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By John Kretschmer CS 36 Traditional A Canadian-built racer-cruiser that’s well-mannered yet tough enough for the heavy stuff he virtues of the sweet sailing company’s move from a small plant model was popular with boats des- CS 36 are not well known south in Toronto to a larger facility in tined for the Chesapeake Bay. Aft of T of the border; it’s one of those nearby Brampton, Ontario. the keel there is a bit of bustle and fine Canadian-built boats that seems The CS 36 followed on the 27’s the rudder is mounted on a partial to have fallen off the radar screen for heels and a popular 33 joined the skeg. With a displacement of 15,500 many American used boat buyers. fleet the following year. Castro, who pounds, the CS 36 was moderate for The CS 36 is a high-quality, versatile trained with Ron Holland, replaced its day, heavier than the Catalina 36 boat with a proud pedigree. Wall as the firm’s in-house designer and quite similar, at least by the Designed by Raymond Wall, who in 1984 and contributed designs for numbers, to the S2 11.0. The dis- was for many years the chief design- the 30, 34, 40, 44 and the Merlin 36. placement/length ratio of 276 puts er and engineer for the venerable Without much fanfare, CS, which is the boat in the cruiser category today English firm of Camper & sometimes confused with the suc- and suggests that it should be able to Nicholson, the 36 was introduced at cessful Canadian builder C&C, stand up to a blow without the the 1978 Toronto Boat Show. By the became one of Canada’s top micromanagement that lighter, flat- time the Tony Castro-designed CS builders. In 1986, its best year, CS ter boats require. A sloop rig, the sin- 36 Merlin replaced the Traditional produced nearly 200 boats. gle-spreader mast with an air draft of model in 1987, more than 300 CS Unfortunately, CS could not weather 52 feet, 10 inches, supports 640 36s had been launched, including the economic downturn of the late square feet of sail area that translates many that went into service in The 1980s and early 1990s, and by 1992 into a sail area/displacement ratio of Moorings’ Caribbean charter fleet. the company was reduced to auc- 16.5. Most 36s have a PHRF rating The original name of Canadian tioning off most of its tooling. of about 120 to 125. Sailcraft Company was shortened in 1971 to CS, and the company First impressions Construction was a quiet success story. Founded The CS 36 was euphemistically The CS 36 has a solid fiberglass by Paul Tennyson in the early named the Traditional to set it apart hull, unlike the later Merlin and 1960s, his small plastics laminating from the later Merlin 36. It had a many other similar boats of the day, What to look for firm began building boats in 1964. low-slung, modern profile when including C&C boats, which for the The first thing to look for is a Its first boats included a 15-foot first introduced. However, unlike most part had balsa or foam-cored Traditional 36 as opposed to the daysailer designed by George other modern boats of the time that hulls. Wall was adamant about this Merlin, which was in production Cuthbertson and a 12-foot catama- seem woefully outdated today, the construction feature because he from 1987 to 1992 and is usually a ran. The company’s first big boat 36 is still a handsome boat—a sure didn’t like the idea of cored hulls. His bit more expensive. Although the was the CS 27, also designed by sign of sound original design work. views were shaped by the rugged two have similar profiles, the Wall and launched in 1977. The The pinched reverse transom, an conditions common in the English Traditional 36 displaces 2,000 more success of the 27 prompted the appendage left over from the IOR Channel and North Sea that tend to pounds and carries an additional days, is easily recognized make designers more conservative. 700 pounds of ballast. Also, early because it is almost always The deck, cabintrunk and cockpit Traditional 36s had shorter spars CS 36 the same color as the wide sole are balsa cored. The hull-and- imported from England. Unless you CS 36 cove stripe that flows into it, deck joint is on an inward flange and are planning some high-latitude LOA 36’6” LWL 29’3” which was a distinctive and through-bolted on 4-inch centers. sailing, look for a boat with the Beam 11’6” attractive styling touch. The CS used a combination of effi- taller rig. Draft (shoal keel) 4’11” sheer is fairly flat and the cient molded liners and more tradi- According to several reports, CS (deep keel) 6’3” Displacement cabintrunk is