ohlson 38 sailboat review

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The Ohlson 38 Sailboat

The Ohlson 38, an aft-cockpit masthead sloop, was designed by Einar Ohlson and built in the UK by the Tyler Boat Company Ltd.

Published Specification for the Ohlson 38

Underwater Profile: Encapsulated f in keel with skeg-hung rudder.

Hull Material:  GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall:  37'1" (11.3m)

Waterline Length:  27'6" (8.4m)

Beam:  10'1" (3.1m)

Draft:  5'7" (1.7m)

Rig Type:  Masthead sloop

Displacement:  14,900lb (6,759kg)

Designer:  Einar Ohlson

Builder:  Tyler Boat Co. Ltd. (UK)

Year First Built:  1969

Year Last Built:  1980

Number Built:  129

Published Design Ratios for the Ohlson 38

Sail Are a/Displacement Ratio:  15.5

Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  40.3

Displacement/Length Ratio:  317

Comfort Ratio:  35.0

Capsize Screening Formula:   1.6

read more about these all-revealing numbers...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Ohlson 38

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 15.5 suggests that the Ohlson 38 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 40.3 means that the Ohlson 38 will stand up well to her canvas in a blow, helping her to power through the waves.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 317, tells us the Ohlson 38 is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 35.0 suggests that crew comfort of an Ohlson 38 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.6 tells us that an Ohlson 38 would be a considerately safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.

Ohlson 38 Sailboat: A Classic Cruiser-Racer

The Ohlson 38 is 38-foot (12 m) cruiser-racer designed by Swedish naval architect Einar Ohlson in 1967, and has proven its capabilities in many races and voyages around the world.

Overview The Ohlson 38 is a classic design that has a timeless appeal. It has a sleek and elegant profile, with a long overhang at the bow and stern, a low freeboard, and a moderate beam. The hull is made of fiberglass reinforced plastic (GRP), which was a new technology at the time of its creation. The deck and coachroof are also made of GRP, and are bonded to the hull with an inward flange. The Ohlson 38 has a displacement of about 7.5 tons, and a ballast of about 3 tons.

The Ohlson 38 was originally designed as a racer, but it also offers ample space and comfort for cruising. It can accommodate up to six people in three separate cabins, plus a spacious saloon, a galley, a head, and a navigation station. The Ohlson 38 is well-equipped for offshore sailing, with a large fuel tank, a freshwater tank, and ample storage space. It also has a reliable engine, usually a Volvo Penta diesel with about 30 hp.

The Ohlson 38 is known for its speed and performance, especially in light to moderate winds. It has a sail area of about 700 sq ft (65 sq m), and can reach speeds of up to 8 knots. It has a balanced helm, and handles well in various conditions. It is also seaworthy and stable, thanks to its deep fin keel and skeg-hung rudder. The Ohlson 38 has won many races and awards, such as the Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race in 1976, the Round Britain Race in 1978, and the Yachting Monthly Trophy in 1980.

Accommodation The Ohlson 38 has a traditional layout that offers comfort and convenience for cruising. The interior is finished in teak woodwork, which gives it a warm and cozy feel. The headroom is about 6 ft (1.8 m) throughout.

The accommodation consists of three separate cabins: a forward cabin with a V-berth, a main cabin with two settees that can convert into berths, and an aft cabin with two quarter berths. The forward cabin also has a hanging locker and storage space under the berth. The main cabin has a folding table that can seat six people comfortably, as well as shelves and lockers for storage. The aft cabin has access to the engine compartment and the cockpit locker.

The galley is located on the port side of the main cabin, near the companionway. It has a two-burner stove with oven, a sink with pressurized water, an icebox or refrigerator, and plenty of counter space and storage cabinets. The navigation station is located on the starboard side of the main cabin, opposite the galley. It has a large chart table with drawers, an instrument panel, and a seat.

The head is located on the port side of the forward cabin, next to the hanging locker. It has a marine toilet, a sink with pressurized water, a shower head with drain pump, and storage space.

Hull and Deck The hull of the Ohlson 38 is made of GRP using hand-laid fiberglass matting and woven roving with polyester resin. The hull is stiffened by longitudinal stringers and transverse frames that are bonded to the hull with fiberglass tape. The hull is also reinforced by plywood bulkheads that are tabbed to the hull with fiberglass tape.

The deck of the Ohlson 38 is also made of GRP using hand-laid fiberglass matting and woven roving with polyester resin. The deck is bonded to the hull with an inward flange that forms an integral part of the hull-deck joint. The deck is also stiffened by plywood core sandwiched between two fiberglass layers. The deck has a molded nonskid surface, and is fitted with stainless steel stanchions, lifelines, cleats, and handrails.

The cockpit of the Ohlson 38 is spacious and comfortable, with a single wheel steering system that is connected to the rudder by a cable and quadrant. The cockpit has two large lockers on each side, providing storage space for sails, lines, fenders, and other gear. The cockpit also has a bridge deck that separates it from the companionway, and a lazarette that provides access to the rudder post and the emergency tiller.

The Ohlson 38 has a low-profile coachroof that extends from the mast to the companionway. The coachroof has four fixed windows on each side, and two opening hatches on the top. The coachroof also has handrails on both sides, and a dorade vent on the forward end.

Mast and Rigging The Ohlson 38 has a masthead sloop rig, with a single aluminum mast that is keel-stepped. The mast has two sets of spreaders, and is supported by stainless steel wire standing rigging that includes a forestay, a backstay, two upper shrouds, two lower shrouds, and two intermediate shrouds. The mast also has an internal conduit for wiring and halyards.

The Ohlson 38 has a boom that is attached to the mast by a gooseneck fitting. The boom has an internal outhaul and reefing system, and is controlled by a topping lift and a boom vang. The boom also has sheet blocks and cleats for the mainsail. The Ohlson 38 has a roller furling system for the headsail, which is usually a genoa or a jib. The headsail is attached to the forestay by a luff tape, and is controlled by two sheet winches and tracks on the side decks. The headsail also has a UV protection strip on the leech and foot.

The Ohlson 38 can also carry other sails, such as a spinnaker or a staysail. The spinnaker is flown from a spinnaker pole that is stored on the mast or on deck brackets. The spinnaker is controlled by two spinnaker winches and blocks on the cockpit coaming. The staysail is flown from an inner forestay that is attached to the mast below the first spreaders. The staysail is controlled by two sheet winches and tracks on the coachroof.

Keel and Rudder The Ohlson 38 has a fin keel that is made of cast iron with lead ballast. The keel is bolted to the hull with stainless steel bolts that are embedded in the fiberglass laminate. The keel has a hydrodynamic shape that reduces drag and improves performance.

The Ohlson 38 has a skeg-hung rudder that is made of GRP with foam core. The rudder is attached to the skeg with stainless steel pintles and gudgeons. The rudder has a balanced shape that enhances maneuverability and reduces helm pressure.

Conclusion The Ohlson 38 yacht is a classic cruiser racer that offers speed, performance, and comfort for recreational sailors. It has a sleek and elegant design, a spacious and cozy interior, a sturdy and reliable construction, and a versatile and efficient rig. It has also proven its capabilities in many races and voyages around the world, making it a popular choice among sailing enthusiasts.

