BoatsExpress 37

Express 37

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1984–1988

A light-displacement masthead sloop featuring a 2.21-meter draft and an optional cruising-oriented Mk II interior

Designed by Carl Schumacher, built by Alsberg Bros.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Express 37, on the water

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

Footage from American Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 18 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 18
CoastalBluewater

2.15 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.15
LightHeavy

149 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 149
EasygoingPowered-up

22.4 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 22.4
TenderStiff

47% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 47%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Draws more than ~92% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2959 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Express 37, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Express 37 is a 1980s Carl Schumacher-designed Masthead Sloop built by Alsberg Bros. Boatworks, with a fin keel and spade rudder, measuring 11.3 meters LOA, 3.5 meters beam, and 2.2 meters draft, displacing 4445 kg.0:22 Starting with hull #25, the boat was fitted with a Yanmar 3GMF 27 HP engine. A Mk II version, featuring a more cruising-oriented interior, was produced after hull #58, with 10 units built.0:22 An Express 37 named *Dorado* won the ORR4 division of the 2024 Pacific Cup, sailing 2,100 miles from San Francisco to Hawaii in 11 days, 11 hours, 54 minutes elapsed time.1:02 The crew's strategy involved sailing closer to the rhumb line, covering 100 fewer miles than competitors, and navigating a five-day period of light winds before trade winds filled in.0:55

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
46.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
22.4
Displacement / length
149.3
Comfort ratio
17.9
Capsize screening
2.15
Hull speed
7.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1267
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1984–1988
Units built
65
Designer
Carl Schumacher
Builder
Alsberg Bros

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.

Salona 3711.29 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA triple-award-winning performance cruiser from J&J Yacht Design featuring a high ballast ratio for stiff, fast sailing
Salona 37from SVN solovelanet
Elan Yachts 38011.34 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Rob Humphreys-designed fractional sloop built for performance with a deep 2.35m draft and a stiff, light hull
Elan 3802:30from SVN solovelanet
Hallberg-Rassy 3511.13 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA shallow-draft fin-keeler with a 1.3-metre draft, built for coastal cruising and ease of access to shoal anchorages
Boat Check: What Works—and What Doesn’t (Bonus ✨: Floh’s Nerd Corner 🤓)from WhiteSpotPirates
Hunter Marine 37611.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA spacious cruiser featuring a B&R rig and wing keel, sharing a proven hull design with the later 380 and 386 models
Hunter 376 - The Aegean Tragedy: What Really Happened in the Newport–Ensenada Race0:47from Practical Sailor
Oyster Marine 37 Heritage11.28 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Holman & Pye designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability with a skeg-mounted rudder and conservative sail plan
Sailing North Sea Challenges – South from Shetland | Sailing Florence Ep. 22833:36from Sailing Florence
Hallberg-Rassy 37211.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA fractional sloop with a 1.99-metre draft and a 38% ballast ratio, optimized for a stiff, stable cruising motion
Hallberg Rassy 370: The World's Most Expensive 37-Footer (3.6 Million in Extras)3:05from SEILmagasinet

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.

Express 34A Carl Schumacher-designed masthead sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for performanceExpress 27A 1982 fractional sloop with a high power-to-weight ratio and a narrow beam designed for rapid, responsive sailingExpress 35 (Killing)A 1984 performance-oriented masthead sloop with a high ballast-to-displacement ratio for stability in a light hullExpress 30M (Killing)A racing-focused variation featuring reduced freeboard, a lower coachroof, and a spartan interior for weight savingsExpress 30 (Killing)A 1981 masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, balancing a 42% ballast ratio for stiff performanceElan Marine ExpressA Peter Norlin-designed fractional sloop sharing the proven hull of the Albin Express, optimized for performance

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