yankee 38 sailboat review

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• Sailboat Guide

Yankee 38 is a 38 ′ 1 ″ / 11.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built by Yankee Yachts Inc. between 1972 and 1975.

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)

S&S #2094-C2. Based on the IOR One Ton racer ‘Lightnin’(1971). Later, the molds were purchased by Catalina Yachts were it became, with some modifications, the CATALINA 38.

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YANKEE 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 YANKEE 38. Built by Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) and designed by Sparkman & Stephens, the boat was first built in 1972. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 11.63. Its sail area/displacement ratio 16.14. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Westerbeke, runs on Diesel.

YANKEE 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 YANKEE 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 yankee 38.

YANKEE 38 was designed by Sparkman & Stephens.

Who builds YANKEE 38?

YANKEE 38 is built by Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA).

When was YANKEE 38 first built?

YANKEE 38 was first built in 1972.

How long is YANKEE 38?

YANKEE 38 is 8.76 m in length.

What is mast height on YANKEE 38?

YANKEE 38 has a mast height of 13.05 m.

Member Boats at HarborMoor

The Yankee 38 is a 38.17ft masthead sloop designed by Sparkman & Stephens and built in fiberglass by Yankee Yachts Inc. (USA) between 1972 and 1975.

30 units have been built..

The Yankee 38 is a heavy sailboat which is a reasonably good performer. It is very stable / stiff and has a good righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a coastal cruiser. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

Yankee 38 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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Review of Yankee 38

Basic specs..

The boat is typically equipped with a Westerbeke 491 diesel engine at 30.0 hp (22 kW), which gives a max speed about 5.5 knots.

The fuel tank has a capacity of 114 liters (30 US gallons, 25 imperial gallons).

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 Capsize Screening Formula (CSF)?

The capsize screening value for Yankee 38 is 1.86, indicating that this boat could - if evaluated by this formula alone - be accepted to participate in ocean races.

What is Theoretical Maximum Hull Speed?

The theoretical maximal speed of a displacement boat of this length is 7.2 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 Yankee 38 is about 209 kg/cm, alternatively 1171 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 209 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1171 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 Motion Comfort Ratio (MCR)?

What is L/B (Length Beam Ratio)?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement 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 Yankee 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.

Graceful, sturdy and seakindly, this Sparkman & Stephens design is an enduring classic

T he Yankee 30 was one of many fiberglass boats that was affected by the global oil crisis of the 1970s, which curtailed production. The cost of resin raised boat prices above the budget of average sailors. In some cases builders simply lacked the raw materials required for construction.

Despite the tough economics, Yankee Yachts in Santa Ana, California, was able to build 132 Yankee 30s between 1971 and 1975. According to yachting industry reports from the mid-1970s, company founder and owner John L. Shumaker Jr. refused to reduce the quality of his boats because of the shortage and instead went out of business in 1975.

Shumaker, who died in 2015, started his boatbuilding career in the 1960s building the Sparkman & Stephens-designed Dolphin 24 at a yard in Marina Del Rey, California. The first boat was owned by his family and named Yankee, inspiring the name of the company. Shumaker moved Yankee Yachts to Inglewood and finally to Santa Ana in 1969, by which time he’d already commissioned Sparkman & Stephens to design a 30-footer.

In an effort to remain competitive on the racecourse and appeal to varying needs, the Yankee 30 underwent three design modifications—minor tweaks that included increasing mast height and more significant ones such as adding 1,000 pounds of ballast. The first series of hulls are classified as MK I. Hulls built after No. 98 are MK II. Boats in the last group, designated MK III, have the additional pounds of internal ballast. Interior layouts were also changed on all three models, usually with two versions offered to buyers simultaneously. 

