Morgan Out Island 36
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About the Morgan Out Island 36
Built from 1973 to 1976, this Charles Morgan-designed cruiser represents the classic era of American fiberglass sailboat construction. Morgan Yachts crafted this masthead sloop with traditional long keel configuration, emphasizing seaworthiness and directional stability over racing performance. The Out Island 36's substantial 16,000-pound displacement and generous 7,500 pounds of ballast create a stable, comfortable platform for extended cruising. Her long keel design provides excellent tracking ability and forgiveness in heavy weather, though at the expense of maneuverability in tight quarters. The moderate sail area of 579 square feet and conservative sail area-to-displacement ratio make her manageable for smaller crews while still providing respectable performance. With a comfort ratio of 31.8, this yacht prioritizes motion comfort over speed, making her well-suited for offshore passages and coastal cruising where crew comfort matters more than racing results. The capsize screening formula of 1.82 indicates good stability characteristics for ocean sailing. Morgan's reputation for building solid, seaworthy cruising boats is well-represented in the Out Island 36. While not particularly fast with a hull speed around 7 knots, she offers the reliability and sea-keeping ability that made Morgan yachts popular choices for serious cruisers during the 1970s.
Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall)
35.82 ft / 10.92 m
LWL (Waterline Length)
28.00 ft / 8.53 m
Beam
11.42 ft / 3.48 m
Max Draft
3.75 ft / 1.14 m
Displacement
16,000.00 lb / 7,257 kg
Ballast
7,500.00 lb / 3,402 kg
Sail Area (Reported)
579.00 ft² / 53.79 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type
Long Keel
Rigging Type
Masthead Sloop
Construction
FG
Designer
Charles Morgan
Builder
Morgan Yachts (USA)
First Built
1973
Last Built
1976
Related Sailboats
Princess 36 Allied · Bayfield 36 · Freeport 36 Islander · Vancouver 36 Harris · Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Owner Reviews
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Known Issues & What to Watch For
The deck-to-hull joint on Morgan Out Island models of this era uses a toerail-clamped external flange. This joint is prone to weeping leaks and, over decades, can develop stress cracking and separation. Inspect carefully along the entire hull-deck join for sealant failure and water intrusion into the balsa-cored deck sections nearby.
Morgan used balsa core extensively in the deck of the Out Island 36. Deck hardware installations and chainplate areas are common entry points for water, leading to saturated and rotted balsa core. Tap the entire deck surface to locate soft spots, particularly around stanchion bases, cleats, and the mast partner.
The long keel on the Out Island 36 is an encapsulated iron keel integral to the fiberglass hull. The iron can corrode internally and cause the surrounding fiberglass to crack and bulge along the keel centerline. Inspect the keel-hull junction and the bottom of the keel closely for longitudinal cracking or rust staining weeping through the laminate.
The chainplate knees and their backing structures were glassed into the interior liner in this era of Morgan construction. Access for inspection is limited, and the chainplate-to-deck interface is a known leak point that over time causes delamination of the surrounding deck laminate and liner.
Morgan Out Island 36 boats used a separate interior liner pan that was bonded into the hull. The bond between this liner and the hull shell can fail over time, causing squeaking, movement, and loss of structural contribution. Check for any separation or flexing of the liner in the bilge and settee areas.
Early Out Island 36 models were commonly fitted with the Universal Atomic 4 gasoline engine. Many of these engines are now well past their service life and suffer from worn cylinders, failed water pumps, and deteriorated fuel systems. Verify engine type and consider that a diesel repower may have been done — if so, inspect the engine mounts and shaft alignment carefully as repowers were sometimes done without proper engineering.
Original wiring from the mid-1970s Morgan production is typically undersized by modern standards and the insulation is often brittle and cracked after 50 years. The original DC panel and wiring runs should be treated as suspect; fire risk from deteriorated wiring is a real concern on unrestored examples.
The aluminum mast step and partners on the Out Island 36 are prone to galvanic corrosion where the mast sits in the aluminum step, especially if moisture has been present for years. Inspect the mast base and the step casting for pitting and structural degradation before relying on the existing spar.
The cockpit of the Out Island 36 drains through small-diameter through-hulls low in the transom. The original bronze fittings are now 50 years old and should be inspected for dezincification and integrity; the drain hoses connecting them are likely original and brittle.
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement
Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
14.64
Ballast/Displacement
Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
46.88
Displacement/Length
Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
325.39
Comfort Ratio
Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
31.8
Capsize Screening Formula
The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
1.82
Hull Speed
Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions.
7.09 kn
S# (Speed Number)
The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
1.39
Pounds/Inch Immersion
Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline.
1,142.54 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc)
Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure.
14.65
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height)
43.16 ft / 13.16 m
J (Foretriangle Base)
14.92 ft / 4.55 m
P (Mainsail Luff)
35.50 ft / 10.82 m
E (Mainsail Foot)
14.50 ft / 4.42 m
SA Fore
321.97 ft² / 29.91 m²
SA Main
257.38 ft² / 23.91 m²
SA Total (100%)
579.35 ft² / 53.82 m²
Est. Forestay Length
45.67 ft / 13.92 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make
Universal
Engine Model
Atomic 4
Engine Type
Gas
Fuel Capacity
70 gals / 265 L
Water Capacity
39 gals / 148 L
How It Compares
vs. Bayfield 36, Freeport 36 Islander, Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph, Princess 36 Allied, Vancouver 36 Harris
This boat
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Dimensions
LOA
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
LWL
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
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Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
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Beam
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
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Displacement
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
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Ballast
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Sail Area
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Performance
SA / Displacement
(higher = more powerful)
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Ballast / Disp
(higher = stiffer)
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Comfort Ratio
(higher = more comfortable offshore)
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Capsize Screening
(lower = safer)
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Displacement / Length
(lower = lighter)
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Hull Speed
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
Speed Number
(higher = faster)
Morgan Out Island 36 ★
Bayfield 36
Freeport 36 Islander
Gulfstar 36 Ms Ph
Princess 36 Allied
Vancouver 36 Harris
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