The Luders 36 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Luders 36, an ultra-heavy displacement long-keeler, was designed by Alfred Luders and built in Hong Kong by Cheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd.

A Luders 36 ketch at anchor in Tyrell Bay, Carriacou in the Caribbean

A ketch version of the Luders 36

Published Specification for the Luders 36

Underwater Profile: Long Keel

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 35'6" (10.8m)

Waterline Length: 25'0" (7.6m)

Beam: 10'3" (3.1m)

Draft: 5'3" (1.6m)

Rig Type: Ketch*

Displacement: 15,000lb (6,804kg)

Designer: Alfred Luders

Builder: Cheoy Lee Shipyard Ltd

Year First Built: 1966

Year Last Built: 1978

Number Built: 65

* The Luders 36 was also produced as a sloop and a yawl.

Published Design Ratios for the Luders 36

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 15.8

Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 35.0

Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 429

Under 100: Ultralight
100 to 200: Light
200 to 275: Moderate
275 to 350: Heavy
Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 37.1

Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.7

Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Luders 36

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 15.8 suggests that the Luders 36 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 35.0 means that a sailboat like the Luders 36 (which doesn't have its ballast concentrated in a bulb at the foot of a deep keel), is likely to benefit from being reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 429, tells us the Luders 36 is firmly in the ultra-heavy displacement category. Load her up as much as you like and her performance will be hardly affected, not that it was ever startling. Few if any sailboats are built to this displacement category these days - but they remain popular with some long-distance sailors.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 37.1 suggests that crew comfort of a Luders 36 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.7 tells us that a Luders 36 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.