BoatsDowneaster 38

Downeaster 38

Cutter · Long Keel · 1974–1981

A 1974-era cutter with a 35.4 comfort ratio, built for stable, long-distance voyaging on a heavy-displacement hull

Designed by Henry Morschladt & Bob Poole, built by Down East Yachts.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Long Keel

See her sail

The Downeaster 38, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 35 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 35
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.76
LightHeavy

357 — very heavy for her waterline, a serious load-carrying cruiser.

Displacement / length 357
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.3
TenderStiff

41% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 41%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Downeaster 38, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Downeaster 38 is a 38-foot full-keel, cutter-rigged cruiser produced from 1974 to 1981, designed by Henry Morschladt and Bob Poole.2:23 It features a 29-foot waterline, an 11-foot 10-inch beam, and approximately 8,000 pounds of encapsulated lead ballast within its full keel.3:27 The heavy displacement and modest sail area-to-displacement ratio contribute to sluggish light-air performance, but the hull shape provides stable tracking in heavy seas.4:57 Market prices range from $25,000 to $50,000.5:58 Practical Sailor advises thorough surveys of the cored deck, hull-to-deck joints, and chain plates for moisture, and evaluating cockpit ergonomics for single-handed sailing.7:21 Many original 24-horsepower Farymann diesels have been replaced.7:49 A well-maintained Downeaster 38 offers a robust platform for long-distance cruising, though a comprehensive refit can be costly.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Downeaster 38 on video

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
41.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Cutter
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.3
Displacement / length
356.9
Comfort ratio
35.4
Capsize screening
1.76
Hull speed
7.2 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1226
Hull
Hull type
Long Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1974–1981
Units built
230
Designer
Henry Morschladt, Bob Poole
Builder
Down East Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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.

Shannon Yachts 38 PH11.51 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA long-keeled cutter designed by Stadel for offshore stability, offering a comfortable motion and steady passage-making
A Sailboat With No Keel? Shannon Shoalsailer 351:37from Lady K Sailing
Cabo Rico 3811.58 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn aft-cockpit evolution of the Tiburon 36, offering a heavy-displacement cutter platform for stable blue-water sailing
Stop Waiting — These Sailboats Are a STEAL!6:25from Lady K Sailing
Bristol Yachts 3911.89 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 1966 masthead sloop with a long keel, built for five years as a precursor to the long-running Bristol 40
Bristol 40 for $40,000 - Can You Make it Work?from Practical Sailor
Seafarer Yachts 38C11.51 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile cruiser available in multiple rig configurations and often sold in kit form for owner completion
#273 ⛵️ 'Must Watch' ⛵️Insiders Guide To Owning a Sailboat!1:47from Sailing Nervous- Starting Over!
Tayana 3711.18 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA Robert Perry-designed long-keel cutter with a heavy displacement and a production run of nearly 600 hulls
This $59,900 Sailboat Is READY to Sail Away Today! - Ep 359 - Lady K Sailing0:48from Lady K Sailing
Cape Dory 3611.01 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterProduced from 1978 to 1990, this long-keeled cutter was later marketed as the Robinhood 36
10,000 Mile Gear Review After Solo Sailing an Atlantic Circuit0:01from Atom Voyager

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.

Downeaster 41A rare masthead sloop derived from the Downeaster 38, featuring a long keel and a heavy-displacement hull for steady cruisingDowneaster 32A heavy-displacement Bob Poole cutter with a long keel, designed for stable, comfortable offshore cruisingDowneaster 45A 13.7-metre staysail ketch with a long keel and high comfort ratio, built for stable, heavy-displacement voyagingDickerson Boatbuilders 37 CCA George Hazen-designed center cockpit cutter or ketch built for stable, shoal-draft cruising with a skeg-mounted rudderDurbeck 38A 1977 cutter with a heavy-displacement hull and a high comfort ratio of 45.31, built for steady, long-distance cruisingSeafarer Yachts 38CA versatile cruiser available in multiple rig configurations and often sold in kit form for owner completion

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The fleet has more to say

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