BoatsHughes 38-2

Hughes 38-2

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1970–1971

A T-shaped cockpit update to the Hughes 38-1, later marketed as the North Star 38

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
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

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

Capsize screening 1.75
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 288
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.2

Built heavy and sea-kindly — a boat made to cross oceans and forgive a rough night.

  • Narrower than ~83% 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
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.2
Displacement / length
288.1
Comfort ratio
29.5
Capsize screening
1.75
Hull speed
7.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
981
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1970–1971
Designer
Sparkman, Stephens
Builder
Hughes Boat Works 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.

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
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
Ericson Yachts 38111.43 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterAn evolution of the Ericson 38, this 11.4-metre masthead sloop features a 1.98-metre draft and a fin-keel hull
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
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
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

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

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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