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Nantucket Island 38
Designer: Peter Cole & Associates  ·  Builder: Ho Hsing Frp Co. Ltd., Taiwan  ·  First built: 1982
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About the Nantucket Island 38

Designed by Peter Cole & Associates and built by Taiwan's Ho Hsing Frp Co. Ltd. starting in 1982, this 37.58-foot sailboat represents solid craftsmanship from the early 1980s production era. The Nantucket Island 38 features a traditional masthead sloop rig with 681 square feet of sail area, providing balanced performance for coastal cruising and weekend adventures. With her fin keel and rudder-on-skeg configuration, the boat offers good directional stability while maintaining reasonable maneuverability in tight quarters. The 20,000-pound displacement includes 8,300 pounds of ballast, creating a stable platform that inspires confidence in moderate conditions. Her comfort ratio of 33.27 indicates a motion that favors comfort over speed, making longer passages more pleasant for crew and guests. The fiberglass construction has proven durable over the decades, while the hull's 31.75-foot waterline length generates a theoretical hull speed of 7.55 knots. The SA/Displacement ratio of 14.84 suggests moderate sailing performance with adequate power for coastal cruising. Her capsize screening formula of 1.79 indicates reasonable stability for offshore work, though she's best suited for coastal and near-shore cruising where her comfortable motion and solid construction truly shine.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 37.58 ft / 11.45 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 31.75 ft / 9.68 m
Beam 12.12 ft / 3.69 m
Max Draft 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Displacement 20,000.00 lb / 9,072 kg
Ballast 8,300.00 lb / 3,765 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 681.00 ft² / 63.27 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Peter Cole & Associates
Builder Ho Hsing FRP Co. Ltd., Taiwan
First Built 1982
Related Sailboats Odyssey 38 Cole · Panda 38 · Ericson 381 · Ericson 38 · Cc 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
 171
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
 14.84
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
 41.5
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
 278.97
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
 33.27
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
 1.79
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. 7.55 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
 1.73
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. 1,374.97 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. 14.84
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 47.50 ft / 14.48 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 16.00 ft / 4.88 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 41.50 ft / 12.65 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.50 ft / 4.42 m
SA Fore 380.00 ft² / 35.30 m²
SA Main 300.88 ft² / 27.95 m²
SA Total (100%) 680.88 ft² / 63.26 m²
Est. Forestay Length 50.12 ft / 15.28 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Type Diesel
Horsepower 42
Fuel Capacity 80 gals / 303 L
Water Capacity 110 gals / 416 L
How It Compares

vs. Cc 37, Ericson 38, Ericson 381, Odyssey 38 Cole, Panda 38

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Nantucket Island 38 ★
37.6 ft
Cc 37
37.6 ft
Ericson 38
37.7 ft
Ericson 381
37.5 ft
Odyssey 38 Cole
37.6 ft
Panda 38
37.6 ft
LWL
Nantucket Island 38 ★
31.8 ft
Cc 37
28.8 ft
Ericson 38
30.5 ft
Ericson 381
30.5 ft
Odyssey 38 Cole
31.8 ft
Panda 38
31.5 ft
Beam
Nantucket Island 38 ★
12.1 ft
Cc 37
11.7 ft
Ericson 38
12.0 ft
Ericson 381
12.0 ft
Odyssey 38 Cole
12.1 ft
Panda 38
12.0 ft
Displacement
Nantucket Island 38 ★
20 lbs
Cc 37
14 lbs
Ericson 38
14 lbs
Ericson 381
14 lbs
Odyssey 38 Cole
20 lbs
Panda 38
19 lbs
Ballast
Nantucket Island 38 ★
8 lbs
Cc 37
6 lbs
Ericson 38
5 lbs
Ericson 381
6 lbs
Odyssey 38 Cole
8 lbs
Panda 38
6 lbs
Sail Area
Nantucket Island 38 ★
681 sq ft
Cc 37
670 sq ft
Ericson 38
709 sq ft
Ericson 381
678 sq ft
Odyssey 38 Cole
681 sq ft
Panda 38
718 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
171 s/nm
Cc 37
—
Ericson 38
126 s/nm
Ericson 381
114 s/nm
Odyssey 38 Cole
—
Panda 38
162 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
14.8
Cc 37
18.3
Ericson 38
19.6
Ericson 381
18.4
Odyssey 38 Cole
14.8
Panda 38
16.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
41.5 %
Cc 37
42.0 %
Ericson 38
—
Ericson 381
43.8 %
Odyssey 38 Cole
—
Panda 38
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
33.3
Cc 37
26.7
Ericson 38
24.2
Ericson 381
24.9
Odyssey 38 Cole
33.3
Panda 38
32.2
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
1.79
Cc 37
1.93
Ericson 38
2.00
Ericson 381
1.98
Odyssey 38 Cole
1.79
Panda 38
1.80
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
278
Cc 37
268
Ericson 38
—
Ericson 381
226
Odyssey 38 Cole
—
Panda 38
—
Hull Speed
Nantucket Island 38 ★
7.6 kts
Cc 37
7.2 kts
Ericson 38
7.4 kts
Ericson 381
7.4 kts
Odyssey 38 Cole
7.6 kts
Panda 38
7.5 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Nantucket Island 38 ★
1.7
Cc 37
2.1
Ericson 38
2.7
Ericson 381
2.6
Odyssey 38 Cole
1.7
Panda 38
1.9
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