caliber 38 sailboat data

The Caliber 38 is a 38.0ft masthead sloop designed by Michael McCreary and built in fiberglass by Caliber Yachts (USA) since 1987.

The Caliber 38 is a moderate weight 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 good water supply range.

Caliber 38 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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• Sailboat Guide

Caliber 38 is a 37 ′ 11 ″ / 11.6 m monohull sailboat designed by Michael McCreary and built by Caliber Yachts starting in 1987.

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)

Shoal draft: 4.5’/1.4m.

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Review of Caliber 38

Basic specs..

The Caliber 38 is equipped with a fin keel. A boat with a fin keel is more manoeuvrable but has less directional stability than a similar boat with a long keel.

The boat can enter most marinas as the draft is just about 1.52 - 1.62 meter (4.99 - 5.29 ft) dependent on the load. See immersion rate below.

The boat is typically equipped with an inboard Yanmar 4JHBE diesel engine at 44.0 hp (32 kW), which gives a max speed about 5.9 knots.

The fuel tank has a capacity of 174 liters (45 US gallons, 38 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 Caliber 38 is 1.81, 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 7.6 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 Caliber 38 is about 252 kg/cm, alternatively 1411 lbs/inch. Meaning: if you load 252 kg cargo on the boat then it will sink 1 cm. Alternatively, if you load 1411 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 a Ballast Ratio?

What is Displacement Length Ratio?

What is SA/D (Sail Area Displacement ratio)?

Maintenance

When buying anti-fouling bottom paint, it's nice to know how much to buy. The surface of the wet bottom is about 39m 2 (419 ft 2 ). Based on this, your favourite maritime shop can tell you the quantity you need.

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 Caliber 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.

CALIBER 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 CALIBER 38. Built by Caliber Yachts (USA) and designed by undefined, the boat was first built in 1987. It has a hull type of Fin with rudder on skeg and LOA is 11.58. Its sail area/displacement ratio 16.26. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by Yanmar, runs on Diesel.

CALIBER 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 CALIBER 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 builds caliber 38.

CALIBER 38 is built by Caliber Yachts (USA).

When was CALIBER 38 first built?

CALIBER 38 was first built in 1987.

How long is CALIBER 38?

CALIBER 38 is 9.75 m in length.

What is mast height on CALIBER 38?

CALIBER 38 has a mast height of 13.72 m.

Member Boats at HarborMoor

The Caliber 38 is a popular sailboat designed by Michael McCreary and built by Caliber Yachts from 1984 to 1991. This mid-sized cruiser has a classic design with a full keel and a well-balanced rig, making it ideal for offshore sailing. The boat has a LOA (length overall) of 38 feet and a beam of 12 feet, providing ample space for a comfortable and spacious interior. The Caliber 38 is constructed with a hand-laid solid fiberglass hull and deck, ensuring durability and strength. The boat also features a spacious cockpit with a helm station that provides good visibility and easy access to all sail controls.

Inside, the Caliber 38 offers a comfortable living space with a large salon, a functional galley, and two private staterooms. The boat has a headroom of 6'4", allowing even tall sailors to stand upright inside. The salon features a U-shaped dinette that can seat up to six people, while the galley includes a double sink, a refrigerator, and a three-burner stove. The two private staterooms provide ample sleeping space, with a large V-berth forward and a spacious aft cabin. The Caliber 38 is a well-rounded sailboat that is perfect for cruising, coastal exploring, and even offshore passages.

LOA: 38.00 ft LWL: 32.00 ft Beam: 12.67 ft Draft: 4.92 ft Displacement: 18500.00 lbs Ballast: 9000.00 lbs Hull type: Fin with rudder on skeg Hull construction: FG Rigging type: Masthead Sloop

Caliber 38 for sale in the last 12 months

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Caliber 38 listing prices over time

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Caliber 38 - Sailboat Data, Parts & Rigging

Sailboat data, rig dimensions and recommended sail areas for Caliber 38 sailboat. Tech info about rigging, halyards, sheets, mainsail covers and more.

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Pearson 38 Sailboat Review

• By Gregg Nestor
• Updated: December 15, 2010

In 1989, Bill Shaw, thinking to improve on the overmarketed “cruiser/racer” theme by emphasizing the “cruiser” aspect, developed the Pearson 38. Although Pearson Yachts closed its doors in 1990, the Pearson 38 had a short but successful run among Pearson sailboats. In 1996, the Cal-Pearson Corporation reintroduced the Pearson 38 but launched only three boats before it, too, closed up shop.

