BoatsNorth Star 38 (Hughes)

North Star 38 (Hughes)

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1971–1976

A Sparkman & Stephens design featuring a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, built for offshore stability and performance

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens, built by US Steel.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

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 narrow beam gives 29 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 29
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.76
LightHeavy

284 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 284
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.4
TenderStiff

51% of her weight is ballast — very stiff, carrying full sail in a blow.

Ballast 51%

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

  • Narrower than ~83% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2913 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
51.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.4
Displacement / length
283.5
Comfort ratio
29.1
Capsize screening
1.76
Hull speed
7.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
981
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1971–1976
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
US Steel, North Star Yachts, Hughes Boat Works

Boats like this, on the water

Nobody has filmed this one — but these are close.

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 family0.2 m longerA Ted Brewer-designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability, featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a stiff displacement
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
Beneteau Idylle 115011.50 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA shoal-draft cruiser with a 1.33-metre keel, designed by Jean Berret for comfortable coastal passage-making
Ericson Yachts 38111.43 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn evolution of the Ericson 38, this 11.4-meter masthead sloop features a 1.98-meter draft and a fin-keel hull
Tartan Marine 37211.34 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 1988-1993 masthead sloop featuring a deep 2.08-meter fin keel and a spade rudder for performance-oriented cruising
Bavaria Yachts 3611.55 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1998-2000 production cruiser featuring a high 21.12 sail area-to-displacement ratio for its 11.55-meter hull

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.

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

Two ways to keep looking — both search what the fleet has actually recorded.

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