantz, a freshman at the University of Washington and a new recruit to their rowing program, as well as Joel Edgerton as the head coach of the rowing team, Al Ulbrickson.

Based on a book of the same name by Daniel James Brown , The Boys In The Boat is about the rise of the men’s eight-man rowing crew from the University of Washington that went on to compete and win in the Summer Olympics in Berlin of 1936. Guided by head coach Al Ulbrickson, and with the help of legendary boat maker George Pocock, the team had all the components for success, as long as they could become truly one with each other and the boat they were racing in. The true story is one of struggle, determination, and finding one’s swing in life.

The Boys in the Boat

A 1930s-set story centered on the University of Washington's rowing team, from their Depression-era beginnings to winning gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Release Date 2023-12-25

Director George Clooney

Cast Peter Guinness, Joel Edgerton, Callum Turner, Sam Strike

Genres Biography, Drama, Sports

The Boys in the Boat Shows Us Rowing Isn’t Just for the Elites

Depression-era America saw struggles the likes of which were unprecedented at the time. Many working-class and lower-income families lost everything and had to make tough choices to make ends meet. One family in particular, that of Joe Rantz, is in such desperate straights that his father and stepmother outright abandon him in his early teens. Rantz had to work several different odd jobs throughout high school just to support himself, and was still able to maintain good grades in school. According to the book, Rantz learns that The University of Washington offers those on the rowing team the ability to take a part-time job to pay for tuition. With this in mind, Rantz, along with roughly 180 other boys, show up to try out for a spot, despite the stigma that the sport is reserved for those from elite families.

The Boys in the Boat spends a good deal of time outlining what it was like to live and work back then as a young person trying to educate themselves. Rantz is no exception as he, along with several of his teammates, have to work labor-intensive jobs in between school years to feed themselves and afford tuition. This helps the team to feel more connected to each other and eventually allows Rantz to feel part of a whole—something his coaches proclaim is essential to develop a synchronization that is paramount to a competitive racing lineup. As the lineup for the varsity boat comes together, this increase in connection between the team helps develop their ability to row in perfect harmony, referred to by some in the sport as having ‘swing.’

‘The Boys in the Boat’ Illustrates How Tough the Sport Can Be

Just because one makes the team—which Joe Rantz along with eight other first-year students after nearly a year of trying out eventually did—doesn’t mean it's smooth sailing from there. Ulbrickson already had a reputation for being a tough coach, and was going to make sure these boys were ready for competition, no matter how many pass out in the process. There are grueling practice sessions that ultimately pay off, as the new freshman boat surpasses all expectations and crushes its rival from U.C. Berkley. They even defeat East Coast teams at the coveted Poughkeepsie Regatta in New York. Along with the mastercraft of George Pocock making the racing shells, it is at this point that Ulbrickson realizes he has a team that could be trained to compete at the international level.

'The Boys in the Boat' Review: George Clooney Should Stick To Acting

Joe Rantz’s story takes a series of ups and downs following his freshman year at college. He is switched onto and off of the varsity boat several times as Ulbrickson attempts to figure out the perfect combination of rowers to make a boat that would be able to compete at an international level. Rantz’s family life continues to be one of isolation as his stepmother and father forbid him from seeing the rest of the family even though they lived not far from his school. By the fall of 1935, Rantz is working harder than ever to attempt to make the final lineup in his boat, and feels that connection to his team, and something bigger than himself, that he has wanted his whole life. By January 1936, after a summer of working alongside more of his team at the Grand Coulee Dam, Joe finally gets into ‘swing’ with his team and a competitive boat comes together. Joe Rantz officially made the boat to compete for an Olympic spot. The team ends up destroying the competition during their regular season and the boat goes on to win the Princeton Olympic trials. The University of Washington's eight-man crew was officially headed to the Berlin Olympics.

‘Boys in the Boat’ is Set Against the Backdrop Fascism’s Rise

As Rantz and the rest of his team develop their skills as rowers, the story sets the stage for the importance of the Olympics of 1936. Hitler had been in power since ’33 and the world was watching with careful eyes the state of Germany as a big player on the world stage. The book details the lengths Hitler went to in order to show the world that Germany was a major power, throwing tons of government funds towards the Olympics to make Berlin a city that exemplified his vision of the country . This included removing antisemitic signs, and forcibly removing Romani families from the city. The Third Reich even commissioned new propaganda films to be made that glorified fascist ideals. This led to widespread unease among world nations that were slated to send athletes to the games.

By 1935, there was an all-out international movement calling for the boycott of the upcoming Olympics in Germany . Although many opposed, the Amateur Athletic Union committee ultimately decided that they would still send athletes to Berlin to compete. When the University of Washington’s Crew team did get to Berlin, they were in awe of the way the city presented itself as tolerant and modern. There was even a new Olympic stadium built just for the games. It is important to note that immediately following the Olympic Games, all antisemitic literature and signs were back in print and circulation. Even with all its self-perceived might and misplaced superiority, it was the Fascists that would end up on the losing end of the Olympic Games, at least where rowing was concerned.

The Odds Were Stacked Against ‘The Boys in the Boat’

Upon arriving for their ultimate race, several factors pointed to disadvantages for the boys. For one, their stroke seat, or rower that sits in front of all the others and sets the pace, falls sick on the journey over. This would carry into race day, but nonetheless, he would still compete. All members had gained weight due to the boat ride to Berlin offering a food buffet. The Washington crew team was placed in the outermost lane for the race. This was more exposed to the elements, impacting how the boat would perform. Spirits were low even after qualifying for the final race after beating the U.K. in the preliminary heat. When the starting gun went off, there was a delay in the U.S. boat as they didn’t hear the shot, putting them at a distance disadvantage as well.

When the University of Washington crew did finally get the boat moving, they were already behind. The sick stroke seat had his eyes closed and was barely holding a pace throughout much of the race. Thankfully, the coxswain kept calling to him and within the last six hundred meters, he snapped out of it. At this point, the U.S. is a boat length behind and had only the last quarter or so of the race left. Somehow, they were able to reach a stroke rate they had never hit before and achieve that ‘swing’ while doing so. It was a nail-biting finish but ultimately, they surpassed Germany and Italy, winning the race by just over half a second . A victory that perhaps foreshadowed the following war years in the boys’ eyes and one well-earned.

After the Olympics, the members of the Varsity Crew from the University of Washington would graduate and go on to live the rest of their lives. Joe Rantz passed away in 2007 and his story, as well as that of the crew that went to the 1936 Olympics, was largely left behind in the mainstream until "The Boys in the Boat" book came out. Now with the film adaptation, more people will be aware of the story of Joe Rantz and the rest of the crew. Hard beginnings and odds stacked, the story behind The Boys in the Boat is one of triumphs of will and determination.

The Boys in the Boat is now in theaters in the U.S.

Get tickets