BoatsNortheast 38-2

Northeast 38-2

Masthead Sloop · Fin Keel · 1966–1968

A William Tripp Jr. masthead sloop designed for performance with a balanced 18.24 SA/displacement ratio

Designed by William H. Tripp Jr, built by A. Le Comte.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Fin Keel

See her sail

The Northeast 38-2, on the water

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

Footage from Piratas Aderiva

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

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.86
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 306
EasygoingPowered-up

18.2 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.2

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

  • Draws less than ~77% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2895 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Northeast 38-2, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Northeast 38-2 is a 1966–1968 William H. Tripp Jr.-designed masthead sloop built by A. Le Comte, LeComte Yachts, with a Fin Keel hull, an LOA of 11.66 m, a 3.33 m beam, and a 1.62 m draft. The model features a modified transom with an updated 'Constellation style' rudder profile. Aboard *Piratas Aderiva*, a 1968 Le Comte Northeast 38 MKII ketch, stored in Madeira, Portugal, was sailed from the Baltic Sea to the Canary Islands by its German owner.1:06 This vessel has updated Raymarine instrumentation, a Furuno radar, a wind-vane self-steering system, a new anchor windlass motor, self-tailing winches, and three solar panels.5:16 Its interior retains original wood finishes with resealed windows and refinished varnish.2:36 The main and jib sails are in good condition, but the mizzen sail requires replacement.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

What broke, what changed

Gear aboard, as the crews told it

Moments from individual boats of this model that the fleet has filmed — one crew, one piece of kit, one day on the water. Not a review of the class, and not a count of anything.

Each line is one crew's account of their own boat. Another Northeast 38-2 may be fitted out entirely differently.

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
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.2
Displacement / length
305.9
Comfort ratio
27.6
Capsize screening
1.86
Hull speed
6.9 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1041
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1966–1968
Units built
15
Designer
William H. Tripp Jr
Builder
A. Le Comte, LeComte 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.

Catalina Yachts 3811.61 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens hull updated with a taller rig and balanced spade rudder for improved coastal performance
NEW 2026 BOAT AUCTION - END OF SUMMER2:48from Sailing Solé
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
Westerly Yachts Ltd. Oceanranger 3811.58 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn Ed Dubois-designed center cockpit cruiser, evolved from the Corsair II to offer a spacious, stable platform for passage
Aquastar Oceanranger 38 (FURIE), with Hugh Rayner - Yacht for Sale - Berthon International0:52from Berthon International
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 - We're done! Ready to cross the Atlantic ⛵️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
Ted Brewer - Aragosa 38 Boat Tour. I'll show you my boat0:01from Velero Regina
Hallberg-Rassy 3811.57 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1970s masthead cruiser featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a substantial 43% ballast ratio for heavy-weather stability
HOW TO SAIL AROUND THE WORLD WITH A SOUTH AFRICAN PASSPORT | Strip Searches and Locked up Abroad8:55from The Paper Boat Project (Stefan Heiberg)

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.

Northeast 38-1A William Tripp Jr. designed masthead sloop from the early sixties, built for stability with a 37% ballast ratioNortheast 38-3A William Tripp Jr. design featuring a fin keel and spade rudder, evolving the original Northeast 38 for improved handlingNortheast 39A Robert Ball-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio and performance-oriented sail area for her displacement

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Northeast 38-2, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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