The above text was drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; we believe it to be accurate to the best of our knowledge.

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OHLSON 38 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of OHLSON 38. Built by Tyler Boat Co. Ltd. (UK) and designed by Einar Ohlson, the boat was first built in 1969. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 11.3. Its sail area/displacement ratio 15.54. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Volvo, runs on Diesel.

OHLSON 38 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about OHLSON 38 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the ohlson 38.

OHLSON 38 was designed by Einar Ohlson.

Who builds OHLSON 38?

OHLSON 38 is built by Tyler Boat Co. Ltd. (UK).

When was OHLSON 38 first built?

OHLSON 38 was first built in 1969.

How long is OHLSON 38?

OHLSON 38 is 8.41 m in length.

What is mast height on OHLSON 38?

OHLSON 38 has a mast height of 12.02 m.

Member Boats at HarborMoor

The Immortal Ohlson 38

The cover shot is my old Seafarer 31-1 yawl, a classic in her way. My new ride is an Ohlson 38 , one of the best-looking boats ever built.

The Ohlson brothers of Denmark drew the O38 after establishing a reputation for designing Olympic winners in the 5.5 meter keelboat class. She has a sleek shark fin keel typical of the racing yachts of the 1960s, a stout fiberglass hull constructed by Tyler Boat Company of England and woodwork by skilled Swedish joiners. My hull was one of the first constructed and has been maintained in Bristol fashion. The immediate previous owner upgraded the sail inventory and added a removable carbon-fiber sprit, or prod, to carry asymmetrical spinnakers for sailing downwind. The installation of the wheel in the cockpit has inspired much controversy in O38 circles; the boat is extremely sensitive to fore-and-aft weight balance and moving a 180-pound helmsman two or three feet back might adversely affect performance. Having sailed the boat many hours now, I can state that being able to steer from the leeward side with a clear view of the sails upwind is worth any sacrifice in optimum weight distribution.

The Ohlson 38 is a physical boat to race, requiring a crew of at least six and in any kind of breeze the trimmer had better be below the age of 30 or in extremely good shape. The No. 1 genoa is a big sail and grinding it in the last three or four feet quickly becomes a fight against muscle fatigue and lactic-acid crapout. For cruising, however, she’s a comfortable, thoroughly seaworthy boat with elegant accommodations.

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• Sailboat Guide

Ohlson 38 is a 37 ′ 0 ″ / 11.3 m monohull sailboat designed by Einar Ohlson and built by Robertson and Sons Ltd., Tyler Boat Co. Ltd., and Malö Yachts between 1969 and 1980.

• 2 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 3 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 4 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 5 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 6 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 7 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 8 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 9 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 10 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 11 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 12 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View
• 13 / 13 Panama City, Panamá Province, PA 1971 Ohlson 38 $45,000 USD View

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Hulls and decks (including the coachroof) were laminated by the Tyler Boat Company Ltd. in the UK. Hulls were completed by a number of yards in Europe including Malo Yachts, and Ohlson Brothers of Sweden, Robertson & Sons Ltd. of Scotland. Traditional, or reverse transom versions. Sloop or yawl rig. A kit version (from Tyler) was sold as the TUFGLASS 38. Available as sloop or yawl. Rig Dimensions listed are for CCA rig. IOR rig was also available with shorter boom: P=1200cm/39.37’ E=395cm/12.96’ Thanks to Dr. Lutz v. Meyerinck (www.ohlson38.com) for providing valuable information on a number of the Ohlson designs.

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Review of Ohlson 38

Basic specs..

The boat is typically equipped with a Volvo Penta diesel engine at 28.0 hp (20 kW).

Sailing characteristics

This section covers widely used rules of thumb to describe the sailing characteristics. Please note that even though the calculations are correct, the interpretation of the results might not be valid for extreme boats.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.0 knots. The term "Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed" is widely used even though a boat can sail faster. The term shall be interpreted as above the theoretical speed a great additional power is necessary for a small gain in speed.

The immersion rate is defined as the weight required to sink the boat a certain level. The immersion rate for Ohlson 38 is about 171 kg/cm, alternatively 960 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 171 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 960 lbs cargo on the boat it will sink 1 inch.

Sailing statistics

This section is statistical comparison with similar boats of the same category. The basis of the following statistical computations is our unique database with more than 26,000 different boat types and 350,000 data points.

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

Maintenance

Are your sails worn out? You might find your next sail here: Sails for Sale

If you need to renew parts of your running rig and is not quite sure of the dimensions, you may find the estimates computed below useful.

This section shown boat owner's changes, improvements, etc. Here you might find inspiration for your boat.

Do you have changes/improvements you would like to share? Upload a photo and describe what to look for.

We are always looking for new photos. If you can contribute with photos for Ohlson 38 it would be a great help.

If you have any comments to the review, improvement suggestions, or the like, feel free to contact us . Criticism helps us to improve.

The Ohlson 38

’A boat for all reasons’ 

Designer: Einar Ohlson

FACTS AND QUOTES

It was in the middle of the 1960-ies when demand for a replacement of the hugely successful cruiser racer, the Ohlson 36/Mark II, came up. Most likely this was asked for by Richard ’Dick’ Sheehan from Campbell and Sheehan of Larchmont, N.Y. who himself had been racing as well as marketing the Ohlson boats successfully in the US. 

Einar Ohlson developed a more modern hull with a separated rudder attached to a skeg. Great emphasis had been placed on this design (S/Y100) and lots of the previously gained design experience from the then highly competitive 5.5 M class had been factored into this design. More so, Einar Ohlson used his access to the test tank in Göteborg to tow the O-38 as a model to further hone the design. 

The boat was a game changes in many ways: 

It was to be built in the then modern material GRP and it should be marketed across the world. Thus the GRP work was offered to Tyler Boats of Tonbriedge/Kent in the UK, the then leading toll moulder for GRP, known for its outstanding quality. 

To satisfy a wide range of customers, hulls were built in GRP entirely with two options for sterns. Decks and coachroofs were moulded in GRP with sandwich decks or could be ordered in wood. 

To allow for wide distribution, hulls were availabe to a number of yards across Europe who mostly finished them in GRP. Only the yards on the Swedish west coast and in Germany delivered boats with wooden deck and superstructure. Again a large part of the production from the Swedish yards went to the US, boats built elsewhere in Europe were sold into local markets. 

First boats were delivered in 1967/68 and production stopped somewhen around 1980 when demand dropped. Later boats had been redesigned to reduce building costs and where sold as Tufglass 38 directly by Tyler Boats as well as do-it-yourself constructions. 

As with the other ocean going cruisers designed by Einar Ohlson, the 38-footer was available as sloop and yawl, which was particulary attractive to US clients. Though the boat did not look to be designed for a particular racing formular Einar Ohlson supplied sail plans to satisfy the needs of RORC, CCA and IOR racing formulas. This was achieved by modifying sail area, ie mainly boom length between 3.6 and 4.25 m whereas the main mast was used pretty much the same way by all the designs and the fore-triangle remained the same across the time of production. Except for one boat built in Germany with a luff length 13.25 m luff of the main remained around 12 m. 

