BoatsIrwin Yachts 38 Citation

Irwin Yachts 38 Citation

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1986

A 38-foot masthead sloop with a deep 2.11-meter draft and a light displacement for her length, built for speed

Designed by Ted Irwin.

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

See her sail

The Irwin Yachts 38 Citation, 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 moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.03
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 232
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.1
TenderStiff

37% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 37%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

  • Draws more than ~85% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2907 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Irwin Yachts 38 Citation, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Irwin Yachts 38 CITATION is a Masthead Sloop designed by Ted Irwin and built by Irwin Yachts from 1986 to the present. It has a fin keel with a spade rudder, an LOA of 11.6 meters, a beam of 3.8 meters, and a draft of 2.1 meters. The displacement is 6803 kg. The boat has a comfort ratio of 24.4 and a sail area to displacement ratio of 16.1. A notable feature is its shoal draft of 4.92 feet.

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

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
36.7%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.1
Displacement / length
232.1
Comfort ratio
24.4
Capsize screening
2.03
Hull speed
7.4 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1370
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1986
Designer
Ted Irwin
Builder
Irwin 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.

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
Welcome to the New Age of Sail, Skipper!from Christian Williams
Sadler Yachts 3811.79 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA Stephen Jones-designed masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance cruising.
Packing for the winter sailfrom SEILmagasinet
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
Why This "Wooden" Sailboat Is Faster, Warmer, and Stronger - the RM 11800:47from Practical Sailor
Ericson Yachts 3811.48 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bruce King-designed masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited performance
Audiobook Released: "The long Voyage Home," an Autobiography with 20 Sailboats"from Christian Williams
Hunter Marine 37611.35 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 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
Sabre Yachts 38 MKII11.79 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 1988-1995 production cruiser with a 1.98m draft and a skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability
The Amazingly Cheap Sabre 34 Mk IIfrom Practical Sailor

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.

Irwin Yachts 32 CitationA 9.85-metre masthead sloop with a 43% ballast ratio, designed for a stiff and responsive coastal cruising experienceIrwin Yachts 31 CitationA 1983 masthead sloop with a 1.83-metre draft and a 36% ballast ratio, designed for performance-oriented sailingIrwin Yachts 34 CitationA 1979-1985 production masthead sloop featuring a light displacement-to-length ratio for coastal performanceIrwin Yachts 39 CitationA Ted Irwin-designed masthead sloop balancing a moderate displacement with a performance-oriented sail area ratioIrwin Yachts 30 CitationA 1977 masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder for added directional stability and tracking in coastal waters

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