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Moody 37
Designer: Bill Dixon  ·  Builder: Marine Projects Ltd.(Uk)  ·  First built: 1985
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About the Moody 37

Built during a brief but productive three-year run from 1985 to 1987, this Bill Dixon-designed cruiser represents British boatbuilding at its finest. Marine Projects Ltd. constructed 310 examples of this popular mid-size yacht, establishing it as a well-regarded choice among serious cruising sailors. Dixon crafted a balanced design that excels in coastal and offshore cruising applications. The moderate displacement hull paired with a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder configuration delivers reliable tracking and reasonable performance while maintaining the sturdy characteristics Moody owners expect. With a masthead sloop rig carrying 646 square feet of sail area, the boat offers manageable sail handling for couples or small crews. The yacht's impressive comfort ratio of 26.36 reflects its seaworthy nature and ability to handle challenging conditions with minimal motion, while the capsize screening formula of 1.98 indicates good stability margins for offshore passages. Her substantial 6,500-pound ballast provides reassuring stiffness under sail. This Moody appeals to sailors seeking a capable, well-built cruising platform with proven offshore credentials. The relatively short production run has made well-maintained examples increasingly sought after among discerning cruising sailors who appreciate traditional British build quality and thoughtful design execution.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 37.00 ft / 11.28 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 31.25 ft / 9.53 m
Beam 12.50 ft / 3.81 m
Max Draft 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Displacement 16,250.00 lb / 7,371 kg
Ballast 6,500.00 lb / 2,948 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 646.00 ft² / 60.02 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Bill Dixon
Builder Marine Projects Ltd.(UK)
First Built 1985
Last Built 1987
Number Built 310
Related Sailboats Oyster 37 Heritage · Passport 37 · X 372 · J/37 · Valiant 37
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 129
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.17
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 40
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 237.71
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 26.36
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.98
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.49 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.21
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,395.75 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.16
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 47.00 ft / 14.33 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 41.30 ft / 12.59 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.20 ft / 4.33 m
SA Fore 352.50 ft² / 32.75 m²
SA Main 293.23 ft² / 27.24 m²
SA Total (100%) 645.73 ft² / 59.99 m²
Est. Forestay Length 49.34 ft / 15.04 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Thornycroft
Engine Model T90
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 35
Fuel Capacity 53 gals / 201 L
Water Capacity 66 gals / 250 L
How It Compares

vs. J/37, Oyster 37 Heritage, Passport 37, Valiant 37, X 372

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Moody 37 ★
37.0 ft
J/37
37.0 ft
Oyster 37 Heritage
37.0 ft
Passport 37
37.0 ft
Valiant 37
37.0 ft
X 372
37.0 ft
LWL
Moody 37 ★
31.3 ft
J/37
30.8 ft
Oyster 37 Heritage
31.3 ft
Passport 37
29.6 ft
Valiant 37
31.6 ft
X 372
29.5 ft
Beam
Moody 37 ★
12.5 ft
J/37
12.1 ft
Oyster 37 Heritage
12.0 ft
Passport 37
11.9 ft
Valiant 37
11.5 ft
X 372
11.7 ft
Displacement
Moody 37 ★
16 lbs
J/37
12 lbs
Oyster 37 Heritage
14 lbs
Passport 37
17 lbs
Valiant 37
17 lbs
X 372
11 lbs
Ballast
Moody 37 ★
6 lbs
J/37
4 lbs
Oyster 37 Heritage
6 lbs
Passport 37
6 lbs
Valiant 37
6 lbs
X 372
4 lbs
Sail Area
Moody 37 ★
646 sq ft
J/37
641 sq ft
Oyster 37 Heritage
610 sq ft
Passport 37
673 sq ft
Valiant 37
667 sq ft
X 372
593 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Moody 37 ★
129 s/nm
J/37
75 s/nm
Oyster 37 Heritage
—
Passport 37
138 s/nm
Valiant 37
—
X 372
95 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Moody 37 ★
16.2
J/37
19.4
Oyster 37 Heritage
16.5
Passport 37
16.1
Valiant 37
16.2
X 372
19.0
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Moody 37 ★
40.0 %
J/37
40.0 %
Oyster 37 Heritage
—
Passport 37
—
Valiant 37
39.4 %
X 372
43.1 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Moody 37 ★
26.4
J/37
29.0
Oyster 37 Heritage
24.9
Passport 37
31.1
Valiant 37
30.6
X 372
20.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Moody 37 ★
1.98
J/37
1.67
Oyster 37 Heritage
1.97
Passport 37
1.84
Valiant 37
1.79
X 372
2.10
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Moody 37 ★
237
J/37
136
Oyster 37 Heritage
—
Passport 37
—
Valiant 37
240
X 372
195
Hull Speed
Moody 37 ★
7.5 kts
J/37
8.7 kts
Oyster 37 Heritage
7.5 kts
Passport 37
7.3 kts
Valiant 37
7.5 kts
X 372
7.3 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Moody 37 ★
2.2
J/37
—
Oyster 37 Heritage
—
Passport 37
1.7
Valiant 37
2.2
X 372
3.0
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