The O-38 received few modifications: A short cabin version was designed for British sailing legend Sir Owen Aisher with an increased luff length in the main but the project was not carried forward. A centre-cockpit version with a separate owner’s cabin in the aft was designed in 1973 but was neither introduced. Later in the 1970s production moved entirely to Tyler Boats with some more modifications: the hull was shortened somewhat with the negative transom and the so far built-in ballast in lead disappeared in favour of a cast-iron keel bolted onto the modified hull. Given the higher volume required for cast-iron this was done to the detriment of the tankage above the internal lead of the keel.  

The Ohlson 38 design became a racing legend immediately and she is known for her excellent sailing characteristics and performs well over a wide range of conditions including off-shore sailing. These boats have participated in races crossing the Atlantic and Pacific and have circumvented the globe repeatedly and continue to do so. 

TOP, The Ohlson Project, has identified 128 boats built in total.   

Length              38 feet – 11.47 meter

Lenght on waterline      8.00 meter

Beam                10 feet – 3.09 meter

Draft                 1.7 meter

Displacement                6,700 kilos

Sail area                       45.00 m2

Yards                                 Alexander Robertson & Sons, Sandbanks, Argyl, Scotland, number unknown

Svineviken Båtvarv, Bröderns Martinsson, Svineviken (boats completed in wood), number unknown

Bröderna Ölsonner, later Malö Yachts, Kungsviken (boats built in GRP), one source mentions 20 boats built

Matthiessen & Paulsen, Arnis/Schlei, Germany, 3 boats built 

                                           Navalco SA, Le Legue-St. Brieuc, /France

Tyler Boats, Tonbridge, Kent, United Kingdom

Material available:  Drawings, book publications, newsletter articles, see photos, communication with individual owners see

http://www.ohlson38.de  

https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/ohlson-38 

Photo courtesy of Lutz v. Meyerincks

The Ohlson 38 is a 37.07ft masthead sloop designed by Einar Ohlson and built in fiberglass by Tyler Boat Co. Ltd. (UK) between 1969 and 1980.

129 units have been built., it accomodates 5 people in 2 cabins plus salon..

The Ohlson 38 is a heavy sailboat which is slightly under powered. It is very stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

Ohlson 38 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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• Yachting Monthly's Scuttlebutt

Best singlehanded, bluewater sailboat (not "caravan on keels")

• Thread starter Homeward Bound
• Start date 20 Feb 2013
• 20 Feb 2013

Homeward Bound

Hi folks. This is my first post but I promise have done my 'due diligence' by reading other related threads first and I am aware of the problems in asking for a "best of" anything recommendation ... but I have a specific angle I have not seen asked and I understand might be best served by links to other places as I am looking at a blind spot in my own awareness. I am look for an economical, singlehanded, bluewater sailboat and not "caravan on keels". I don't mean to offend anyone else's taste and requirement, and I understand there are perfectly good reasons to go for comforts, but I am exhausted by trawling through all the perfect adequate AWBs to find what I am looking for (... and I am starting to wonder if I should be look at older racing stuff of which I know nothing ). It seems the vast majority of boats are aimed at stuffing in as many people in as possible, including the wife and her kitchen sink, and that the 4 birth-er is the industry standard form. I'm not after that. I'm looking to escape her ... kind of like when a man has a mid-life crisis and buys a Harley-Davidson with a single seat to make the point clear. I'm looking for a singlehander with good long distance bluewater capacities and am willing to accept low head heights and spartan facilities, e.g. single bunk but more storage/tank space. (However, I am headed off to warmer places and would prefer some ventilation, meaning that some of the more airless low-profile cabin designs are out). In terms of preference, I'd say; wood, steel, GRP (... or if it has to be GRP to have a lot of wood in the cabin) with an inboard engine and a proper head not a portapotty. I'm aware of most of the obvious good choices around the 28 foot mark and, at present, Folkboat or FB derivatives seem to be the more obvious choice. There are many to choose from and many are either raw or have already been customised. I've also had a look at some of the 20 - 22 mini cruisers which are interesting, but they seem to go for really high prices considering what they are or what the money would buy elsewhere. What I am thinking is that although this is not an obviously commercial design it must be a fairly common ideal and that, perhaps, there is something in the vintage/classic world that exists ... Or that is a stage a few people go through and once they have it out of their system, or become domesticated, move back to a more comfortable design, so there may be the odd custom designed boat coming up now and again. Other boats which have caught my eye for other reasons are the Kingfisher 30; strong and with large fuel and water tanks, and a Van de Stadt Zeebonk; steel & built like a tank (as in Panzer tank). Where my knowledge is weak is on potentially lighter & faster stuff. Thanks. Hope this interests others too.  

Sadler 25's seem to be doing quite a few atlantic circuits these days and I know a norwegian chap who regularly does the same in a Contessa 26. If you want something a bit bigger then an old S&S 34.  

Well-known member

Not caravan on keels Click to expand...

Here is an idea: http://www.theyachtmarket.com/boats_for_sale/372274/ If you want a smaller boat for blue water cruising, it's nice to know your boat is unsinkable. Put your own criteria into the search engine and, to give yourself a wider choice, don't just limit your choice to British boats. The Etap is a particularly well made boat but you must check that water has not infiltrated between the buoyant hull skins.  

V1701 said: Albin Vega, once held a speed record for transat, one's recently circumnavigated N & S America including going the Northwest Passage, non-stop... http://www.solotheamericas.org/?page_id=283 Click to expand...

Active member

Vancouvers seem to have that sort of reputation. Your requirement for plentiful ventilation might conflict with the ocean capability.  

Cutlass 27. Put a wind vane on the stern of mine, added an inner forstay to take a storm jib then had to close my business and go and work for someone else curtailing my plans!  

Vancouver 27 or 28 would be my choice. Designed for blue water sailing, well built with a long keel, will easily accept wind-vane self steering and easily enough room for one person.  

There's an Ohlson 38 for sale at Marconi SC (I have no connection to the seller or other interest). It's a good long distance boat for blue water - v trad styling and a good sea-keeper by all accounts. I mention it because the owner single-handed for many years.  

Homeward Bound said: I'm looking for a singlehander with good long distance bluewater capacities and am willing to accept low head heights and spartan facilities, e.g. single bunk but more storage/tank space. (However, I am headed off to warmer places and would prefer some ventilation, meaning that some of the more airless low-profile cabin designs are out). In terms of preference, I'd say; wood, steel, GRP (... or if it has to be GRP to have a lot of wood in the cabin) with an inboard engine and a proper head not a portapotty. Click to expand...

I would also have said Vancouver 27 or partic 28, tho latter significantly more expensive. However, I equally like the look of the Contest marque as mentioned by Rossynant and was looking at details of a 31 for sale just the other day (window shopping only!)and thought what a nice boat it looked for its age and definite blue water pretensions. Link here: http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/boats/o89912/o89912.htm  

You would do well to trawl through the Jester Challenge forum - plenty of people there doing the kind of sailing that you're planning. Good luck.  

. With loadsa money : HR 31 With money - Vancouver 27 or Mk II Cardinal Vertue On a budget - Albin Vega, Halcyon 27, Elizabethan 30 - W  

How about a junk rigged Corribee... http://www.thesimplesailor.com/Mingming.html  

Spuddy said: Vancouvers seem to have that sort of reputation. Your requirement for plentiful ventilation might conflict with the ocean capability. Click to expand...