The Pearson 38 has a flat sheer, a pronounced bow overhang, and a sugar-scoop stern with step-through transom. Low cockpit coamings and clean, appealing cabin-house lines offset the generous freeboard. Ample beam enhances both interior volume and form stability. Below the waterline, the boat has an externally mounted wing keel and an elliptical rudder. The solid, hand-laid-fiberglass hull and the balsa-cored deck are joined on an outward-facing flange. The joint is sealed with a polyurethane adhesive, bolted on 8-inch centers, and protected with a vinyl rubrail.

Belowdecks, the forward cabin features an island double berth, a hanging locker to starboard, and a locker to port. An opening hatch and two opening portlights allow for plenty of light and good ventilation. A solid teak bi-fold door opens from this cabin into the saloon, where a port-side settee and L-shaped seating around a centerline drop-leaf table to starboard easily seat eight for meals. The dinette also converts into a good-sized double berth. Aft of the port settee is an aft-facing navigation station and a wet locker.

The head compartment is located to port and aft of the companionway steps. It has a stainless-steel sink and a curtained-off shower area. A hinged seat covers the forward-facing head to keep it dry when the shower is in use.

Aft of the dinette and near the companionway, the L-shaped galley is fitted with an 8-cubic-foot icebox, a stainless-steel double sink, and a gimbaled two-burner propane stove with oven.

Aft of the galley is a second cabin with an athwarthships double berth that extends beneath the cockpit. A large hanging locker with built-in shelves provides stowage; an opening hatch and two portlights admit light and air.

The 38 is rigged as a masthead sloop with a keel-stepped spar, double spreaders, internal wire/rope halyards, and jiffy reefing. Standard equipment included a full-battened mainsail and a roller-furling headsail.

Under sail, the Pearson 38 tacks easily through 90 degrees and should make 6.5 knots in around 10 knots apparent. Its light-air performance is above average, and with judicious reefing, it can handle some pretty heavy air.

The Yanmar 3GM30F is beneath the galley sink. Accessibility, except for the oil dipstick, is near excellent. A panel in the cabin sole lifts out to reveal the stuffing box.

While well constructed, Pearson 38s aren’t bulletproof. Because they’re now two decades old, expect some deficiencies due to age and, possibly, to poor maintenance. Balsa-cored decks are always a potential source of problems, and portlights are prone to leaks.

The Pearson 38 is a solid, easily handled, and light-footed coastal cruiser that can accommodate two couples in comfort and safety. Its sailaway price 20 years ago was about $150,000. Expect to pay around half that for an average offering.

Cruising World’s Boat Of The Year judging is meant to evaluate new additions to the sailboat market. But stepping aboard the Pearson 38, we were impressed as much by what’s old as what’s new about the boat. The 38 offers ample measure of both.

What’s old is the legacy. Going back to the 1959 New York Boat Show when the fledgling Pearson company introduced its 28-foot Triton is to return to the cradle of production fiberglass-boatbuilding history. Much as Henry Ford revolutionized automobile production with his Model T, taking the car from the realm of rich-man’s luxury conveyance to Everyman’s utility vehicle, Pearson built 1,000 Tritons and myriad other successful boats for three decades at a price that beckoned whole generations of new sailors toward the water. But the vagaries of the market took their toll, and in 1990 Pearson Yachts went out of business, ending the Pearson line.

Until last year, that is, when a group of nostalgic investors returned to some of the designs and molds that were most successful in the 1980s and resurrected the Pearson name. Called the Cal-Pearson Corporation, this new company hopes to turn out 50 boats a year. The 38 was the first one launched; a 34 and a 39 are soon to follow.

We sailed the 38 on a light to moderately breezy October morning off Annapolis. This “new” boat, taken from a 1989 mold in which 21 previous hulls were laid up, features many refinements on a popular theme. Her sprightly ride harkened back to the coastal-oriented, racer/cruiser approach of her predecessors: We tacked easily through 90 degrees, making 6.4 knots in just under 10 knots apparent. Wind abeam, she topped out at 6.1 knots; with wind quartering, she made 5.8 knots. Running rigging is deftly organized, with main halyard, reefing lines and mainsheet led under the dodger into the cockpit. Lewmar 54 self-tailing primaries are standard, as is Harken roller furling for the jib.