First impressions

It’s easy to see why sailors interested in both cruising and racing admired the Yankee 30. The 3/4-ton sloop looks ready for sea, with strong lifelines, bow pulpit, eight fixed portals (two large and two smaller on each side), and plenty of heavy-duty deck hardware. Most sailors appreciate the fin keel coupled with a skeg-hung rudder that offers security and tracking. The hull is relatively heavy and narrow, with a deep forefoot, and the reverse transom adds a racy appearance.

There was no skimping on deck hardware. Chocks and cleats are through-bolted where needed, including on the mast. Stainless standing rigging, two-speed sheet winches, a halyard winch on the mast, and a cabintop traveler all point to sail manageability, even when sailing shorthanded. 

Construction

The Yankee 30 has been described over the years as overbuilt, but not in a negative way, perhaps because its weight doesn’t seem to affect its performance. 

The boat is constructed with a solid, hand laid-up hull and a cored deck. The solid construction is again used at the stem, around through-bolted fittings on deck, and for the coachhouse. A bonded flange or lip is used to attach the hull and deck, further supported by a teak toerail that is through-bolted. According to S&S brochures, the boat features double chainplates fitted to single structural knees of glass that are molded into the extensively thickened hull topside. In theory, this system spreads the load over a broader area of the hull. The hull and deck have separate liners. The external, lead-ballasted fin keel is bolted to the stub keel with silicon bronze bolts.

What to look for

Although the boat has a solid fiberglass hull and solid areas around bow and deck fittings, the deck itself is cored and that means the possibility of water intrusion exists. Since these boats are nearly a half-century old, potential buyers should inspect for moisture, delamination and telltale soft spots.

Some of the boats were built with wastewater holding tanks, which could otherwise be costly to install. The boat has several through-hull fittings with bronze valves that should be inspected and tested. 

There’s plenty to admire on deck, starting with the stainless standing rigging with adjustable backstay that supports a tapered aluminum mast and boom. Shrouds are 9/32 inch, considered beefy for a 30-foot boat. A bow pulpit and stem head fitting give the boat a rugged, seagoing appearance. Two Barient sheet winches, a halyard winch and cabintop traveler make sail handling a breeze.

The Yankee 30 has abundant chocks and cleats for securing to the dock. Touches of elegant craftsmanship are evident, with teak toerail and trim, including around the companionway opening. The tiller is oak. 

The sloop boasts eight fixed portlights, two large and two smaller to both port and starboard, which admit natural light and increase visibility. The boat has a comfortable cockpit with high coamings to keep the crew dry. Seating provides room to squeeze six. 

The Yankee 30 isn’t the roomiest 30-footer in its class, but it can sleep five—two forward in the V-berth and three in the cabin on the settee and convertible dinette. 

The two berths in the V-berth compartment are 6 feet 8 inches in length, long enough to accommodate all but the tallest of sailors. The berths share space with an anchor locker. The settees in the cabin create U-shaped seating to port on some models and standard bench seating to starboard. There’s a chart area to port toward the aft end of the cabin, and an enclosed head to port. The galley with stove is to starboard near the foot of the companionway. 

Eight fixed portlights provide plenty of natural illumination. The interior is aesthetically warmed by a holly-and-teak sole and bulkheads of Honduran mahogany.

The boat carries 28 gallons of fresh water. 

The boat’s history is marked by the installation of different engines, including the gasoline-fueled Universal Atomic Four, a Westerbeke Pilot 10 diesel, an 18-horsepower Westerbeke 20B2 diesel, an Albin two-cylinder diesel, and a Bukh two-cylinder diesel. 

The Westerbeke Pilot 10 is a single-cylinder model with counterbalanced weights for smooth operation. It’s located under the convertible dinette table and fitted with hinges at the back to provide service access, an arrangement that has weathered its share of criticism. 

According to one owner, the Albin engine was considered underpowered and required priming with alcohol upon starting before switching over to diesel. Many owners found this burdensome.

The boat carries 17 gallons of fuel and has flexible fuel lines and filters.

