BoatsNorthwest 38

Northwest 38

Masthead Sloop · Fin Keel · First built 1972

A Ted Moreau-designed masthead sloop with a narrow beam and fin keel, sharing the performance lineage of the Buchan 37

Designed by Ted Moreau.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin Keel

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a narrow beam gives 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.70
LightHeavy

173 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 173
TenderStiff

25% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 25%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Narrower than ~87% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2907 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
25.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
Displacement / length
173.0
Comfort ratio
27.5
Capsize screening
1.70
Hull speed
7.6 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1152
Hull
Hull type
Fin Keel
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 1972
Designer
Ted Moreau
Builder
Northwest Yacht Constructors Ltd

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.

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
Catalina Yachts 37511.73 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 2008 fractional sloop with a 2.08-metre draft and a balanced displacement-to-ballast ratio for coastal stability
Etap 38i11.57 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop featuring a shallow-draft wing keel, designed for stable cruising and built between 1989 and 1997
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
Beneteau 39311.63 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop offering a shallow 1.55m draft option for coastal access, built with a high-volume hull since 2002
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

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.

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analyzed. No noise.

Report an issue