Eland 36 with Marconi rig and squaretop mainsail.

Distance cruiser

~ Classic styling

~ Moderate size for short-handed or family cruising

~ Ocean capable, with shallow draft

~ Great Caribbean & Bahamas cruiser

~ Classic gaff or modern squaretop Marconi rig

~ Long waterline for speed & load-carrying

~ Developed from Cape Deseada 36TC with modern stern features

~ Lapstrake plywood plans for amateur builders

~ Flickr Album

This design is a development from the largest boat in our Cape series of classically-styled lapstrake plywood cruiser designs, the Cape Deseada 36TC. That design is named for Cape Deseada, the promontory that forms Elandsbaai, a favourite surf spot of mine on the west coast of South Africa. I have named this design the Eland 36 to connect with Elandsbaai and Cape Deseada.

The styling of the Cape Deseada 36TC, with raked tansom, makes it difficult to arrange features to board easily from the water or a tender. I developed this design from the Cape Deseada 36TC but with a scoop stern and swim platform, which provides convenient boarding while also adding sailing length for a bit more top-end performance. The big change needed to make a decent scoop stern was to use a flat vertical transom in place of the radiused raked transom of the Cape Deseada.

The transom-hung rudder is retained, fitting in a V-shape cutout in the scoop. The rudder is on a vertical axis, hung on a pair of pintles and a heel fitting on the skeg. The configuration of the skeg and deadwood, with a large propeller aperture, allows a balanced rudder for a light helm. The vertical axis of the rudder gives good steering characteristics. This configuration gives the characteristics of a spade rudder with the protection of a full skeg, as well as fast response to manoevres under power due to the closeness of prop and rudder.

The accommodation layout is fairly standard for my designs in this size range, well-proven by life at sea rather than partying on marinas and at boat shows. It is comfortable for a couple or small family as permanent live-aboard for long distance cruising. Crew can move around safely with handholds and support surfaces always within reach. The U-shape galley provides structure for the cook to brace against while still being able to quickly escape a dangerous spill. The toilet faces fore/aft, with supports both sides to lean against on either tack. The nav table is configured to be used either sitting on the seat facing forward or standing facing outboard.

Accommodation layout

The underbody has a deep V-bottom that twists through more than 70 degrees from bow to stern, forming a fine bow for wave penetration and a powerful stern for easy control downwind. Combined with a moderate cruising keel and long skeg, she will track well. All of the ballast is located in a lead casting that is through-bolted through deadwood into the hull bottom, which is heavily reinforced with glass/epoxy. The Eland 36 is built over permanent plywood bulkheads and has a plywood backbone that runs from the stemhead through to the engine beds. The backbone, bulkheads and engine beds interlock into each other egg-crate fashion, making set-up an easy task. This backbone provides longitudinal stiffness to most of the hull as well as tying together the ballast keel support structure, reinforced with fibreglass inside and outside. The skeg deadwood stiffens the aft part of the hull.

This hull is also stiffened structurally by stringers at all chines, which give a firm base on which to work when shaping and fitting panels. They also supply a fair line for establishing correct shape and fit of the panels and add toughness to the hull.

Section at bulkhead between galley and saloon.

The 30hp diesel engine is in my least favourite position, under the companion ladder. But that position provides a relatively easy installation with short stern tube and prop shaft. Placing it under the galley counter, as I normally do, would have needed a very long stern tube and shaft with intermediate bearings, complicating construction of the skeg and weakening it as well. Batteries are located under the galley counter.

While this is not a high-performance boat and it will never plane, it has good performance characteristics. It has a long waterline, a sure way of improving speed for a given weight under most sailing conditions. It has a fine entry below the first chine, with hollow to the curve of the waterline. This gives good penetration to punch to windward through waves and wind chop. Flare to the upper sections and a broad forward deck give reserve buoyancy for dryness and decent interior accommodation needed for a good cruiser. Aft she is quite beamy to make her forgiving downwind. This also gives the ability to carry the cockpit loads without excessive changes of fore and aft trim. She will reach hull speed in moderate breeze to windward and surf readily downwind.

I haven't drawn the gaff rig yet but it will be available when a builder wants that option. The Marconi rig follows the modern concept of small headsail and large mainsail, with the bowsprit used for setting downwind sails like asymmetrical spinnakers and the very versatile code 0.

Deck plan & hull profile.

The bowsprit is hinged on the foredeck so that it can be folded aft to reduce berthing length.The mast can be set in a tabernacle to allow the mast to be lowered to access canal systems such as those that form a watery highway system through Europe. Raising and lowering the mast of a boat of this size must be done with care and this can be assisted by using the hinged bowsprit as a lever, with lines led to the cockpit winches to provide the power.

The Marconi mast is an aluminium extrusion, or can be carbon. It is a double-spreader rig with swept spreaders, eliminating a standing backstay. We show runners coming into the mast at spinnaker halliard height, used as additional support under spinnaker or in lumpy water.

We include full size Mylar patterns of the bulkheads with the stock plans, to assist those building from scratch. We also offer optional Mylar patterns of the hull panels, useful for those builders who are concerned about cutting the correct shapes for the hull skin.

Most builders who take on this project will learn some new skills along the way. That is one of the reasons why we build our own boats rather than buying. Any handyman of reasonable ability should be able to produce an Eland 36 of which he will be proud.

Stability Graph

Drawing List

LOD 11.11m (36' 5")

LWL 10.44m (34' 3")

Beam moulded 3.81m (12' 6")

Draft 1.26m (4' 2")

Displ to DWL 6600kg (14546lb)

Displ light 5460kg (12034lb)

Ballast 2200kg (4849lb)

Waterplane area 20.38sq.m (219sq.ft)

Immersion rate 209kg/cm (1170lb/inch)

Wetted surface 31.75sq.m (342sq.ft)

Sail area gaff (main + genoa) not yet drawn

Sail area Marconi (main + jib) 83.57sq.m (900sq.ft)

This design is dimensioned with both metric and imperial measurements.

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