The West Indies 36 Morgan is moderately powered for comfortable coastal cruising, with acceptable motion comfort for coastal passages, and respectable in club racing.
Hull Speed
The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.
A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length.
With a waterline of 32.0′, the West Indies 36 Morgan tops out around 7.6 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √32.0′ LWL = 7.6 kts
Performance Ratios
Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.
PHRF Rating
146s/nm
Cruiser/racer — competitive in club racing, comfortable cruising.
SA / Displacement
17.0
Moderate sail power — a capable coastal cruiser, not overpowered.
Ballast / Displacement
41.2%
Stiff enough to carry a big genoa comfortably into moderate breeze.
Displacement / Length
232
Moderate — a good balance of speed and load-carrying ability.
Comfort Ratio
28.8
Acceptable coastal comfort — fine for weekends, notice the chop offshore.
Capsize Screening
1.87
Below the 2.0 offshore threshold — acceptable for ocean passages.
Pounds/Inch Immersion
1lbs
Weight needed to sink the hull one inch — loading sensitivity.
Motion & Offshore Suitability
Two ratios that matter most when you're planning passages — how the boat feels in a seaway, and whether the hull geometry is suitable for open ocean.
Comfort Ratio
28.8
Acceptable coastal comfort — fine for weekends, notice the chop offshore.
Under 20 — Snappy, racing motion
20–30 — Acceptable coastal
30–40 — Good offshore comfort
Over 40 — Very comfortable offshore
Capsize Screening Formula
1.87
Below the 2.0 offshore threshold — acceptable for ocean passages.
Under 2.0 — Acceptable for offshore
Over 2.0 — Coastal / protected waters
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the West Indies 36 Morgan sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Cruiser/Racer 90–150
Cruiser 150–210
Heavy Cruiser 210–300
Cs 36
126s/nm
Freedom 36
132s/nm
Catalina 36
138s/nm
West Indies 36 Morgan
146s/nm
Cruiser/racer — competitive in club racing, comfortable cruising.
Pearson 365
210s/nm
Estimated Speed by Wind
Rough boat speed estimates at different true wind speeds and points of sail — derived from hull speed, SA/D, and displacement, not measured polars.
| Point of Sail |
6 kts TWS |
10 kts TWS |
15 kts TWS |
20 kts TWS |
| Close-hauled40–50° |
3.0 |
3.8 |
4.3 |
4.4 |
| Close Reach60° |
3.6 |
4.6 |
5.1 |
5.4 |
| Beam Reach90° |
4.5 |
5.7 |
6.3 |
6.6 |
| Broad Reach120–135° |
4.1 |
5.2 |
5.8 |
6.1 |
| Run150–180° |
3.3 |
4.2 |
4.7 |
4.9 |
These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (7.6 kts),
SA/D (17.0), and empirical efficiency curves — not instrument-measured
polars. Real-world speed varies with sea state, bottom condition, sail trim, and current.
Speeds in gold approach hull speed;
bold gold means near or at hull speed.
Wind Range & Comfort Envelope
Estimated wind ranges for comfortable sailing on the West Indies 36 Morgan — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.
Ghost
Sweet Spot
Reef
Heavy
0–7 kts
7–22 kts
22–32 kts
32+ kts
Ghosting
0–7 kts
Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.
Sweet Spot
7–22 kts
Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.
Time to Reef
22–32 kts
Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.
Heavy Weather
32+ kts
Storm conditions. Storm jib or bare poles. Seek shelter if coastal.
How It Compares
Side-by-side with the boats most often cross-shopped against the West Indies 36 Morgan.
|
West Indies 36 Morgan |
Catalina 36 |
Cs 36 |
Freedom 36 |
Pearson 36 Cutter |
Pearson 365 |
| Dimensions |
| LOA |
36.4 |
36.3 |
36.5 |
36.4 |
36.4 |
36.4 |
| LWL |
32.0 |
30.3 |
29.3 |
30.6 |
30.0 |
30.0 |
| Beam |
12.0 |
11.9 |
11.5 |
12.5 |
11.5 |
11.4 |
| Displacement |
17 |
13 |
15 |
14 |
17 |
17 |
| Ballast |
7 |
6 |
6 |
6 |
7 |
7 |
| Sail Area |
698 |
545 |
822 |
685 |
599 |
— |
| Performance |
| PHRF |
146 |
138 |
126 |
132 |
— |
210 |
| SA/Disp |
17.0 |
15.4 |
21.2 |
18.6 |
14.2 |
— |
| Bal/Disp |
41.2 |
44.4 |
41.9 |
45.2 |
— |
41.2 |
| Comfort |
28.8 |
24.0 |
29.5 |
23.7 |
33.1 |
— |
| Capsize |
1.87 |
2.01 |
1.85 |
2.06 |
1.77 |
— |
| Hull Speed |
7.6 |
7.4 |
7.3 |
7.4 |
7.3 |
— |