The solid-FRP hull is laid up with osmosis-inhibiting vinylester resin below the waterline and polyester above. The deck is cored with end-grain balsa, except in high-stress areas where plywood is used for support; it is bolted to an outward-turned hull flange every eight inches and sealed with 3M 5200 polyurethane adhesive. The underbody on this boat features a wing keel with a modest 4’9″ draft, but deeper-draft options are available.

Changes to hull number 22 mark a shift toward the cruising end of the racer/cruiser spectrum. The new line of 38s features a step-through transom for more convenient boarding. The forward anchor well, formerly a shallow pan, has been deepened and made accessible from the interior to meet a cruiser’s anchoring demands more realistically. A dedicated propane locker with overboard vent has been added in accordance with ABYC recommendations. The toe rail was heightened by one third to improve safety underway.

Stepping below, you are greeted by a light, open interior. Ample ventilation is provided by a molded-in Dorade box, four opening hatches, and 10 opening ports. The boat’s only head is situated just to port and aft of the companionway steps; hence, it doesn’t take up any space forward of the main saloon’s aft bulkhead. A nav station and settee complete the port half of the main saloon; they are designed so that the navigator sits on the aft end of the settee facing aft to use the chart table — another space saver.

To starboard, an L-shaped galley with gimballed two-burner propane stove and oven occurs just outboard of the companionway steps. It also features an eight-cubic-foot ice box and stainless-steel double sink. Turning aft from the galley, you face a stateroom with a six-foot-long double berth that extends toward the transom under the cockpit. Forward of the galley is a U-shaped dinette. The fixed portion of the dinette table abuts the keel-stepped mast; a seat against the cabin’s forward bulkhead drops down to facilitate getting around the table. A drop-leaf section serves the port settee.

The forward cabin features an island double berth plus hanging locker. A small freshwater tank is located under this berth; a larger one appears under the aft-cabin berth. For maintaining mechanical systems, the boat is laid out well. No cabin headliner is installed, so the back side of any deck-mounted gear is easy to work on. The 38-horsepower Yanmar auxiliary is mounted below the galley sink — an arrangement that renders the engine noisy, but very accessible. Belts are easy to reach once you remove panels in the dinette; easy access to the oil-fill cap is by way of a hatch at the port side of the sink; the engine-oil dipstick is behind a panel on the sink’s aft side. Lifting a hatch in the cockpit sole reveals one of the most accessible stuffing boxes you’ll ever see aboard a sailboat in this size range.

The prototypes for the new Pearson line are being built under contract from Bristol Yachts, in Bristol, Rhode Island, with a conscious attempt by the builders to bump these boats up a step on the quality ladder from previous Pearsons. The interior of the new 38 is built with finely finished cherry paneling, for example, and all the deck hardware — hatches, ports, winches, travelers — is high-quality Lewmar gear. Construction bonuses, such as recessed genoa tracks and added midships chocks and cleats, round out the list of improvements. Sail-away price for this boat is $149,900. In terms of design innovation, there’s nothing fundamentally new here, but perhaps what’s new is not necessarily what’s best. What we have here is a fresh start for a well accepted boat whose production run a decade ago happened to be interrupted. The Pearson 38 is a solid, light-footed cruiser aboard which one or two couples should expect to have a wonderful tour of any far-reaching coastline.

Specs Pearson 38 LOA 37′ 6″ (11.43 m.) LWL 29′ 7″ (9.02 m.) Beam 12′ 4″ (3.76 m.) Draft 4′ 9″ (1.45 m.) Sail Area (100%) 665 sq. ft. (61.8 sq. m.) Ballast 6,050 lb. (2,744 kg.) Displacement 15,175 lb. (6,882 kg.) Ballast/D .40 D/L 262 SA/D 17.4 Water 100 gal. (379 l.) Fuel 22 gal. (83 l.) Engine 30-hp. Yanmar diesel Designer Bill Shaw

• More: 31 - 40 ft , before 2000 , Bluewater Cruising , coastal , Coastal Cruising , keelboat , monohull , Pearson , Sailboat Reviews , Sailboats , sailboats classic plastic
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Cabo Rico 38: Used Boat Survey

Still going strong after more than 20 years, this bill crealock design is much admired for its strength, seakeeping ability, and teak joinerwork. too bad only a privileged few can afford one..