The general consensus among owners is the Yankee 30 represents a happy medium between sprightly performance and comfort in a seaway. The boat is sprightly, needing only a light touch on the helm. It accelerates like a light boat, yet shoulders through chop like a heavy one. 

The owner of hull No. 53 described the boat as both graceful and sturdy. “These littler sloops are well suited to both racing and cruising, with a tall, keel-stepped mast and high aspect sailplan to make them go fast in light air, high ballast-to-displacement ratio to make them stiff and dry to weather, and a bustle and skeg-mounted rudder for ideal handling off the wind,” she said.

Yankee 30s can be found sailing off just about every U.S. shoreline and San Francisco sailors report the boat is ideal for windy conditions found on the bay.

The Yankee 30 is a handsome, seaworthy, solidly-constructed sloop that provides cruising comfort while retaining perf ormance capabilities on the race course.

Principal dimensions: LOA  30’; LWL 23’; Beam 9’; Draft 5’; Displacement 8,700 lbs.; Ballast  4,130 lbs.; Sail area 430 sq. ft. 

General Market Price Data

$40,000 1971 California    •    $29,900 1972 Oregon   •    $20,000 1971 Texas

SAILING’s Value Guide

(5-star rating system)

PRICE:  The price of a Yankee 30 can range from approximately $12,000 for a hull in need of TLC to $40,000 for one in turnkey condition. ***

DESIGN QUALITY:  The Yankee 30 was designed by Sparkman & Stephens and is considered a graceful, sturdy, seakindly classic by industry standards. The boat design is S&S No. 1999, the numbers often displayed on sails. ****

CONSTRUCTION QUALITY: Yankee Yachts in Santa Ana, California, built boats to high standards, with one-piece, hand laid-up fiberglass hull and deck. Teak-and-holly cabinsole, mahogany bulkheads and interior cabinetry is used in the cabin. Quality bronze or aluminum was used for valves and fittings. ****

USER-FRIENDLINESS:   Owners say the Yankee 30 is comfortable in a seaway, has an easy-to-manage rig, and is steered with a strong oak tiller. A cabintop traveler helps control the rig. ***

SAFETY:  It has a keel-stepped mast and abundant ballast to ensure the hull remains upright in a heavy blow. It is often described as overbuilt. The interior has overhead grabrails, but there is no bridgedeck in the companionway. ****

TYPICAL CONDITION:   Since these boats are approaching the half-century mark in age, condition tends to run the gamut from boats in need of repairs to those that have been completely refit. **

REFITTING: The owner of the Yankee 30 Vim installed new rigging, chainplates, portlights, head, replaced two bulkheads and all electrical wiring. He replaced lighting fixtures on the mast, added a wind vane, antenna, stove, cushions, and employed a crane for rewiring the 40-foot tapered aluminum mast. Parts are not readily available for the Yankee 30. **

SUPPORT: Sparkman & Stephens plans are on file at Mystic Seaport in Connecticut. Owner’s manuals are available online. Some information can be obtained from the Yankee 30 blog at http://yankee30.blogspot.com and the info link at www.cruisersforum.com.  ***

AVAILABILITY: Approximately 132 boats were constructed over a four-year production run. In late spring, at least eight Yankee 30s were on the U.S. market and others in the UK and Italy. ***

INVESTMENT AND RESALE:   The boat sold new in 1973 for $18,950 without sails. Despite their age, Yankee 30s have a strong following and are still in demand. ***

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The Best Sailboats for the High Seas?

At the St. Petersburg Boat Show month last month, I had the pleasure of seeing delivery skipper and author John Kretschmers presentation on what he called sailboats for a serious ocean. I have reservations about any ideal boat list, but Kretschmer, who reviews boats for Sail Magazine and whose most recent book Sailing a Serious Ocean is available in our online bookstore , has the ideal background for this sort of work, and a list like this is undeniably helpful for wannabe cruisers who need a place to start their search.