• 21 Feb 2013

Thank you very, very much for these recommendations, particularly for the Jester Challenge , which I didn't know of but hits the nail on the head, and apologies if I get a bit philosophical here. Please also excuse me whilst I read up on them for a while, you've given me a lot of homework. I do not know anyone else who has the yearning for this. The Val Howells reference is what it is about, I guess, and the stuff about "those who abhor the rules, regulations and general 'nannydom' that threaten our freedoms" and "the lack of expectations on others" all resonates very well. Think of it as a 'Punk Yachting' approach. I hope to head eastward not westward and go and pay respect to Yoh Aoki ( Yoh Aoki ) with whom a friend studied. If you don't know of Yoh, can I introduce you to his wonderful story ... (see link). The Albin Vega ( Albin Vega ) I was not aware of and reviews very well ... with a surprising turn of speed, and the added advantage of having a built in bath if one wants! I also get the Corribee and have looked a junk sails on a couple of yachts. The Elizabethan 30 had already come on the radar, I don't want to spend a lot of money on this at all or want it to be about that. Yes, old GRP did score more highly and I know how wrong the priority of materials is ( ... but then wood does have the advantage of providing for a Viking send off! ). I guess if you are going to spend a long time staring at something it ought to be nice to look at, and wood is warm, but I don't see myself living with this for a long time so that does not matter. I'm looking for a one-off experience, and it's similar question to, "why ride a vintage Triumph when a modern Honda really does do every job better?". It's true but a Honda also lacks something. Please shoot me down in I am wrong here but I'm just starting to notice how different nations/cultures craft their boats differently and am trying to think outside of my box. A lot of the 70s/80s British stuff and later which I see have gone on in a sort of Abigail Party/Austin Allegro direction ( how cutting can I get!?! ) and a bit pedestrian for what I am after. You know, it's all 'wife and two kids' which I have not got ... " why go touring the Highlands in a two-door open-top sports car when you can take a caravan and make tea and toast all day? ". I know it is wrong to generalise but older designs seem to tend to be narrower. Are broader beams a compromise to fit more space in? I'm not looking for space. I do get something like a Falmouth Cutter ( Falmouth Cutter , they are expensive enough and old Bristols way beyond my budget ). I kind of see them as a kind of ( v. competent ) Morris Oxfords of the waves and old fashioned British. I guess I like the Folkboats just for their more stripped back and slightly racier nature and one of the most appealing so far I looked at was an open interior FB with a wood burner in it. It had a feel of a real ship. I'm start to wonder what more trad. Baltic or Asian sailboat would be like. Someone else wrote here, there don't seem to be many boats made with singlehanding in mind. I guess a few of you are going to think I am nuts but I'll refer back to the Jester guys and Aoki. It's not just about getting there, it's about having a particular sort of experience that is getting rarer and rarer in this world. Perhaps I need to find one of these good boats that has had already 'the caravan' ripped out of it. If I see one more boat that 'the wife' made matching cushions and curtains for ... and I am afraid secretly yearned for net ones too ... I'll scream and set fire to it.  

Rossynant said: Deep Seadog ... Click to expand...

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Photo courtesy of Daniel Fisher Current owners are invited to share their boat's details via the contact document. Over time some 70 boats have been collected this way. A summarized list of boats is available. Some 128 boats have been built by various yards and most of them are in good service. And yes there is a group on FACEBOOK

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How to Sell Your Boat

Cal 2-46: A Venerable Lapworth Design Brought Up to Date

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Can You Recoat Dyneema?

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In the Matter of Boatbuying…

It helps if you’re not some sort of swivel-necked Lothario, panting after every transom that glides by. It helps if you have a calm, sober, longstanding view of what kind of boat suits you, and what you plan to do with it.

I have a friend who fell in love early with the Westsail 32. This was a few years after Robin Knox-Johnston bobbed around the world in Suhaili. It didn’t matter that Suhaili’s speed made good was about 4 knots, or that RKJ would have preferred going in a much faster boat-this other fella loved the salty look and sense of security exuded by the heavy teak double-ender, and when the Westsail was introduced, that was that. Now he has one, and he’s happy. Never looked at another boat.

Or take the case of our own Nick Nicholson, who built Calypso alongside his house for 10 years, planning all that time to sail her around the world. He kept his eye on the sparrow, and now he’s most of the way around.

It helps if you disdain fiberglass and enjoy nothing more than strapping on kneepads and spending a long weekend with a short piece of sandpaper. It helps, for that matter, if you disdain wood, or lead keels, or L-shaped settees. Any strong belief or conviction that will eliminate candidates or whole classes of candidates, can make these matters simpler.

I do not, alas, fit the Presbyterian profile. Since we’re all close friends here, I can tell you about the file I keep, unabashedly called “Boats I Want.” The list includes, but is not limited (in the production category) to the Alerion Express 28, the Express 37 (its a Schumacher thing) the Farrier F-24 MkII (or the F-31), the Freedom 30 (or 35), the J/29, and the J/105. I also want, at various moments, a Concordia yawl, some Sparkman & Stephens CCA-era boats (or anything Rosenfeld photographed in about 1958), some McCurdy & Rhodes designs, any of Dick Newick’s early plywood trimarans, and, for chasteness of spirit, a Laser, which is what I have.

How would it be, I wonder, if I were sailing along at six knots on my Ohlson 38 in a crisp fall breeze, with a kettle simmering on the stove and the morning sun glowing through the mainsail, if a Dragonfly tri came tearing past at 18 knots in a welter of spray, with the crew whooping and hollering? Would I be envious? Sure, I would. But then I put myself in their shoes-everything on board is soaked, I have to trim the chute constantly, because 16 knots feels dead in the water compared to 18, and as we pass that gorgeous Ohlson I catch a whiff of fresh-brewed coffee. Some of us will never be happy. It’s a curse.

As we all know, there’s a big difference between the impulses involved in wanting boats and the realities of having them. A good match is certainly possible, but only when we can answer the three following questions with a clear mind: 1. Where are you going to go? 2. Who are you going to go with? 3. How much time do you have?

Each of those questions opens to reveal qualifications, provisos, and rationalizations. These are booby traps. The way to spot them is to try the word “someday” in the mix: “I can’t really handle a 40-footer right now, but someday…” “Right now my spouse doesn’t like to sail, but someday…” “Right now I only have a week off every summer when I can go sailing , but someday…”

Maybe all those things will change, and your someday will come. So buy the someday boat then, not now. Now, have the boat that suits your present life. If you have time to daysail, own a daysailer. If you have a week off in the summer, don’t pay for a big boat all year long- charter. If you really just want to sneak away and cruise the coast, you don’t need an offshore boat. How many times have you seen someone sit at the dock or on a mooring all summer on 10 tons of boat, fiddling with the watermaker, for want of an extra hand?

The trick is to have the boat that lets you cast off and go.

– D.L.

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Ohlson 38 1977 boats for sale & yachts, ohlson 38 1977 boats review and specs.

