36.7 or 109?

Will O'Haver

Will O'Haver

New member
11
6
Charlevoix Michigan
They're similar boats for sure. The 36.7 is definitely a more versatile boat though. It has a great cabin, yes the cockpit is small but it's a dream to single hand. Mainsheet, traveler, jib sheets, everything is right in reach. The 36.7 goes well upwind, likely outrunning the J. The boat is not Tender when set up correctly, she goes like a witch to weather. But downwind leaves something to be desired. If you're not racing OD, I would take the extra $$ the J would cost and throw a bowsprit and masthead kite on. For cruising the J and the Bene are not comparable. The Bene is much much nicer down below. but you are dragging all of that around on the race course, so there's your tradeoff.  The Bene's bigger anchor locker is nice, and the cockpit has removable benches for racing. We've cruised for weeks on end (5 people and a dog onboard) with our 36.7, and days later done quite well in the Mac race. The simpler non cored construction of the Bene has saved our asses a few times... The boat responds well too small changes like a dinghy. Pull the jib car back, yank on the cunningham and backstay and the boat responds to that. For the price, I think you'd have a hard time finding a better boat than the Bene. Good Luck with your search, they're both fantastic options. Please DM me if you have any questions about either boat! 

- Will 

 
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davesimon

Member
80
9
Detroit, MI
We had our 36.7 for five years on the Great Lakes.  Decided to buy another Beneteau after having lustful thoughts toward other brands based on the following:  We owned our 2005 36.7 from 2015 through 2020.  In that time we logged over 10,000 miles, including 9 Mackinac races, many windward-leeward events, and great cruising.   Never trucked, always delivered on her own bottom.  And in that entire five years, never once did that boat fail to make a start line, finish line, or planned cruise.   We sailed her hard,  and with great appreciation got more than our share of podium finishes.   Yeah, I spent five years cursing at certain design decisions on the boat, but when it came time to sell there wasn't a squeak, rattle, or leak that hadn't been there when we got her.   

 
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Renegade-27

Renegade-27

Member
69
21
Salem, Mass
Funny to see this string light up recently after going dormant.  Timing is interesting - just about to close on a X-34.  Uncommon boat here in the US.

J109's at this time are just outrageously expensive.  On the East Coast they are each going up by 10k over prior based on immediate sales - now WELL above $150k.  I'm out of that money race.

A good 36.7 is $80k ish - so not in the same price level at all.  If I didn't find the X-, I would have gone 36.7 (masthead spinnaker, sprit, asyms).  GREAT all-around boat.  One of the great designs and commercial platforms of our day for sure.  Farr hit it out of the park.

The X-34 was priced between the two, exceptional build quality, a good but simple, unspectacular cabin, and strong racing pedigree.  In my original post I noted single- or short- handed sailing.  The non-overlapping jib, fractional rig and high ballast/displacement (41.5% - higher than 109, almost J105) were attractive to be able to 'race to the rating' without 8 guys on the rail. 

I also liked the idea of smaller vs larger - measuring overall effort involved in sailing to sail area, kinder to my aging body.   Hopefully the added stiffness will also be a little kinder to my skittish wife.

BTW, anyone looking to 'trade'up/down your boat - - got to say overall transactional costs are bigger than expected!  (Wife not pleased)...

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T

TUBBY

Anarchist
947
575
Somewhere near the wet stuff.
Having done thousands of racing & delivery miles on one of her bigger sisters,  I have no doubt that she will look after you well & you will appreciate the quality of the build every time you sit downstairs on your own and just look around.

 
Will O'Haver

Will O'Haver

New member
11
6
Charlevoix Michigan
quod umbra said:
Before anyone decides to buy a 367, I would strongly suggest you walk into the head, close the door and then try to turn around. If that doesn't put you off, then sail one for 100_ miles downwind, in a moderate breeze..........woof.
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I think the head is very comparable to boats of a similar size. Plus you get three cabins out of the deal! As for the downwind sailing, in standard setup it does struggle in light downwind. But we sail ours with a fractional A-sym flown off the bow roller and it does very well. Even in a light downwind (6 knots boat speed in 7-10 knots of wind with an angle of 135 ish) It would take off if you put a sprit on, and went masthead like many of them have. 

 
coyotepup

coyotepup

Anarchist
793
141
Michigan
quod umbra said:
Before anyone decides to buy a 367, I would strongly suggest you walk into the head, close the door and then try to turn around. If that doesn't put you off, then sail one for 100_ miles downwind, in a moderate breeze..........woof.
Click to expand...
At least the 36.7 head isn't right next to the companionway.  On the 109 you can sit on the throne and talk to all your buddies in the cockpit.  Open the window and make yourself useful by tailing the spin halyard!  Although one skipper I sailed with considered this a feature rather than a bug....he could go into his "office" and holler instructions no matter how indisposed he might be.

 
Foxtrot Corpen

Foxtrot Corpen

Super Anarchist
1,024
36
Solomons, MD, USA
Renegade-27 said:
Funny to see this string light up recently after going dormant.  Timing is interesting - just about to close on a X-34.  Uncommon boat here in the US.

J109's at this time are just outrageously expensive.  On the East Coast they are each going up by 10k over prior based on immediate sales - now WELL above $150k.  I'm out of that money race.

A good 36.7 is $80k ish - so not in the same price level at all.  If I didn't find the X-, I would have gone 36.7 (masthead spinnaker, sprit, asyms).  GREAT all-around boat.  One of the great designs and commercial platforms of our day for sure.  Farr hit it out of the park.

The X-34 was priced between the two, exceptional build quality, a good but simple, unspectacular cabin, and strong racing pedigree.  In my original post I noted single- or short- handed sailing.  The non-overlapping jib, fractional rig and high ballast/displacement (41.5% - higher than 109, almost J105) were attractive to be able to 'race to the rating' without 8 guys on the rail. 

I also liked the idea of smaller vs larger - measuring overall effort involved in sailing to sail area, kinder to my aging body.   Hopefully the added stiffness will also be a little kinder to my skittish wife.

BTW, anyone looking to 'trade'up/down your boat - - got to say overall transactional costs are bigger than expected!  (Wife not pleased)...

View attachment 435884

View attachment 435885
Click to expand...
You bought an awesome boat at a very good price!  Congratulations, Mark!  You're going to love your new X-34!

 
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