BoatsWilderness Yachts 38

Wilderness Yachts 38

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1979

A Gary Mull-designed masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio, built from the same tooling as the 40

Designed by Gary Mull.

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.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 16 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 16
CoastalBluewater

At 2.31 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.31
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 149
EasygoingPowered-up

22.1 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 22.1
TenderStiff

50% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 50%

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

  • Lighter than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2895 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
50.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
22.1
Displacement / length
148.8
Comfort ratio
15.7
Capsize screening
2.31
Hull speed
7.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1286
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
First built 1979
Designer
Gary Mull
Builder
Wilderness 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.

Eagle 3811.77 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA sleek Hoek-designed daysailer with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio for spirited performance in light air
Bavaria Yachts 3711.55 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA short-lived production model from 2000-2001, formerly marketed as the Bavaria 36, featuring a masthead sloop rig
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-metre hull
RM Yachts 118011.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Marc Lombard-designed performance cruiser featuring a wide beam, dual rudders, and a powerful cutter rig
Jpk 39 FC11.72 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 5,600kg fast cruiser introduced in 2021, featuring a 2.15-metre draft and a bulb keel for offshore stability
Beneteau Idylle 115011.50 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 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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