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The Ohlson 38 was sailed by Claire Francis on a single handed transatlantic race.  This example of the same boat has just completed the AZAB 2011.  A great long distance cruiser/racer with long keel sea handling capabilities.  The current owner has prepared this yacht for his trip to the Azores with much new equipment.  This is a complete package and will provide her next owner with a great sailing machine. Some of her recent upgrades include inverter, solar panel, EPIRB, windvane steering, new dinghy, new outboard, life raft, asymetric spinnaker (new), new cooker……….and a lot more. Currently ashore in Falmouth awaiting sale.  Please contact us for a copy of the high resolution pictures.  

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Ohlson 38 Boats for Sale Craigslist & Ohlson 38 Specs & Pictures

Related posts:.

• Ohlson Ohlson 38 1977
• Ohlson OHLSON 35 1979
• Ohlson 38 1975
• Ohlson Sloop 1969

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Zephyr is the result of a tremendous design, built to exacting European standards, then methodically refined over 15 years by an experienced shipwright. There is little if anything left to improve upon in this boat. For the sailor who appreciates an easily driven and timeless hull shape, heavy duty construction and meticulous attention to detail, Zephyr stands apart.

The Ohlson 38 was designed by Einer Ohlson. Many of the 38s were built or finished in Ohlson’s home country of Sweden, while others like  Zephyr were built and finished at Tyler Yachts in England. When the design was first built in the late 1960s, the imperative was still to create a relatively narrow, easily driven hull that went through the water withe ease. While the rudder and keel are separated, the keel is long enough to provide excellent tracking and directional stability.

The cockpit is secure and comfortable, with storage in lockers and a large lazarette. The side decks are wide with excellent handholds all the way forward. It’s an easy deck to move around on, particularly in a bouncing sea.

Below decks, the interior is beautifully finished, particularly where the owner has rebuilt it. The forepeak, for instance, was gutted and rebuilt and is now a luxurious owner’s cabin. The shower stall to starboard was replaced by a counter and sink. The spaces, and storage, are clearly designed to work at sea.

The original Tyler construction is impressive, with substantial stringers running along the hull sides. Combined with the vinylester solid fiberglass layup of both the hull and decks, this makes the Ohlson 38 is an amazingly strong boat. The entire deck and hull have been thoroughly insulated.

Zephyr ’s owner has had a longstanding relationship with various Ohlson designs, racing and cruising them, dating back to the wooden 35-footers. Zephyr stands as both an outstanding example of craftsmanship and a vision of what a classic design can be. There isn’t a harbor in the world where  Zephyr  wouldn’t garner attention.

• New teak seats and floor in cockpit (2020)
• New electrical panels (2020)
• Current electronics (2018)
• Engine Mounts, transmission and PSS seal replaced (2020)
• New Lewmar Ocean hatches (2018)

Interior Accommodations

Zephy r’s interior is inviting and cozy, with traditional carpentry defining the space. Starting forward is a comfortable V-berth with a fitted, spring mattress. The head is to port and a vanity to starboard, with plenty of storage and room to move around. The main cabin features a settee to starboard and dinette to port, which can extend to accommodate guests at the dinner table or be lowered to create a double berth. Storage is accessible and abundant. The navigation station is to starboard at the base of the companionway with a quarterberth extending aft. The galley is to port.

Spring mattress in forepeak

LED lights throughout

Original Wedgewood china

Fitted pans

Masterflush electric macerating head

Electric raw water pump and sea- strainer

TW Discharger pump

Tank master discharge panel

Force 10 propane 10000 BTU heater

Electronics and Navigation

Autohelm 3000 autopilot

Garmin 3210 Chart plotter with AIS at navigation station

Garmin 3205 Chart plotter at helm

Garmin 180 in forepeak used as anchor watch

Garmin GMR 18 Radar

Garmin network hub

Garmin depth, speed and wind indicator (2018)

(2) ICOM M422 Radio

Shakespeare VHF auto antenna splitter

Shakespeare VHF antenna

Electrical Systems

Blue Seas Vessel Monitoring System 442

Blue Seas 40 Amp P12 battery charger (2020)

Blue Sea 7520 Battery Charger Remote Panel (2020)

Blue Seas Automatic Charging Relay

Blue Sea Battery Disconnect Panel and 12V sub-panel

Blue Sea 12v Distribution Panel

House batteries AGM –  200 amp hours (2019)

Starting battery – AGM – (2015)

Galvanic isolation system

Separated main ground bus

90-watt solar panel

Solar charge controller (2011)

Renewed battery cabling

Mechanical Systems

Yanmar 3GM30F (2000) 2431 hours

New transmission (Yanmar, KM2P) (2020)

New engine mounts and brackets (2020)

Rear Engine PSS seal replaced (2020)

Full PSS replacement (2020)

Racor fuel filter

Lido fuel gauge and sender

New cockpit engine access hatch

Deck and Hull

The deck has been modernized with modern stoppers and winches, but otherwise retains the same character as when she was launched: elegant simplicity and uncompromising quality. The Dorade boxes were built from wood aged in San Francisco from Alameda Shipyards.  The rail mounted propane box was built to extraordinarily tight tolerances and coated with 8 coats of varnish.

Dodger (Custom, 2008)

New teak cockpit seats and floor (2020)

New LPU paint in cockpit

(6) opening ports –

6” Henry Browne Sestrel compass

Engine tachometer, oil gauges at helm

Kiwigrip nonskid and LPU on deck (2018)

Custom helm seat

Hot and cold shower in cockpit

All cockpit teak replaced (2020)

Cockpit combing re-wooded and refinished (2020)

Cockpit well repainted with epoxy

Cockpit drain strainers re-chromed

Gas lifts installed on cockpit hatches

(2) Lewmar Ocean hatches (2018)

“African Queen” sun canvas for cockpit

Full cockpit cushions

Maxwell 1200 windlass (rebuilt 2018)

Anchor washdown on deck

Automatic bilge pump – float

Sails and Rigging

(8) Lewmar D2 stoppers

(2) Lewmar 46ST primary self-tailing winches

(2) Lewmar 36ST cabin top self-tailing winches

Standing rigging renewed (2000)

Backstay replaced (2008)

Harken roller furling

110% furlling headsail

130% furling headsail

Spare mainsail

Working Jib

Miscellaneous and Safety

Fire extinguishers at Nav station and Head

Engine room blower

Magma barbeque

Xinix S-2A Propane gas detector

Whale manual bilge pump in cockpit with renewed bellows

10′ fiberglass RIB with 6hp Mercury outboard and trailer

Disclaimer The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

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Back issues of Cruising World

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I am looking for the following article "Classic Plastic: Ohlson 38" from Cruising World, v.26, no. 4 (April 2000): p.114 Does anyone know how I can get a copy. Thanks  

Go HERE and you can order one from CW if they still have a copy of the article. Marty  

Thanks, I don't know how I missed that page when I looked at their web site. Its nice that some one was paying attention.  

Great boat. We sailed one transatlantic and then up the Irish coast to Scotland. After that we visited Man, the Scillies, Royan, and St. Jean de Luz before wintering over in Spain. Comfortable bunks (pilot berths) and plenty of stowage as well. In seas she had a nice motion and felt under control all the time. We hit a 60 knot squall (more like it hit us) and had storms with 40 knot winds and 20' seas. You may want to find a copy of "Precision Cruising" by Arthur Chace, our skipper, if Ohlson 38's are of interest to you.  

