The Sun Shine 36 Jeanneau is well-powered with enough sail area to move in light air, with a quick, snappy motion best suited to day sailing.
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 30.7′, the Sun Shine 36 Jeanneau tops out around 7.4 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √30.7′ LWL = 7.4 kts
Performance Ratios
Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.
SA / Displacement
18.8
Powerful cruiser/racer — quick in light air, reef early when it pipes up.
Ballast / Displacement
40.9%
Stiff enough to carry a big genoa comfortably into moderate breeze.
Displacement / Length
184
Moderate — a good balance of speed and load-carrying ability.
Comfort Ratio
19.3
Quick, snappy motion — better for day sails and racing than long passages.
Capsize Screening
2.22
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
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
19.3
Quick, snappy motion — better for day sails and racing than long passages.
Under 20 — Snappy, racing motion
20–30 — Acceptable coastal
30–40 — Good offshore comfort
Over 40 — Very comfortable offshore
Capsize Screening Formula
2.22
Above the 2.0 offshore threshold — best suited for coastal and protected waters.
Under 2.0 — Acceptable for offshore
Over 2.0 — Coastal / protected waters
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the Sun Shine 36 Jeanneau sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Racer 0–90
Cruiser/Racer 90–150
Cruiser 150–210
Cs 36
126s/nm
Catalina 36
138s/nm
Pearson 36 2
138s/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° |
3.1 |
3.9 |
4.4 |
4.6 |
| Close Reach60° |
3.8 |
4.8 |
5.3 |
5.5 |
| Beam Reach90° |
4.6 |
5.8 |
6.5 |
7.1 |
| Broad Reach120–135° |
4.3 |
5.4 |
6.0 |
6.5 |
| Run150–180° |
3.4 |
4.3 |
4.8 |
5.0 |
These are simplified estimates based on hull speed (7.4 kts),
SA/D (18.8), 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 Sun Shine 36 Jeanneau — based on sail area, ballast, and displacement characteristics.
Ghost
Sweet Spot
Reef
Heavy
0–6 kts
6–20 kts
20–30 kts
30+ kts
Ghosting
0–6 kts
Light air, motor-sailing likely. Need patience and a light genoa.
Sweet Spot
6–20 kts
Comfortable under full sail. Best speed-to-comfort ratio.
Time to Reef
20–30 kts
Time to shorten sail. Reef the main, swap to a working jib.
Heavy Weather
30+ 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 Sun Shine 36 Jeanneau.
|
Sun Shine 36 Jeanneau |
Catalina 36 |
Cs 36 |
Feeling 1090 |
Pearson 36 2 |
Pearson 367 |
| Dimensions |
| LOA |
36.4 |
36.3 |
36.5 |
36.4 |
36.5 |
36.4 |
| LWL |
30.7 |
30.3 |
29.3 |
28.8 |
29.6 |
30.0 |
| Beam |
12.6 |
11.9 |
11.5 |
11.7 |
12.3 |
11.5 |
| Displacement |
11 |
13 |
15 |
11 |
15 |
17 |
| Ballast |
4 |
6 |
6 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
| Sail Area |
610 |
545 |
822 |
808 |
— |
600 |
| Performance |
| PHRF |
— |
138 |
126 |
— |
138 |
— |
| SA/Disp |
18.8 |
15.4 |
21.2 |
25.2 |
— |
14.2 |
| Bal/Disp |
40.9 |
44.4 |
41.9 |
37.7 |
38.7 |
41.2 |
| Comfort |
19.3 |
24.0 |
29.5 |
22.1 |
— |
33.1 |
| Capsize |
2.22 |
2.01 |
1.85 |
2.06 |
— |
1.77 |
| Hull Speed |
7.4 |
7.4 |
7.3 |
7.2 |
— |
7.3 |