If we made a short list of traditional-looking cruising boats with trailboards and oodles of teak that dreamy-eyed readers most want to know about, the Cabo Rico 38 would be near the top. Others of her ilk, like the Canadian-built Gozzard 37 and 44, also draw much interest. But all that good detail in wood doesn’t come cheap. So many of us walk the boat show docks muttering, “Some day…”

History Cabo Rico has a rather unusual genesis, starting as it did as the hobby of one John Schofield, manager of a British automotive plant in San Jose, Costa Rica during the 1960s. A keen yachtsman, Schofield apparently saw no reason why his relegation to Latin America should quash his love of sailboats, so he began building boats in the corner of Leyland’s Range Rover facility. His first boats came out the door in 1965. By 1971 he had introduced the Tiburon 36 ketch, designed by Californian Bill Crealock. Six years later, in 1977, came the Cabo Rico 38, with which we are here concerned.

Edi and Fraser Smith bought the company in 1987 and have expanded operations since. The Cabo Rico line now includes models from 34 to 50 feet, all with pilothouse options except the baby of the fleet.

In 1992 the Smiths bought David Walters Custom Yachts. If you know your fiberglass boat history, you’ll recall that David Walters is the yacht broker who in 1975 co-founded Shannon Yachts with Walter Schulz in Portsmouth, Rhode Island. The Cambrias, envisioned by Walters as elegant competitors to Nautor Swan, Baltic, etc., now include the 40, 44/46, 48 and 52.

The Cabo Rico 38, however, was for years the backbone of the company. Its 24-year production run now rivals long-lived hall of famers like the Hinckley Bermuda 40. Naturally, the materials and methods used to build the 38 have evolved over the years.

About 190 38s have been built, but none in the past three years. The company says, however, that there seems to be a resurgence of interest in this particular model. Most recent sales have been for the company’s larger models—the 42 and 45.

The Design The Cabo Rico 38 is a traditional full- keel design with keel-hung rudder. The forefoot has been cut away somewhat to reduce wetted surface and improve handling. This is a trait of all Cabo Ricos, regardless of designer—Chuck Paine did the 40/42; the rest are by W.I.B. Crealock.

When evaluating any boat on paper, one of the first things you want to do is check the displacement/length ratio (D/L) and the sail area/displacement ratio (SA/D). These two numbers tell a lot about how the boat will perform, as well as its carrying capacity (generally, the higher the D/L number, the more volume inside the hull).

The Cabo Rico 38’s D/L is 375 and its SA/D is 16.3. This makes the boat moderately heavy, with a mediumsized sailplan—about what you’d expect for a traditional, seakindly ocean cruiser. She has enough power to make decent passage speeds when the wind is up, but she won’t be a great light-air performer, especially laden for cruising.

When viewed in profile, the clipper bow is prominent. This style is characterized by concavity, so that the bow seems to arch out over the water like a dolphin. The 38’s bow is adorned with real teak trailboards, not molded fiberglass, a hideous perversion seen on some boats.

There’s quite a bit of spring to the sheer line, with the low spot in the classic location, about two-thirds or so of the way aft.

The conventional counter stern looks right. It has just a little overhang and is moderately broad. Many modern cruisers carry beam much farther aft than the Cabo Ricos; this increases cockpit space and stowage, but can present downwind handling problems which are avoided by the Cabo Rico’s conservative approach.

The cabin has a fairly low profile, with small opening portlights. The proportions are good; few design elements look worse than a cabin that’s too tall for the boat; that is, out of proportion to hull length and freeboard.

The rig is a cutter, which means the mast is located somewhat farther aft than on a sloop. It’s keel-stepped, so the designer had to plan where it would be in relation to the interior. As on many boats, the 38’s mast passes through the dinette table, which is perhaps unavoidable, but it does obstruct your view of your tablemates.

The 38, like most other Cabo Ricos, is available with a pilothouse. But Cabo Rico’s sales manager, Ann Stirlen, says that while many clients give strong initial consideration to the comforts of all-weather helm stations, nearly all in the end stick with trunk cabin models.