Thanks for the information. This is our first season with the boat, so far I have found it to be an excellent sailor (much more capable then myself). When I am not sailing it I am trying to find out as much about it as possible.  

Those boats were also built by Ericson as I recall. You may want to find the ericson site/forum, and info may also be on the site too. Marty  

Different 'Olson'. Ericson build the final round of 911s's, designated 911se (designed by Carl Schumacher, not George Olson) after Pacific Boatworks went under. The Ohlson 38 is here: OHLSON 38 Sailboat details on sailboatdata.com and here: Introduction  

In other words, the old smith vs smyth spelling of smith. or add an 'E" in the son/sen part of olson/olsen and get different spellings of the same word too........I knew that ericson built an "olson" as one of the people that post on here has one, and is a moderator on that board. I was thinking a bigger version. So OP, do not look at ericson board! Marty  

I have the issue and could send you a photocopy of the article. There is another excellent write up in "Choice Yacht Designs" by Richard Henderson published by International Marine Publishing in 1979. This book is out of print but there are usually used copies floating around Ebay or Amazon. My brother is currently rebuilding an Ohlson 38. Nice boat.  

Thanks, I was able to get a copy. I will also look for a copy of the book. To clarify the boat was built in England by Tyler Boat Works and finished in Sweden. One Day I hope to sail it back.  

PaulK Thank you for the suggestion, I was able to find a copy on Amazon for less then $4.00. What I would really like to know is what sails did you run in 40 knot winds. How did you sail it or did you just heave to? Where you pointing into the 20 foot seas or running with them? So far the most we have sailed in has been 18-24 knots with one reef point and were in complete control on any point of sail, but the waves were not more than 3 feet. Thanks  

My wife and I just finished a year cruising the SVI, BVI and USVI aboard a 1979 Ohlson 38. When we bought ours I found a bunch of good information at a German fan-site: Fan Site Maybe I will post some pictures of our year if I can dig up some time...  

That is a good site. I have spent a good deal of time there. I would be interested in any pictures or insights into the boat as a result this last year of cruising. Thanks  

Hi Jack, I've posted some pictures from our adventures on Picasa at the following link: Dave & Amanda's Ohlson 38 "Lorelei" We found our Ohlson to be a very strong seaworthy vessel, great fun to sail and very wet.. which I suppose is part of the fun! She was happiest in 20+ kts of wind with a full main and genoa and never batted an eye at our common 6-8' seas. We also rode out a couple tropical storms aboard while anchored in Culebra... and felt safe, though I suppose that is mostly a matter of ground tackle.  

We love our Ohlson 38! A little late to this thread.. some pics of our boat phpAlbum.net some sailing pictures.. including a couple other Ohlson 38 boats phpAlbum.net Some of our adventures Spot Adventures Any questions about our boat, let me know seebergp at gmail dot com Paul  

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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Dawn 39: big sister to the Contessa 32

• Rachael Sprot
• November 10, 2022

What does a Contessa 32 with 6ft headroom and an aft cabin look like? Rachael Sprot jumps on board the Dawn 39 to find out

Most Dawn 39s, like Elixir, have a keel-stepped sloop rig, but some were configured as cutters. Credit: Richard Langdon Credit: Richard Langdon

Product Overview

‘Pretty boat! What is she?’ I asked fellow sailing instructor Jane Sudlow-Arthur when she uploaded a photo of her new yacht.

It was fine-lined with a distinctly British look and uncannily familiar. I was immediately intrigued.

Like me you might not have heard of the Dawn Class 39, but you will know her little sister the Contessa 32 , and the family resemblance is striking.

These two siblings had dramatically different fates, however.

Over 700 Contessa 32s were built and continue to be built in the Jeremy Rogers yard in Lymington.

Jane has replaced the Flexi-teek on deck with Kiwigrip. Credit: Richard Langdon

The Sadler-designed 1972 cruiser-racer achieved cult status thanks to its impressive seakeeping abilities and indisputably pretty hull.

Meanwhile only a handful of the larger version ever left the mould and they soon slipped into obscurity.

As with all great family sagas, the founding and floundering happened within a wider context.

Following on from the popularity of the Contessa 32 and its resilience in the 1979 Fastnet Race , an enthusiastic owner commissioned a larger version and funded the production of the mould.

David Allan Williams, who also designed the Whitbread Ocean 80s and Peter Blake’ s Steinlager 1 , was one of Contessa’s in-house designers at the time.

He drew the lines for the Contessa 38 making them exactly 6-foot longer to accommodate an aft cabin.

Deep coamings make the cockpit feel secure, but there is little stowage besides the small lazarette. Credit: Richard Langdon

In the early 1980s a few dozen were built but the decade was to prove terminal for many British boat builders.

Continental upstarts like Jeanneau and Beneteau had ramped up their output, drastically undercutting their counterparts across the Channel.

Few yards survived the arid economic climate.

A couple of years into production of the 38, Contessa closed too, and the owners of the mould searched for a new yard.

Mustang Yachts took on the project, and at this point the design was slightly altered.

The 38 suffered from sub-optimal power handling owing to the placement of the propeller in the rudder aperture of the skeg so the engine arrangement was swapped to a sail drive.

The transom was also redesigned to give an attractive counter stern and the Dawn Class 39 was born.

Familiar similarities

The underwater profile is similar to that of the Contessa 32 but not identical.

There’s a substantial encapsulated fin keel , skeg-hung rudder and extremely high ballast ratio of 48%.

The coachroof is roomy, with plenty of space for the liferaft and dinghy. Credit: Richard Langdon

The waterline length of the bigger boat is proportionally longer though. The Contessa 32 has a 66% WL length compared to 76% on the Dawn 39, which should give good hull speed.

The hull is balsa cored above the waterline for stiffness, as are the decks. Williams rounded the bilge in the forward sections to reduce pounding when heeled.

Jane testified to the success of this: ‘She sails brilliantly upwind, and never slams.’

The moulds exchanged hands several times and various hulls were produced through the 1980s and 1990s, some were home finished.

Elixir was one of the later hulls, laid in 1998 and fitted out by the commissioning owner over a 10-year period.

With a 76% waterline length, the Dawn 39 is fast through the water. Credit: Richard Langdon

He sold her shortly after her launch in 2008. Jane bought her in 2020 as a lockdown project.

There was a lot of cosmetic work to be done including stripping the Flexi-teek from the deck and replacing it with Kiwigrip.

A leaky cockpit sole turned into a much bigger job than anticipated.

As she stripped back the teak planking she discovered two more teak floors with an osmotic GRP base beneath.

A stint in the yard remedied the defect but did little to solve the mystery of why they’d been put there in the first place.

Dawn 39: Impressive performance

It was an overcast day in Brighton and we needed an early start from the marina to be back alongside before low water.

We slipped lines as soon as photographer Richard Langdon jumped aboard. ‘Pretty boat,’ he remarked.

Elixir reversed out of her finger berth obediently and we set off.

Elixir has many modifications, including this set-up to rig an inner forestay. Credit: Richard Langdon

Even in a Force 3 there was a short sea state from the southwesterly wind but I barely noticed it thanks to her forgiving hull profile.