I certainly wouldnt limit my search to boats on such a list, but by paying careful attention to the pros and cons of each, you can find something that suits your own aspirations.

Here are the boats Kretschmer suggests: Contessa 32, Pacific Seacraft 34, Pretorien 35, Cape Dory/Robinhood 36, Valiant/Esprit 37, Prout Snowgoose 37, Alajuela 38, Privelege 39, Freya 39, Passport 40, Caliber 40, Baba 40, Hallberg Rassy 42, Taswell 43, Hylas 44, Norseman 447, Beneteau 456, Outbound 44, Hylas 46, Kaufman 47, Tayana 48, Hylas 49, Amel Maramu 53, and the Sundeer 60/64. For a brief capsule summary of each, be sure to check out his website.

The list is hardly definitive. There are plenty of good boats that arent featured, and some of these would be ill-matched for the wrong sailor-Kretschmer clearly pointed this out during his talk. I like how the list presents a good cross-section of the various shapes and sizes for a boat in this category. For example, Kretschmer includes the Prout Snowgoose and Steve Dashews Sundeer 60, boats that, notwithstanding their successful record at sea, fill an outlying niche.

If I were going to expand the list, one of the heavier-displacement microcruisers like those I blogged about would be a nice addition. Although I would be wary of promoting even the most formidable of this breed as well-suited for a serious ocean, John Neale of Mahina Tiare Expeditions includes one of them, the Dana 24, on his own list of recommend cruising boats . Neales much broader list of boats is accompanied by a very helpful discussion of design elements to consider.

What got me thinking about formidable cruising boats was our series of reports o n sailboat construction , focusing specifically on structural details. Although there are plenty of excellent coastal cruisers on the market, once you start talking about offshore duty, scan’tlings (the dimensions for structural components) take on far more importance.

A few years ago we touched on this subject in our Mailport section, encouraging readers to suggest their own nominees for a list of what we called at the time, tough boats, vessels that were built to take a beating, requiring minimal care and upkeep.

Here are some of the boats that were suggested from our readers: Mariner 36, Cal 34, Morgan 43, Swan 43, Bermuda 40, Island Packet 26, Mariner 47, LeComte Northeast 38, Westsail 32, Dana 24, J/35, and the CSY 44.

Id be interested in hearing of other nominees for this list, or other good resources for sailors looking for a short list of good offshore boats.

For those who are frustrated to find that their own ideal boat isn’t on anybodys list, I wouldnt be too miffed. The best line Ive heard in a while on this topic came from Steve Callahan, the author of the survival classic Adrift , who gave a presentation at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show . When I asked Steve, who has sailed extensively on both multihulls and monohulls, what type of boat he preferred, he said, quite seriously. Well, at the end of the day, the best cruising boat is the one that you are on.

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Interesting list. I am fond of Hylas of which you chose three models. However, I am suspect of their yard and construction techniques and do not have confidence that they are as strong as they are beautiful. Only one Hallberg-Rassy was selected, which is a far more robust and dry sailing boat than the Hylas. Passports make a good boat as does Cape Dory and several others on your list. Didn’t four sailors die on a Beneteau in 2018? Over all it is a decent list.

https://metro.co.uk/2018/04/25/last-pictures-doomed-yacht-cheeki-rafiki-sank-killing-four-british-sailors-7497805/

I believe this is the accident you’re talking about in which a Beneteau and it’s bolted on keel parted company.

Almost all of the sailing clubs in San Diego rent Beneteaus out. They are a decent coastal sailboat. I have a couple friends who have even made the crossing to Maui in them..not me, not ever. I consider them a living room boat. Having said that, I am certainly no expert so its just my opinion. If I am crossing an ocean I want a capable kindly strong boat with redundancy built into critical systems.

Curious to think what people think about the early 70s Swan 43 as a cruising boat for a couple with occasional guests for a round the world trip? I have an S&S 30 which is too small but I do have some bias towards their designs. Add a watermaker and some power generation and off you go… Any thoughts?

