BoatsContessa 38 (Alan-Williams)

Contessa 38 (Alan-Williams)

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · First built 1981

A robust masthead sloop designed by David Alan-Williams, originally built as a training yacht for the Royal Navy

Designed by David Alan-Williams, built by Jeremy Rogers.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 30 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 30
CoastalBluewater

1.80 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.80
LightHeavy

261 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 261
EasygoingPowered-up

15.3 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.3
TenderStiff

49% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 49%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws more than ~78% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2898 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
48.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.3
Displacement / length
261.3
Comfort ratio
29.9
Capsize screening
1.80
Hull speed
7.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1215
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1981
Units built
28
Designer
David Alan-Williams
Builder
Jeremy Rogers

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

RM Yachts 118011.80 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Marc Lombard-designed performance cruiser featuring a wide beam, dual rudders, and a powerful cutter rig
Morgan Yachts 38211.68 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Ted Brewer-designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability, featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a stiff displacement
Sadler Yachts 3811.79 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Stephen Jones-designed masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance cruising.
Sabre Yachts 38 MKII11.79 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1988-1995 production cruiser with a 1.98m draft and a skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability
Ericson Yachts 38111.43 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterAn evolution of the Ericson 38, this 11.4-meter masthead sloop features a 1.98-meter draft and a fin-keel hull
Feeling 3911.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio built for performance cruising

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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