BoatsCatalina Yachts Morgan 38

Catalina Yachts Morgan 38

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1993–2005

A 1993-2005 production masthead sloop featuring a deep 1.98-meter draft and a performance-oriented fin keel

Designed by Gerry Douglas.

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

See her sail

The Catalina Yachts Morgan 38, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K 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 moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.90
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 229
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 16.7
TenderStiff

39% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 39%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Catalina Yachts Morgan 38, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Catalina Yachts Morgan 38 is a masthead sloop designed by Gerry Douglas and built by Catalina Yachts from 1993 to 2005, including the Morgan 381 and 38 MKII variants. This 11.7-meter sailboat has a fin keel with a spade rudder, a beam of 3.8 meters, and a draft of 2.0 meters, displacing 7937 kg. It was offered with a standard deeper fin keel or an optional wing keel with a 5-foot draft.5:54 Aboard *Lady K Sailing*, the Catalina Yachts Morgan 38 is noted as a center-cockpit design offering a secure cockpit and a spacious aft cabin with an island berth, though loading groceries over the coamings can be challenging.3:12

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
38.9%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.7
Displacement / length
229.3
Comfort ratio
27.9
Capsize screening
1.90
Hull speed
7.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1428
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1993–2005
Designer
Gerry Douglas
Builder
Catalina 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.

RM Yachts 118011.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 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
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
The Amazingly Cheap Sabre 34 Mk IIfrom Practical Sailor
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.
Packing for the winter sailfrom SEILmagasinet
Westsail 3911.79 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Robert Perry-designed cutter with a production history spanning three different names and international builds.
EP#332 Part 1 Speed Run Offshore Recordingfrom Sailing Into Oblivion
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
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
FULL Sailboat Tour [Can Be Beached, Cross An Ocean, Spacious Liveaboard, BEST Modern Sailboat]38:27from Adventureman Dan

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.

Catalina Yachts Morgan 381A 12-metre masthead sloop featuring a shallow 1.47-metre wing keel, originally introduced in 1997 as the Morgan 38MKIICatalina Yachts 380A 1997-era masthead sloop derived from the Morgan-Catalina 381, offering optional shoal draft and tall rig configurationsMorgan Yachts 38A short-run masthead sloop produced from 1969 to 1971, featuring a keel-centerboard hull for versatile draftCatalina Yachts (Morgan) 50A 15-metre masthead sloop built from 2001 specifically for the charter trade, featuring a shallow 1.7-metre wing keelCatalina Yachts Morgan 45A 1991 Nelson Marek design distinct from the 1966 original, featuring a partial skeg rudder and a deep keel optionCatalina Yachts Morgan 44A 13.4-metre masthead sloop with a shallow 1.52-metre draft, adapted from the Morgan 43 for cruising comfort

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