As soon as the sails were up, she set off with the easy stride of a long-distance runner.

Her 130% genoa gave just enough sail area to make 6.5 knots close hauled in 11 knots apparent wind speed.

The helm was beautifully light and she sliced through the Channel chop like a knife through butter.

As we bore away and the apparent wind dropped she slowed down, averaging 4.8 knots on a beam reach in 9-10 knots.

Most Dawn 39s have in-mast furling. Credit: Richard Langdon

It wasn’t the right conditions for an Oscar-winning performance, but for a classic boat in light airs she was impressively responsive.

With the swell behind us on the way back to the marina she indulged in a few rolls, as you would expect of a boat with a narrow transom.

Although we didn’t have the weather to really test her mettle, with 3.5 tonnes of lead ballast beneath and her similar hull profile to the 32 it’s safe to assume she’d remain composed when the weather ramps up.

Elixir has a keel-stepped sloop rig, but some Dawn 39s were configured as cutters with a staysail and checkstays.

Continues below…

Contessa 32 – Yachting Monthly review

Theo Stocker takes an in-depth look at this iconic cruiser-racer, on an early season trip out of Sunderland

Contessa 32: A brand new classic

Theo Stocker visits the Jeremy Rogers yard to see the latest Contessa 32 take shape

Jeremy Rogers 1937-2022

Yacht racer and boat builder Jeremy Rogers has died at the age of 85. He was best known for building…

A removable inner forestay allows for the setting of a storm jib.

Most were equipped with in-mast furling which seems a little odd on a boat which is unashamedly retro in so many other aspects.

The double spreader rig is supported by cap shrouds, intermediates and fore and aft lowers.

A substantial tie rod transfers the load from the caps and intermediates to the hull, whereas the fore and aft lowers are supported by backing pads beneath the deck.

The shroud base is set inboard allowing passage outside them.

Function over lounging

The coachroof is unmistakably Contessa with its neat portlights and sweet proportions.

It’s a look which has aged well, unlike the plexi-glass which some of her contemporaries were sporting at the time. There’s room on top for a liferaft and well-lashed dinghy .

The kicker works hard to compensate for the traveller-less mainsheet. Credit: Richard Langdon

Unusually for a boat of this era, the traveller-less mainsheet is also on the coachroof.

It keeps the cockpit safe from swinging lines but the kicker works harder to compensate.

The sheet lead along the boom also increases friction, making a quick spill for a gust harder to recover from.

Its location on a winch by the companionway means it’s out of reach of the helm.

The hull and deck join in an upwards flange which forms the bulwarks, finished with an attractive teak cap rail.

The water tank sits in the aft portion of the integrated keel. Credit: Richard Langdon

The cockpit is snug and safe with deep coamings. It’s somewhere I’d feel totally secure in a big seaway.

A bridge deck aft of the companionway creates headroom below but limits the length of the cockpit benches.

If you’re looking for a floating sun-lounger look elsewhere, but if you need to beat around a headland you’re in good hands.

With the sprayhood up it requires some agility to step up and over the raised deck before descending the companionway steps.

It’s one of the few features that feels outdated.

Two collapsible cockpit tables results in flexible space for a boat with a modest beam. Credit: Richard Langdon

It can make the transition from above to below decks feel precarious although the sprayhood gives protection and it’s something that you quickly adapt to.

A good-sized steering wheel is mounted on a binnacle with the throttle control making power handling more comfortable.

The small aft deck beyond the coamings gives a working platform for operating the equipment on the stern, which in Elixir ’s case included a windvane and wind generator.

It’s a safe, comfortable cockpit for offshore passages. But here’s the rub: there are no cockpit lockers.

A lazarette beneath the aft deck swallows up lines, fenders and jerry cans, but the access hatch is too small for bulky items.

Unless you have Alice in Wonderland’s Drink Me potion to shrink things like an inflatable dinghy before putting them away, you’ll need to keep them on deck or in one of the cabins.

Homely feel

It was with some trepidation that I stepped below on Elixir : home-finished yachts can be disappointing, but I was greeted with a bright, warm interior and neat joinery.

The saloon feels spacious and comfortable with an overhead hatch letting in light. You could easily seat six people for dinner, eight if you don’t need much elbow room.

The framed bulkhead at the forward end of the saloon highlights the quality joinery. Credit: Richard Langdon

Elixir doesn’t have a permanent saloon table, instead Jane has installed two collapsible cockpit tables which can be arranged to form one large table or two separate ones.

It’s a flexible solution for a boat with a modest beam.

There’s plenty of stowage space beneath the benches and behind the seat backs, as well as in the lockers above the seating.

One attribute of the long, encapsulated fin keel is that the aft section is hollow.

The void creates a natural water tank once capped off and keeps weight low.

A generous chart table points to the boat’s credentials with room to spread charts. Credit: Richard Langdon

The downside to this is that a severe grounding could puncture the void and cause rapid water ingress.

There’s a U-shaped galley on the port side of the companionway with good locker space outboard and a boat fridge in the countertop.

It doesn’t quite rival a modern 39-footer, but it’s not far off.

The nav station to starboard of the companionway is tremendous and hints at what the boat is designed for.

There’s a huge surface to spread charts and pilot books on, and Jane has a full set of UK folios beneath with room to spare.

A full-width aft cabin, seen here from starboard looking to port, includes a generous bunk but headroom is limited beneath the cockpit. Credit: Richard Langdon

At the forward end of the saloon is an attractively framed bulkhead leading to a heads compartment to port and a large hanging locker to starboard.

The heads has GRP mouldings and a loo mounted on the outboard side.

It’s well-proportioned without being an extravagant use of space in a low volume interior. The vee-berth forwards could be used as the master cabin.

The space feels bright and well laid out with plenty of stowage space in lockers above the bunk and a locker hanging to starboard.

She hasn’t got the width up here that a modern boat would normally have, so the bunk is narrow at the foot end, which might not suit two tall crew.

Packaging issues

It’s the full-width aft cabin that the boat was designed for though.

The bunk extends from the centreline beneath the cockpit sole right across to the port side.

To starboard, aft of the door, there’s a small settee and large hanging locker.

A raised bridge deck makes moving from cockpit to down below a challenge at times. Credit: Richard Langdon

The raised bridge deck creates headroom and a portlight lets in plenty of light, making the space much brighter than expected.

The bunk itself is generous in width and length, but the vertical clearance beneath the cockpit sole is very limited for whoever sleeps on the centreline.

Putting an aft cabin in a boat with such fine ends was always going to be a squeeze and some would say the compromise hasn’t paid off.

Engine access is a real strong point. The engine box beneath the companionway can be dismantled on two sides, and there’s top access to the sail drive beneath the bunk in the aft cabin.

Her performance under power was perfectly adequate for a proper sailing yacht.

Her 40hp Volvo Penta 2040 and two-bladed folding propeller gave 6 knots at 2,000rpm, though she struggled to make much more than that as we increased the revs.

Built for offshore: cap shrouds, intermediates and fore and aft support for the double spreader rig. Credit: Richard Langdon

The long-ish fin keel and skeg hung rudder make tight turns not the strongest part of her repertoire.

