BoatsHughes 38-3

Hughes 38-3

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1977–1982

A Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop featuring a revised deck layout with a longer coachroof and a skeg-mounted rudder

Designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

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 34 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 34
CoastalBluewater

At 1.67 she sits well under the 2.0 line — a solidly ocean-capable hull for her size.

Capsize screening 1.67
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 329
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 15.8
TenderStiff

44% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 44%

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 2903 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
44.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
15.8
Displacement / length
328.9
Comfort ratio
33.7
Capsize screening
1.67
Hull speed
7.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
981
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1977–1982
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.

Ericson Yachts 38111.43 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthAn evolution of the Ericson 38, this 11.4-metre masthead sloop features a 1.98-metre draft and a fin-keel hull
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
Sabre Yachts 3811.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop designed for performance, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for responsive handling
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
Moody 37611.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Bill Dixon-designed center-cockpit cruiser featuring a skeg-hung rudder and a stable, comfortable hull form

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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