Cruisers Yachts 3650 Used Boat Review

Two things will (or should) impress you about the Cruisers Yachts 3650 if you've been boat-shopping: the tremendous sense of space; and the easy access throughout. Stepping down into the saloon, the airy and spacious feel is partly because of the open layout and the big cabin windows, partly because of the headroom (6'6" in the saloon, nearly 8'0" in the galley/ dinette), and partly because of the pale maple woodwork.

We can skim through some of the Cruisers 3650, because it's evident from the photo. There's a swim platform with hidden ladder and rinse-off shower, the aft deck is big enough for chairs and a table, and the nearby wet bar with sink and storage is standard

The boat also flows well, which is a result of input from Cruisers owners linked directly to the design process. Listening to owner preferences led to replacing the vertical flybridge ladder found on most boats with molded-in stairs that make bridge access easy (and safe) regardless of your age or agility. Try carrying a plate of potato chips and a soft drink to the bridge on most boats, and you'll end up with food all over the deck, but not with the Cruisers. Similarly gentle stairs lead from the stern platform to the aft deck, and even the companionway steps into the cabin are wider than usual, so you can carry an armful of groceries from the dock to the galley without having to stop and start.

Step down into the saloon, and the convertible sofa is to port, storage and the main electrical panel is to starboard. Just forward is the dinette, which seats four and converts to a double for kids or guests. The galley is large and open to the saloon, so the cook doesn't feel like an outcast. An upright Norcold refrigerator/freezer means no stooping, and the two-burner electric cooktop is backed up with an optional microwave. All the drawers are on rollers with latches for security, and storage is more than ample.

The forward stateroom has a double berth under a round hatch that provides plenty of light, and there is a truly large hanging locker as well as five roller drawers under the island berth. The forward head, which is also the day head for visitors, is fully molded in cream fiberglass and has a VacuFlush head, shower, and oversized medicine cabinet.

Aft, the master stateroom has a lozenge-shaped queen berth, 6'4" headroom, and a built-in four-drawer bureau and two hanging lockers. A cleverly designed vanity with side mirrors unfolds from the bulkhead, and a large opening port in the transom provides light and air. Under the molded fiberglass platform for the berth is storage as well as the water tank and access to the rudder posts. The aft head is surprisingly large and features, surprise! surprise!, a full bathtub. What luxury when I think back to the elbow-banging shower on my earlier boat.

The bridge is thoughtfully designed with wrap-around seating for a comfortable entertainment area. The skipper is part of the conversation, with a swivel bucket seat behind a well-designed dash. Flat panels are provided for flush-mounted electronics, the Faria gauges are segregated by function so you can scan them easily (an engine synchronizer is provided), and the sporty Dino wheel tilts the Telflex steering. The separate throttle and shift levers are comfortable for seated use, but just a bit low for standing while docking or maneuvering.

The Bimini top is standard, including the enclosure curtains, and our boat had the optional radar arch and cockpit hardtop, also with full enclosure, which would make the entire area snug in foul weather. Balancing the comfortable all-weather bridge against the space lost in the salon by adding an optional inside helm, I'd stick with the single steering station on the bridge.

Going forward is easy and secure because of the welded double rails (which lean out along the cabin side for more space) and ample hand grips. Once forward, the entire surface is non-slip and the hinged rode locker is large enough to conceal a windlass and preserve the clean lines of the deck. In profile, the 3650 appears to have an anchor plank but, on board, it's apparent that the entire deck is extended forward as a lip for extra space and secure anchor stowage.

But there's more to the Cruisers story than simply a walk-through of the boat. Each hull is hand laid of unidirectional woven roving, the wooden stringers are fully encapsulated in fiberglass, and vinylester resins are used below the waterline for blister protection. The hull, deck and liners are cored with end-grain balsa for strength and sound insulation, and the bilge is fully finished for protection against oil, fuel and other corrosive fluids.

Unlike many builders who use plywood backing plates which can rot, Cruisers laminates aluminum backing plates under all cleats, rails and other critical hardware, and I was pleased to note that the cleats are on raised pads so that dock lines won't chafe on the deck. Cruisers also uses PVC piping for all plumbing lines rather than the usual flex hose which is less durable, and the wiring is all color-coded to NMMA specs.

While much of the 3650 relies on carefully mated fiberglass modules that are fully bonded into place, the saloon sole is supported by an aluminum grid that is not only stronger than the usual wood, but also thinner to provide more headroom. All the interior hatch frames are also aluminum to withstand years of use.

Standard power is a pair of 310 HP MerCruiser 7.4L gas inboards, but a wide variety of gas or diesel engines are available, ranging up to a pair of 350 HP Caterpillar 3116 diesels or the 380 HP. The Crusader 454XLi engines in our test boat provided a good combination of speed, fuel economy and price sense and, unless you have a real diesel fetish, this is a good boat for gas power. Access to the engineroom is excellent, since the mid-saloon hatch lifts easily on gas assisted struts and doesn't require any furniture to move. With the big V-8s, space is a bit snug but there's good access to all the systems, including the 6.5kW Kohler generator tucked in a sound box forward. The manifold system, which allows you to run either or both of the engines from either or both of the twin fuel tanks, is clearly marked and even transfers the return flow from the fuel injectors, so there's never a concern about either running dry or overflowing one tank. Speaking of tankage, I did feel that the standard 70 gallon water capacity was small (for a boat with two showers, a bathtub, a wet bar, a galley sink, and a transom shower!), but there is ample room to add additional water tanks or even a watermaker.

As you can guess, getting all this into a 36' package requires a boat with considerable freeboard and height which, on a breezy day, can give you all the windage of Columbus' Santa Maria, not to mention a roll center as high as the Queen Mary. The Cruisers design team knew this, and solved both problems neatly. Windage isn't a problem unless it causes sideways slippage when docking and, by adding an eight-inch keel along the modified vee-bottom, the designers gave this boat precise tracking in all conditions. Height is only a problem when combined with weight aloft, and Cruisers took pains to mount the engines (and other heavy items like fuel tanks and generator) low, as well as reducing the superstructure weight with balsa coring and careful design. The result is a big boat that handles like a much smaller boat.

From a performance standpoint, that effort at weight saving pays off in reduced fuel consumption and increased speeds, and our 3650 topped out at 32.5 MPH with the Crusader XLi engines. A throttle setting of 3200 RPM produced a 22.6 MPH cruise speed at a 23 GPH fuel consumption. Bear in mind that this was a real-life test, too, with all the canvas enclosures in place which increase the drag, nearly full fuel and water tanks, and three people aboard, plus all the usual equipment such as generator and air conditioning.

See Cruisers Yachts 3650 listings.

Boat Specifications

LOA	38'5"
Beam	13'8"
Draft	3'2"
Displacement (dry)	19,400 lb.
Fuel	300 gal.
Water	70 gal.
Bridge Clearance	15'8" (w/arch)
	12'10" (w/o arch)
Standard Power	(2) Mercruiser 7.4L 310 hp. gas
Power As Tested	(2) Crusader 454XLi 380 hp. gas.