Construction The hull and deck of the 38 are, of course, fiberglass, and both are cored with end-grain balsa wood. (The larger Cabo Ricos are cored with Airex and/or Corecell.) Interestingly, the hull core is not centered between the two skins, but added inside to what is basically a solid fiberglass hull, then covered with a thin interior skin. Fraser Smith said the balsa is not needed structurally, but is added for insulation purposes. The company publishes its lamination schedule, which we think ought to be standard practice for all builders, but rarely is.

The deck coring is removed in areas where hardware will be attached, and in a recent change, deck hardware now is installed by embedding stainless steel plates in the laminate, drilled and tapped so that hardware can be fastened by one person topsides.

We don’t have experience with this method of hardware attachment and wonder about strength when, say, someone falls against a stanchion and its base is wrenched. Could the plate fracture the surrounding glass? What happens when threads get stripped? We don’t know. In any event, it’s a neat installation that eliminates washers, nuts, and backing plates, probably reduces leaks, and certainly cleans up the underdeck area.

Early models were built with alternating layers of mat and woven roving, but there have been, as one would expect, many advances in the making of fiberglass fabrics. Today, Cabo Rico primarily uses 1708 and 1808 (8-ounce mat stitched to directional rovings) fabrics, along with vinylester resin for the first three layers (two of which are mat) inside the isophthalic gel coat. This helps prevent osmotic blistering.

The keel is part of the hull mold and in early boats the ballast was iron. According to Fraser Smith, ballast was switched to lead in the last 40 or 50 boats. There are seven separate castings, set in the keel cavity, and then the voids are filled with resin. The ballast is glassed over.

The hull is stiffened with U-channel fiberglass beams glassed to the hull. A fiberglass subfloor is placed over the beams, and then a solid teak and holly sole.

Portlights have been changed and are now made by New Found Metals; no outside fasteners are visible.

The interior has no pan, but is built up of plywood and solid teak or other hardwood. Smith says they’ve done a number of boats recently in the traditional Maine motif with white panels bordered by varnished mahogany trim. You can have whatever other wood you want—maple, ash, cherry…

Fiberglass moldings are used for the shower, engine beds, and icebox, which are good places to use fiberglass rather than wood.

Twenty years ago, teak decks were much desired. Cheoy Lee Shipyards of Hong Kong, one of the first “offshore” yacht builders to sell into the US (and thereby an ancestral forebear of Cabo Rico) sold a lot of boats to the US with teak decks.

Teak planks are generally screwed through the fiberglass deck skin and into a plywood core. The screws are countersunk and the heads covered with bungs. Over the years, however, the deck and bungs expand and shrink and begin to move. The glue holding the bungs ages and cracks. Eventually, water enters around the bung, seeps down along the screw, and into the plywood core. When the plywood begins to rot, the cure can cost you 25 grand or so.

Also, as Ann Stirlen points out, teak decks add considerable weight to a boat, weight that is fairly high off the water.

While Cabo Rico will still add teak decks to any boat, they haven’t done so in several years. Owners now prefer lower-maintenance fiberglass decks with molded nonskid more than the warm beauty of wood.

The hull/deck joint occurs at the bulwark and is bedded with 3M 5200 and through-bolted on 6-inch centers.

Tanks are fiberglass, but not integral, meaning they are molded separately and are not part of the hull. The bridge structure that supports the mast also incorporates the holding tank. Fuel capacity is 65 gallons; fresh water is 190 gallons.

The original engine was the excellent Perkins 4:108; that’s been replaced by the ubiquitous Yanmar—a 56-hp. model. One owner completing our Boat Owner’s Questionnaire, however, said his 38 is equipped with a 70-hp Chrysler diesel built by Nissan.

While most owners would seem to agree with the owner of a 1984 model who said his boat is “designed and built for offshore cruising,” the owner of a 1980 model complained that “stanchion bolts are inaccessible, bulkheads aren’t all tabbed securely to the cabin sides and overhead, and all through-hulls aren’t bonded.”

Another 1980 owner said that while his boat is “overbuilt,” its one flaw was a teak cockpit sole screwed into plywood, which “completely rotted from water penetration.”

Despite these and a few other gripes, generally of early models, most owners agree that the 38 is strongly built and “of excellent quality throughout.”

Interior Early brochures show two basic accommodation plans for the 38. Plan A shows the usual V-berth forward, head and hanging locker just aft of that, and amidships two settees with dinette table on centerline. The U-shaped galley is in the port quarter and to starboard of the companionway is a double berth.

