LEGEND 36
PRICE £45,000-£65,000 YEAR 2001-2008
The Legend 36 is a family cruiser with similar interior volume to many 40-footers. She is solid GRP below the waterline with Kevlar around the keel and bows, while the topsides and deck are balsa-cored. She was available with shoal/deep fin or twin keels.
The Legends’ wide cockpit and unusual Bergstrom & Ridder (B&R) backstay-less rigs were initially treated with suspicion in Europe but were soon proved to be reliable. Despite having high topsides, clever coachroof styling enables generous headroom without her looking top-heavy.
Despite having only two double cabins, generous beam and high topsides provide an airy saloon. The galley boasts a wide worktop, fridge, and pressurised hot water. The aft cabin transverse berth measures 2.0m x 1.5m (6ft 7in x 5ft) with standing space, lockers and a hatch, and the heads has a separate shower stall with 1.88m/6ft 2in headroom, a wet locker and stowage.
The drop-leaf table in the large U-shaped saloon dinette lowers to create a double berth and lockers above and behind the settees provide abundant stowage.
Under the huge forecabin vee-berth is the freshwater tank and stowage, while the cabin offers a dressing area with large lockers.
She has a wide cockpit with an arch for the mainsheet traveller. Genoa winches and car adjusters are near the helm, but the mainsheet leads to the coachroof.
Access forward is clear but the handrails short. The coachroof blends gently into the foredeck and the moulded non-slip is effective. The deck-stepped mast on the B&R fractional rig has a pronounced pre-bend and is supported by lower struts, caps and intermediate stays. Her big slab-reef mainsail provides the power, balanced by a tightly sheet-able, high-aspect 110% genoa.
Although the B&R rig’s integrity and strength are wellproven, it does have drawbacks. The first is the inability to sail deeper than a broad reach due to its deeply swept spreaders chafing the mainsail.
Secondly, the lack of backstay tension on a hard beat can result in a sagging forestay. Heavy-duty struts between chain plates and mast, however, contain most of the loads within the rig, rather than stressing the hull.
She’s quick off the mark and light on the helm, although the big main needs reefing early to prevent excessive heeling. Once balanced she’s responsive and tacks effortlessly.