Are Motor Sailors like the Nauticats or Fishers ocean worthy ( if their pilot house windows and sliding doors are lifeboatified ? )

Walt Schulz’s Shannon 43 is a beautiful, sea kindly, comfortable and sturdy bluewater boat. Walt had not only the ICW and Bahamas in mind when he designed and built 52 of them. He designed for ocean cruising. He believes his boats should outlive him and still sailing for generations. We sailed the Chesapeake, Bahamas, Caribbean and Pacific to Australia on a Shannon 43 ketch. She took great care of us and is still turning heads.

Great article! John Kretchmer is one of my fave modern day sailors. While there is only one Crealock design on John’s list, and the Dana is added on John Neale’s list, I was surprised not to see a Crealock/ Pacific Seacraft 37 mentioned. But there are so many great serious off shore boats, it’s hard to narrow it down to 10. Here’s a few to think about. Cape George Cutter 36. Biscay 36, tradewind 35, Rustler 36, Nicholson 31 (never talked about) and 32. Seldom seen on top 10 lists, but great boats. Thanks for the article.

Great comment and interesting to note that the first four of your additions are those currently entered in the 2022 Golden Globe Race – kind of the definition of a blue water boat.

Hey! I know this is somewhat off-topic however I needed to ask. Does operating a well-established blog like yours take a massive amount work? I am completely new to writing a blog but I do write in my journal everyday. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my experience and feelings online. Please let me know if you have any kind of recommendations or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Thankyou!|

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Classic Plastic: Catalina 38

• By Michael Robertson
• Updated: June 12, 2014

Catalina 38

In 1978, Catalina Yachts was a young company with a Midas touch, enjoying brisk sales of its sailboats from 22 to 30 feet, all of them designed and built in house. And then company owner Frank Butler tried something different. He bought the mold for the Yankee 38, designed by Sparkman & Stephens and descended from a successful one-off IOR aluminum raceboat, from the bankrupt Yankee Boat Co. Butler saw this competitive racer as a flagship that would raise the profile of the Catalina fleet. He was right. In 1980, the Catalina 38 was selected for the prestigious Congressional Cup. The company went on to build 366 Catalina 38s over the next 14 years.

Butler made significant changes to the S&S design. He replaced the skeg-hung rudder with a balanced spade rudder and created a high-aspect-ratio rig with a taller mast and shorter boom. He redesigned the interior for weekender livability and the deck and trunk cabin to match Catalina aesthetics.

Other aspects of the dated racing design — long overhangs, generous tumblehome and a pert little reverse transom — give the Catalina 38 its pleasing lines. Butler’s redesigned deck gives it a sleek, low profile but narrow side decks are a result of those changes. Passage from the cockpit to the foredeck can be tricky, especially if a wide dodger is fitted.

With its pedigree, it’s no surprise that owners report the Catalina 38 sails to windward like it’s on rails and also sails beautifully in light air. That superior upwind performance comes with a draft that approaches 7 feet, a limiting factor for some cruising sailors.

Boats designed to the IOR have a reputation for poor manners and instability downwind. But that reputation was earned under race conditions when boats were intentionally overpowered and driven hard. A cruising couple is unlikely to push any boat to the brink of broaching, and many find the IOR warhorses, including the Catalina 38, in fact make fine cruising boats.

Down below, the major interior components are incorporated into a molded hull liner. Teak trim and veneer are used for doors, drawer facings and bulkheads. In early models the cabin sole was fiberglass, but in later models it was covered with teak and holly veneer.

The keel-stepped mast abuts the bulkhead forward of the main saloon. Forward of the bulkhead are the head to port, lockers to starboard and the V-berth, which easily accommodates two adults.

A U-shaped dinette to port (that converts to a double berth) is the main feature in the saloon. Aft of the dinette is a snug U-shaped galley.