Plan B is the same except for a rather unusual L-shaped dinette and a double berth forward offset to starboard. One leg of the dinette deadends at a bulkhead, making it appear that persons sitting there are more or less trapped by the table, which also runs to the bulkhead.

Headroom is at least 6′ 2-1/2″ and berth lengths generally run 6′ 6″.

There are currently seven accommodation plans available—or you can have an entirely custom layout if you’re willing to pay for it. One of the more common plans shows a V-berth forward, L-shaped galley to port (with access around both sides of the table), settee to starboard, U-shaped galley in the same port quarter area, and an aft stateroom in the starboard quarter area.

The aft double berth is larger than in earlier models, extending behind the companionway ladder. This is possible because the engine has been moved forward under the galley sink and dinette seat. Not only does this open up a lot of space under the cockpit, it makes engine access somewhat easier (by removing parts of the galley and seat), and also moves this heavy piece of machinery closer to the boat’s center of gravity. This should translate into less of a tendency to hobby-horse in choppy seas.

As mentioned earlier, Cabo Rico does not use a fiberglass pan to form engine beds, berth flats, galley structure, etc. Instead, the interior is built up of plywood tabbed to the hull, which creates a sort of monocoque structure. Done properly it’s very strong. There are many advantages to all-wood interiors, including better access to all parts of the hull (you can cut or smash your way into any compartment if you need to stop a leak caused by a collision below the waterline); and superior thermal and acoustic insulation (boats with wood interiors are quieter and dryer than boats with fiberglass pan interiors). The problem is that all-wood interiors require many man-hours to assemble, which dramatically jacks up the price. Indeed, most boats with all-wood interiors nowadays are at least semi-custom yachts, priced well above most production boats.

Performance During a test sail of the Cabo Rico 38 we found the boat to be well mannered, with few vices. With a bit of wind, she moves nicely. Again, she wasn’t designed to drift around buoys but to strut her stuff in offshore conditions. The moderately heavy displacement makes the 38 feel secure in the water; it doesn’t jump around like lighter-displacement boats. And the full keel gives it good directional stability; that is, it enables the boat to steer a straight line without a lot of attention to the helm.

The flip side of this, of course, is that full keels generally don’t allow boats to point as high as boats with fin keels. So, like everything else with yacht design, there are trade-offs. And while we are believers in the advantages of full keels—protection in collisions, directional stability, ability to careen boat for repairs, absence of worrisome keel bolts in most boats—we also well appreciate the ability of fin keel boats to point higher. At least in coastal sailing, pointing high can get you home faster, and faster is safer. Offshore, it’s less relevant.

Owner estimations of their boats’ performance relative to other designs vary: While the owner of a 1979 model says of his, “Really not a racing boat,” the owner of a 1984 model boasts that he can “consistently catch and pass supposedly ‘fast’ boats.” Most agree that speed is “average,” improving to “fast” in higher wind strengths.

Of more interest perhaps than speed is seakeeping ability, and here the 38 excels. Owner after owner notes how well the 38 handles in severe conditions: The rudder doesn’t stall, forcing uncontrolled round-ups; heel is easily reduced because of the cutter rig; and motion is more comfortable than on flatter-bottom boats. “Very solid and safe,” wrote one owner.

Conclusion The Cabo Rico 38 is now a near classic. At 24 years of age, the design still looks great, thanks to the fine eye of Bill Crealock. And thanks to dedicated owners, the 38 has been continually refined so that there are few flaws left. If you find one, the company will work with you to eliminate it.

The price of a fully equipped 38 in 1981 was about $115,000. Today, the base price is $299,000, with most boats going out the door closer to $320,000.

It’s always difficult to say whether an expensive boat is a good deal or not. The Used Boat Price History shown on the opposite page shows that a 1984 Cabo Rico 38 was a good investment, but when buying new, all you can do is compare prices among other boats of roughly the same size (considering their intended uses) and make your own judgment. For reference, a Hunter 380 starts at around $160,000, an Island Packet 380 at about $265,000, and a Tartan 3700 with wood interior at around $275,000.

Contact- Cabo Rico Custom Yachts, Inc. 2258 S.E. 17th Street Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33316; 954/462-6699; www.caborico.com .

Also With This Article Click here to view “Used Boat Price History.” Click here to view “Owner Comments.”

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