BoatsFreedom Yachts 38

Freedom Yachts 38

Frac. Sloop (Free standing) · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1989

An extended 38-foot evolution of the Freedom 36 offering flexible shoal, wing, or deep keel configurations

Designed by Gary Mull, built by Tillotson Pearson Inc.

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

See her sail

The Freedom Yachts 38, on the water

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

Footage from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

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 moderate beam gives 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.95
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 264
EasygoingPowered-up

13.9 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 13.9
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

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

  • Draws less than ~95% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2906 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Freedom Yachts 38, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Freedom Yachts 38 is a Gary Mull-designed fractional sloop with a freestanding rig, built by Tillotson Pearson Inc. and Freedom Yachts from 1989 to the present. It measures 11.6 meters LOA, with a 3.8-meter beam and 1.4-meter draft, displacing 7697 kg. This model is an extended version of the Freedom 36, featuring a 'Bierig' jib and available with shoal, wing, or deep keel options. The wing keel variant has a 1.27-meter draft and 2803 kg ballast, while the deep keel option draws 1.83 meters with 2508 kg ballast.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model come up for sale.

1seen for sale

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
38.3%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Frac. Sloop (Free standing)
Ratios
SA / displacement
13.9
Displacement / length
263.6
Comfort ratio
27.7
Capsize screening
1.95
Hull speed
7.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1368
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1989
Designer
Gary Mull
Builder
Tillotson Pearson Inc, Freedom 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.

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
Morgan 382 - The $30K Boat Nobody Talks Aboutfrom Practical Sailor
Moody 37611.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bill Dixon-designed center-cockpit cruiser featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a stable, comfortable hull form
Selling it All for Waves: The Quest for Our Dream Sailboat Throughout Asia3:26from Stella Overboard
Tartan Marine 380011.58 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1994-1999 production cruiser featuring a shallow 1.62-meter draft and a bulb-fin keel for versatile coastal access
Tartan Yachts and the Catalina Fallout: How One Brand Survivedfrom Practical Sailor
Warrior 3811.58 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA short-run 1980s cruiser featuring a shallow 1.52m draft and a heavy ballast-to-displacement ratio for steady offshore work
Sail Life - Long-range wifi and 4G on a sailboat ⛵0:03from Sail Life
Aragosa Yachts 3811.61 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1988 masthead sloop with a 35% ballast ratio, designed by Ted Brewer for balanced offshore performance
DIY furniturefrom Velero Regina
Sabre Yachts 3811.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop designed for performance, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for responsive handling
Sabre 38's Cored Hull - Excellent sailboat, or one to stay away from? - Lady K Sailing - ep 330from Lady K Sailing

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.

Freedom Yachts 36A Gary Mull-designed cruiser featuring a freestanding fractional rig and a shoal-draft fin keel for easy handlingFreedom Yachts 42A Gary Mull-designed 42-footer featuring a free-standing fractional rig and a deep fin keel for offshore stabilityFreedom Yachts 40/40A David Pedrick-designed fractional sloop featuring a self-tending jib and a free-standing mast for simplified sailingFreedom Yachts 29A Garry Hoyt-designed fractional sloop with a fin keel and transom-hung rudder, built for simple, unstayed performanceFreedom Yachts 45 CCA center-cockpit cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a wing keel, optimized for stability and shoal-water accessFreedom Yachts 30A 1986 performance cruiser featuring a 41% ballast ratio and a stern-extended design later marketed as the 32-2

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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