On the starboard side of the saloon is a long settee with stowage behind and beneath it. A nav station backs up to a quarter berth that extends under the cockpit.

Owners with cruising plans might find the tankage limiting, but they should avoid adding weight in the bow and stern of this fine-ended boat.

The Atomic 4 gasoline engine was fitted in very early boats but many have been replaced. The 24-horsepower Universal diesel in later ones reportedly lacks the power to push the boat at hull speed in moderate wind and chop. Engine access is adequate.

The Catalina 38 enjoys a loyal following, and owners praise its design, build quality and performance. Rare for boats of this vintage, the builder is still in business, and provides design and parts support. Asking prices range from $25,000 to $75,000, with older boats at the lower end of the bracket.

This article first appeared in the February 2014 issue of Cruising World. Click here to see more sailboats from Catalina .

• More: 31 - 40 ft , before 2000 , catalina , Coastal Cruising , monohull , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , sailboats classic plastic
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Catalina 38 pros and cons

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I am toying with the idea of going to the States to purchase a Catalina 38, 1980-85 build. They seem to be in the US$ 50,000 mark, This is half the cost of the same yacht in Australia. I intend to make an extended trip back to Australia via the islands. Please tell me why/why not this is a good/bad idea.  

Watch your head Simon, I think may be a good idea but you first should know the cons of the design. 1) You ausies are all tall, aren't you? The boom is very low in the cockpit and seems an issue for most people over about 5' 6". It's a head banger on the companion way and a serious threat in an accidental jibe. The low boom also forces a very short dodger. Cabin height is also limited. A six footer has his head on the cabin top in the galley. There is a 6' 3" height area right next to the mast in the for advertising purposes. 2) Tankage is light. Most have a 25 gallon fuel tank and a .75 gallon burn rate. Water is tight too at 35 gallons. 3) Storage is a little tight too, for a 38 ft boat. Every one of these items comes from the fact that cabin volume is quite small due to the low cabin top. Look at one setting next to a Beneteau of the same length and it looks quite small indeed. However, the reduced profile is generally an asset at sea. Also, remember, it is only a 15,900 lb displacement boat. It's a light 38 footer. Hope that is of some help. Dave  

dcmeigs I am 6'2" it was the 6'3' advertised cabin hight that had me intrested, other yachts I will consider would be Bristol 40, c&c 38/40 and the cal39. any ideas. thanks Simon  

Simon I own a Catalina 38 first off the cabin height is constant except in the galley which is 6'2" or taller ,the rest is a good 6'4". I have never had anyone bang their head you might watch where hardware comes through the deck.The tankage can be solved with two mods the fuel can be made to carry 40 gallons maybe more since the space for the tank is very large. The water can also be made to carry 46 gallons if you contact the company RONCO who built the tanks for Catalina they have a bow tank that will fit.The room in the boat is like an apartment open and lots of room to kick back and stretch out. The Catalina 38 and the Swan 38 are the the same hull also the Yankee 38 which was the first Sparkman Stephens design. The decks are like oak hard as a rock and do not flex much.the rig is strong with chain plated stronger than needed. The Catalina 38 is not a floating motorhome but a real sailing yacht with cruising abuility if you are willing to give a little. I solved the generator problem by using a good set of batteries and an invertor. All my electrical is new about three months old top of the line Standard horizon Matrix radio with command mike. AGM batteries Xantrex 40+ charger Xantrex 1000 inverter new isolatoralmost all the wire in the boat has been replaced. Mast needs rewired new waste pump water pumps (2) one salt one fresh all are Sureflow. Allot of stuff new hardware new main hallard. Wish I would have replaced the spinaker hallard it broke at about 8.7 knots on my cruise from Florida to Texas last month,"bummer". If you would like to get in touch I will be glad to talk even if you don't want my boat. I don't have to sell but I have allot on my plate right now. [email protected]  

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