low and sleek tional bonding techniques. was hard hit by the pox plague of 15,500 lbs. without a trace of wood. The Bulkheads are tabbed to the hull and the early- and mid-1980s. Most Ballast Keel fine entry has a moderate deck and further secured in place by boats will have had one or more bot- (shoal) 6,650 lbs. (deep) 6,500 lbs. bow overhang that was a fea- molded liners and molded hull tom jobs by now so it’s important to Sail Area 640 sq. ft. ture of many racer-cruisers in stringers. Molded pieces are used for try to find out the blister history of the 1970s and 1980s. a partial headliner, interior modules the boat you’re considering. Other Below the water, the CS 36 and cabin furniture bases. Overall owner complaints are few and far has a moderate forefoot that the construction is very well done between. Apparently water-logged trails into a powerful fin keel. and older CSs have aged well. The rudders are a common problem, The standard draft is 6 feet, 3 lead keel is externally fastened and something that’s anything but inches, although an optional the fiberglass rudder is foam filled unique with foam filled rudders. 4-foot, 11-inch shoal-draft with a stainless steel stock. Also, the CS 36 was originally fitted 26 SAILING ● 2002 DECEMBER cal panel is outboard and there are three drawers below. The head of the large quarter berth doubles as the nav station seat and some previous own- SAILING Magazine's ers have added custom cushions to Value Guide serve as seat backs. CS 36 Traditional (5-sailboat rating system) Engine A couple of different engine PRICE: Price is not the prime models were available including a reason for choosing a CS 36, three-cylinder Volvo 28-horsepower but quality always comes at a cost. Diligent A number of CS 36s in good condition can be found, especially in Canada and the and a 33-horsepower Mitsubishi. research and careful shopping can likely Great Lakes. Most boats were fitted with a 30- uncover a clean, well-equipped 36 for horsepower Westerbeke coupled around $50,000. with gate valves and if these haven’t found on larger boats, including a with a British Leyland block. DESIGN QUALITY: Wall’s been changed to seacocks they stainless steel stemhead fitting with Although the CS 36 is an easily design has aged very well should be. The 1985 CS 36 that I double anchor rollers, an external driven hull, this is just enough indeed. The boat is more cruiser than racer inspected at the Miami Beach anchor locker and enclosed fair engine for serious cruising and it these days, the logical evolution, but the 36 Marina has original Marelon ball leads for the mooring lines. Rod rig- will be hard pressed to push the boat offers an appealing blend of performance and seaworthiness. valves that are functional and don’t ging was an option, although most into a choppy head sea. Access is corrode, although they’re vulnerable boats are fitted with 1-by-19 wire. primarily from behind the compan- CONSTRUCTION in a lightning strike. Carefully The handrail on the cabintrunk is ionway and through a side panel in QUALITY: The CS 36 inspect all age-related items, espe- made of functional and low-mainte- the quarter cabin. The aluminum is understated in appearance but beneath cially the standing rigging. nance stainless steel. The bow and fuel tank holds 35 gallons, translat- the bland fiberglass profile the construc- One last item to consider in stern double rail pulpits are top ing into a realistic range under tion is top quality. The solid glass hull is selecting a used boat is location. quality but the original aluminum an advantage—as the boat ages, it is one power of 250 to 300 miles. less potential problem. Many boats seem to be located in stanchions are a bit light. The mold- Canada and on the Great Lakes, but ed nonskid surface on the boat I Under way USER-FRIENDLINESS: there are also a good number avail- inspected was well worn. A friend of mine, Gary Ward, Easy to race and easy to able in the Caribbean. The freshwa- delivered a CS 36 from the East cruise, sounds like the definition of user-friendly. ter boats, with their overall lack of Down below Coast to The Moorings charter base corrosion, would clearly be my first The interior plan is fairly standard in Tortola several years ago. He SAFETY: Solid construc- choice, especially over a boat in for an aft-cockpit 36-foot cruiser, remembers the boat to be well man- tion, high ballast-to-dis- from the islands that was used hard however the teak joinerwork and nered in a blow and surprisingly dry placement ratio, stout bridgedeck and in the charter boat trade.