In reverse you need to think a little harder about gaining steerage than on boats with a deep fin keel and spade rudder, but once established she tracked well.

There are three problems with the Dawn 39. Firstly, you need knee-pads in your pyjamas if you want to sleep two in the aft cabin. Secondly you need to share the forward cabin with all the equipment you can’t stow in cockpit lockers. And thirdly there aren’t enough of them.

For all her flaws there’s a lot to love.

With her high ballast ratio, excellent sea keeping credentials and windward performance she’ll make short work of ocean crossings and challenging tidal waters alike: this is a boat for going places.

But she’s also a boat for sitting in port and soaking in the praise of passers-by.

The soothing chorus of ‘pretty boat’ which follows you around will help distract from the bruised shins.

The design may not have been able to compete against the powerhouses of yacht production, but the handful which exist have a timeless elegance.

Perhaps more importantly though, their seaworthiness is beyond reproach.

Why wasn’t she as successful as her smaller sister?

Well, it depends what you’re measuring her against.

Compared with other 39-footers from the 1980s she was more expensive and offered less accommodation. But for people who want the Contessa 32 experience without the cramped quarters, she achieves the brief.

Given the huge Contessa revival of the past few years, I’d guess the Dawn 39 was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Success is always relative after all.

Expert opinion on the Dawn 39

The pedigree and seaworthiness of the Contessa 32 has resulted in much affection for this class amongst boat owners.

Ben Sutcliffe- Davies has been in the marine industry for over 40 years as a long- time boat builder, has been surveying craft for over 20 years and is a Full Member of the YDSA.

I have surveyed some of the 38ft versions of the Contessa which in terms of construction philosophy, is virtually the same boat as the Dawn 39.

Long keel lead ballast which is encapsulated is a luxury I also enjoy on my own yacht.

However, it is important to check its condition and ensure moisture has not gone inside the voids as a result of a grounding .

The skeg hung rudder also needs careful inspection as it is rare to find one without significant moisture ingress into the rudder blade and skeg.

As mentioned by Rachael Sprot, the Dawn 39, Elixir , has had her deck and topsides reinforced with balsa core, and any regular reader will know my warnings about deck and topsides needing careful inspection.

Use a small ball-pein hammer and moisture metre to check for any ingress.

Moisture around the deck fittings and poorly fitted deck furniture is a common issue so pay careful attention before deciding to buy.

Some of the bonding-in of the lockers does need careful inspection as it can be susceptible to light delamination.

Alternatives to the Dawn 39

The hull is light, stiff and well-insulated due to a full-depth balsa core. Credit: David Harding

When I first started out as a sailing instructor at UKSA we were lucky enough to have three Sweden yachts in the fleet.

The smallest one, Outreach, was my favourite. She was one of 73 Sweden 390s built between 1991 and 2006.

Unlike the larger Sweden yachts which are sleek and lean-looking, the 390 has beautiful curves. There’s a lovely touch of sheer without sacrificing too much interior volume and the generous 3.87m beam tapers beautifully to a neat stern.

Above and below decks the build quality was top class. The full-depth balsa core meant that the hulls were light, stiff and well-insulated.

Solid laminate replaced the balsa core in high-stress areas such as around the keel and in the join of the two halves of the hull. Plywood core and backing pads reinforce the deck in the way of winches and other fittings.

A steel beam transfers loads from the rig through to the bulkheads.

A deep fin keel and a shallow draught wing version were available. Credit: David Harding

Two deep lazarettes are just about adequate in terms of cockpit locker space, although like the Dawn 39 she lacks space for lots of bulky items.

Below the waterline there’s an exceptionally deep fin keel, although a shallow draught wing version was an option.

There’s plenty of lead ballast, a sail drive and a semi-balanced spade rudder.

The joinery below is gorgeous. Solid mahogany doors and teak sole boards stood up well to the rigours of life as a sail training boat.

The curves were carried through to the saloon with elliptical bench seats following the hull profile.

There’s a functional L-shaped galley to starboard of the companionway and enviable nav station on the port side.

The heads compartment is forwards of the mast with an ingenious five-sided shape which makes best use of the available space.

Jack and Jill doors provide access from the saloon or the vee-berth. Beneath the aft cockpit there’s an unusual single and double cabin layout.

It suited a sailing instructor needing a bit of space, and the flexible layout is also useful for anyone who sails with different crews.

But what suited me most as a sailing instructor was knowing she would purr through the offshore passages and give everyone on board a lovely sail.

Starlight 39

The impressive sailing performance and solid build made it a popular racer-cruiser. Credit: David Harding

Another British boatbuilder which fell victim to the 1980s was Sadler Yachts.

However, the Starlight 39, originally conceived as the Sadler 38, arrived on the scene when Sadler International picked up where Sadler Yachts left off.

Soon absorbed into Rival Bowman and then Rustler yachts, the Starlight brand has had several custodians over the years.

The 39 is a powerful racer-cruiser which has drawn praise for its solid construction and impressive performance under sail.

A trademark Sadler sheer line sets her apart from some of her continental counterparts.

She’s slightly broader than the Dawn 39 and carries her beam further aft giving more volume below decks.

The earlier models also had a bridge deck in the cockpit but this was reduced over time as people felt exposed making the transfer below decks.

The lead keel is bolted onto a laminated stub. The 2.09m draught hints at her upwind capabilities which are reputed to be excellent.

Most were built with the shallower wing keel, which was extremely popular and considered to a great success in terms of seakeeping ability.

The traveller runs right in front of the helm and binnacle, allowing the helm to respond quickly to gusts, but it does mean the steering pedestal is vulnerable to damage in the instance of a crash gybe.

The finish below decks is good quality but not luxurious.

Close-celled foam between the outer laminate and inner mouldings gives buoyancy, insulation and stiffness to the hull and deck.

There’s a standard double aft cabin and vee-berth arrangement, with uniquely in this selection, two heads.

At almost 9 tonnes, this is no-nonsense boat for serious passage making.

A sloop rig came as standard, although some were change to cutters. Credit: David Harding

If dockside drooling is high on the list of attributes you’re after, you don’t need to look much further than the Ohlson 38.

Designed in the late 1960s by Swedish naval architect Einar Ohlson, they were built in the UK by Tyler Mouldings from the 1970s through to the 1980s.

The most famous example was Robertsons Golly, in which Clare Francis completed the 1976 OSTAR .

At only 6 inches broader than the Contessa 32, the Ohlson 38 is a tiny slip of a thing so don’t expect much from the squeezed accommodation.

Many were home-finished so layouts varied, but think quarter berths and pilot bunks rather than aft cabins.

As is often the case with older yachts, the cockpit is generous with two long benches, a lazarette under the transom and a large locker under the port side.

The standard rig was a sloop, although some appear to have been converted to cutters.

She looks just as good out of the water as in, with a fine keel and deep V-shaped hull which should deliver a smooth ride in all conditions.

She’ll lack the form stability of the younger yachts in this selection but a long fin keel with plenty of lead gives her good ballast stability.

A substantial skeg and her deep hull profile will help keep her tracking despite the rather small rudder.

There are some cherished examples out there, and some which need a bit of cherishing.

With a proven track record on major ocean passages she’s a gutsy head-turner for interesting adventures.