BoatsSabre Yachts 38

Sabre Yachts 38

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1981–1987

A masthead sloop designed for performance, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for responsive handling

Designed by Sabre Design Team & Roger Hewson.

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

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelyComfort 27Sea-kindly
CoastalCapsize 1.86Bluewater
LightD/L 224Heavy
EasygoingSA/D 18.1Powered-up
TenderBallast 42%Stiff

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

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
42.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.1
Displacement / length
224.1
Comfort ratio
27.4
Capsize screening
1.86
Hull speed
7.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1281
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1981–1987
Units built
100
Designer
Sabre Design Team, Roger Hewson
Builder
Sabre Yachts

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.

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
Welcome to the New Age of Sail, Skipper!from Christian Williams
Hunter Marine 38011.35 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterOffered with a deep 1.98m keel option, this high-volume cruiser features a spade rudder and a B&R rig
The Cheapest Modern Sailboats You Can Actually Live On3:18from Lady K Sailing
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
Why We Sail--"Spring Comes to Southern California, 2026"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
Feeling 3911.70 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 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
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
THE NEW TEAM MEMBERSfrom VOILIER ODIN

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.

Sabre Yachts 38 MKIIA 1988-1995 production cruiser with a 1.98m draft and a skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stabilitySabre Yachts 36A 1985-1990 production cruiser with a 41% ballast ratio and a 1.93-metre draft for deep-water coastal performanceSabre Yachts 42A short-run production cruiser from the late eighties, featuring a 41% ballast ratio for stability in a 12.7-metre hullSabre Yachts 32A masthead sloop with a skeg-mounted rudder, designed for balanced performance and stability in a mid-sized cruiserSabre Yachts 28-1A Roger Hewson-designed masthead sloop featuring a skeg-mounted rudder and a stiff 42% ballast ratio for coastal cruisingSabre Yachts 34Produced from 1976 to 1985, this fin-keeled masthead sloop offers a balanced 40% ballast ratio for coastal stability

Keep looking

Nothing filmed of this one yet

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

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Sabre Yachts 38

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

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

Report an issue