Dragonfly 36 Video Review: A Folding Trimaran You Can Beach
By the YachtWay editorial deskUpdated October 2026Video walkthrough7 min read
The Dragonfly 36 is a 38 ft folding performance trimaran from Denmark, and our first sailboat Spotlight. We walked hull number one at its world premiere, with the Dragonfly dealer for the northern US East Coast. The floats fold in with the Swing Wing system so she fits a normal berth, and with the centreboard and rudder up she draws about 2 ft and can be beached. Below there is a galley, a dinette that becomes a berth, an aft cabin with standing headroom and a forward cabin.
A trimaran that folds to fit a normal slip
Dragonfly built the 36 to bring the ideas of its 40 ft flagship to a lower price. The Swing Wing beams fold the floats back in less than five minutes, and on the 36 the hinges are composite, not stainless steel, which saves weight and cost. The floats also add storage for sails, dinghies and folding bikes, so wet gear stays out of the cabin. These boats are rated for ocean crossings.
What stood out on board
- Floats that fold inElectric winches fold each float back in about two and a half minutes, so she fits a monohull slip.
- Composite hingesThe Swing Wing uses composite hinges instead of heavy stainless steel.
- A 2 ft draftWith the centreboard and rudder up, you can beach her. The sail drive sits above the lowest point of the hull.
- A light-wind Code ZeroA roller-furling Code Zero lets her sail faster than the wind on calm days.
- Standing headroom aftThe aft cabin has room to stand and sit up in bed. Dragonfly says this boat has the most headroom of any of its models.
- All lines led aftHalyards and sheets run under the coaming to two electric winches at the helm.
Spec sheet at a glance
| Feature | What you get | The benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Length overall | 37 ft 11 in (11.55 m) | A lot of boat for one person to sail |
| Beam (floats out) | 26 ft 7 in (8.10 m) | Folds in to fit a normal berth |
| Draft | 2 ft 2 in board up, 6 ft 7 in board down | Beachable, yet sails upwind well |
| Displacement | 6 t (13,228 lb) | Light, so she sails fast |
| Mainsail | 646 sq ft (60 m²) | Power for light winds |
| Jib | 215 sq ft (20 m²), overlapping | Self-tacking option available |
| Spinnaker | 1,184 sq ft (110 m²) | Big downwind speed |
| Engine (as filmed) | Yanmar 30 hp on a sail drive | About 7 kn motoring (as quoted) |
| Tanks | 18.5 gal fuel, 52.8 gal water | Enough for weekends away |
| Layout | Aft cabin, forward cabin, dinette berth, wet head | Sleeps four to six |
| Power | Three solar panels | Keep the fridge running on a mooring |
| Design | Jens Quorning, Steen Olsen | A family yard with deep trimaran know-how |
Swing Wing and hull
The beams fold the floats back in a parallelogram, so the boat fits into a normal slip. On the 36 the hinges are composite, which saves weight.
- Folding.Under five minutes, using the electric winches.
- Storage.Space in the floats for sails, dinghies and bikes.
- Centreboard.Swings down, with no weighted keel.
- Beaching.About 2 ft of draft with the board and rudder up.
- Bow thruster.Drops down from the hull for docking in side wind.
Deck and sails
The anchor locker and collapsible cleats sit at the bow, and the lines run neatly into the hull. Side platforms make sunbathing spots.
- Code Zero.A roller-furling sail for light wind.
- Jib.Overlapping, with a self-tacking option.
- Solar.Three panels to keep the batteries topped up.
- Hatches.Plenty, for light and ventilation below.
Cockpit
The table sits off-centre so it can stay up while you sail. All the lines are hidden under the coaming, so guests never get tangled.
- Lines.Halyards, sheets and furlers all led aft and labelled.
- Winches.Two electric winches.
- Instruments.Raymarine, with programmable displays.
- Cup holders.Built into the table.
Saloon and galley
This Dragonfly has the most headroom of any so far, enough for a 6 ft 4 in adult. The saloon feels open thanks to all the hatches and windows.
- Cooking.A gimballed stove and a full oven.
- Water.Hot and cold pressurised water.
- Fridge.At counter height, not down low.
- Dinette.A folding table that turns into a berth.
- Charging.USB ports in every light.
Cabins and head
The owner's cabin is aft, with an escape hatch and standing headroom. A wet head with a shower sits between the saloon and the forward cabin.
- Aft cabin.Room to sit up in bed and plenty of storage.
- Forward cabin.A double berth with a big hatch.
- Head.A wet head with a shower.
- Privacy.Blinds and mosquito nets on every hatch.
- Lighting.Lights under the trampoline show the water below.
Engine
The inboard sits under the helm panel. The propeller is higher than the lowest point of the hull, so beaching will not touch the running gear.
- Engine.A 30 hp Yanmar, with a 40 hp option.
- Motoring.About 7 knots at 3,500 rpm (as quoted on board).
- Water heater.Next to the engine.
- Rudder.Carbon fibre, and it lifts.
The Dragonfly 36 makes trimaran sailing practical. The floats fold to fit a normal slip, the shallow draft lets you beach her, and every line leads back to electric winches so one person can sail her. Below there is more room than you expect, with standing headroom in the aft cabin and a galley with a gimballed stove. Dragonflies are known to hold their value well. We did not sail her, so we cannot speak to her speed on the water.
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