Rival 38

BoatsRival 38

See her sail

The Rival 38, on the water

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

Footage from MJ Sailing

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 33 — a sea-kindly motion in a seaway.

Comfort ratio 33

CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.74

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 300

EasygoingPowered-up

14.5 — modest power for her weight; easygoing rather than lively, and happier with a breeze.

Sail area / displacement 14.5

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

What the fleet has seen

The Rival 38, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Rival 38 is a Peter Brett-designed masthead sloop, built from 1977 by Rival, Southern Boatbuilding Co. Ltd., and Marine Construction Ltd. It has an LOA of 11.4 meters, a beam of 3.4 meters, a draft of 1.6 meters, and a displacement of 7838 kg.6:20 The model was available in aft cockpit (Rival 38A) and center cockpit versions, with options for cutter or ketch rigs. Aboard *Gravina*, a Rival 38, MJ Sailing competed in Antigua Sail Week 2018, placing third overall in the club class.19:46 The crew of four managed the boat with manual sail handling, demonstrating the importance of communication during jibes and tacks in a racing context for a boat designed for cruising.16:02

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

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

14.5

Displacement / length

300.5

Comfort ratio

33.3

Capsize screening

1.74

Hull speed

7.3 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1186

Hull

Hull type

Fin with rudder on skeg

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

First built 1977

Units built

63

Designer

Peter Brett

Builder

Rival, Southern Boatbuilding Co. Ltd, Marine Construction Ltd

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.

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

Selling it All for Waves: The Quest for Our Dream Sailboat Throughout Asia3:26 from Stella Overboard

Gin Fizz 3711.40 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile Michel Joubert design offered in ketch or sloop rigs and multiple cockpit configurations.

Laura Dekker’s Life AFTER Sailing Solo Around the World | Step 4204:23 from Sailing Uma

Hughes 38-111.53 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens design #1903 masthead sloop with hulls shared with the Hinckley 38

World Cruising Sailboat - Episode 96 - Lady K Sailing4:18 from Lady K Sailing

Hunter Marine 38011.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered 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 On3:18 from Lady K Sailing

Bavaria Yachts C3811.38 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA modern Cossutti-designed fractional sloop with a wide beam and high-volume hull optimized for contemporary cruising

Genoa Boat Show Special: The boats8:09 from SVN solovelanet

Hanse Yachts 38811.40 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Judel/Vrolijk-designed fractional sloop built for modern cruising comfort with a stiff, performance-oriented hull

Hanse388 Fufu Walkthrough from 45 Degrees Sailing

The family

Boats like this

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

Rival 32A Peter Brett-designed masthead sloop featuring a counter-stern, serving as the evolution between the Rival 31 and 34 Rival 31A Peter Brett-designed masthead sloop with a skeg-hung rudder, built for offshore stability since 1969 Rival 34A 1972 masthead sloop with a 39% ballast ratio, designed for offshore stability and a steady 6.68-knot hull speed Rival 41A Peter Brett-designed cutter with a skeg-hung rudder, built for heavy-weather stability and offshore passage making Rival 41 CCA masthead ketch featuring a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, built since 1973 for stable, long-distance cruising Challenger 38A 1972 Howard Stern-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for stable coastal cruising

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Rival 38

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

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

Report an issue