New sails, new canvas and a stack of records: broker Lars Bergstrom walks through S/V Windancer, a club-racer-turned-comfortable-cruiser.
Lars Bergstrom of Curtis Stokes and Associates begins his tour of S/V Windancer with a simple pitch: this 1977 Islander 36 has new sails, new canvas and a long list of upgrades, she’s lying near Plymouth, North Carolina, and she’s ready to go sailing. What follows is a walkthrough that leans less on nostalgia and more on maintenance records — which, for a boat approaching 50 years old, is exactly the right emphasis.
A popular club racer
Only about 800 Islander 36s were built, Bergstrom notes, but they remain a fixture on local club regatta lines because they sail well to their handicap. This one benefits from relatively new rigging — five or six years old, by his estimate — and a precision cruising mainsail living in a new sail cradle beneath a new dodger. Headsail handling is by a Harken Cruising One roller furling system, a newer design he describes as practically indestructible.
On deck, the details tell the story of a boat that’s been used and looked after: a bronze spool on the anchor roller, a deck locker sized for anchor and chain (keeping that weight and mess out of the cabin), gel coat and paint in good shape, recently done varnish, and canvas covers over the hatches. The chain plates are mounted inboard of the rail — good for pointing ability, and good for walking the side decks, which Bergstrom demonstrates without holding on.
Cockpit and electronics
The cockpit is spacious, with 48 three-speed Lewmar primary winches, decent cushions, a Lifesling, a boarding ladder and propane stowed outboard on the rail. A Garmin 7-inch GPS plotter was added in 2021 or 2022, joined by a Ritchie compass and a Garmin GPSMAP 60 that came with the boat. Bergstrom is candid about the exception: the older autopilot doesn’t work and needs repair or replacement. A window air-conditioning unit currently cools the boat through the companionway, with separate hatch boards made for when it isn’t in use.
Below decks
The interior is light and open, with new teak laminate flooring and newly built hatch boards. A settee runs to port alongside a portable refrigerator-freezer fitted where the chart table once lived — a trade Bergstrom reckons most modern owners will happily make. The galley to starboard has a single-bin sink, a good cutting board and a two-burner Dometic gas range. The starboard settee converts to a berth with extra cushioning, and a small table could be added for larger dinners.
Forward, the head to port has a manual head, single-bin sink and tidy woodwork; the shower works but drains to the bilge, so periodic pumping and cleaning is part of the routine. The V-berth sleeps two comfortably with storage beneath and forward. The mast is keel-stepped, and the step was redone with a new aluminum plate when the rigging was replaced. Removable companionway steps open up the engine, which looks well cared for — clean hoses and clamps, near-new isolators, AGM house batteries under rubber flaps, and a stainless steel fuel tank behind the engine. Keel bolts have been replaced at some point; the paperwork, Bergstrom says, is all there.
Market snapshot
| Active Islander 36 listings | 1 |
|---|---|
| Asking price range | $29,500 |
| Inquiries, last 30 days | 0 (vs 1 prior 30) |
For a short-handed couple who still want room for crew on a club race Saturday, this is an approachable, documented example of a boat with a loyal following.