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Northeast 38 1
Designer: William Tripp Jr.  ·  Builder: Le Comte (Ned)  ·  First built: 1962
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About the Northeast 38 1

Designed by the renowned William Tripp Jr. and built by Ned Le Comte, this rare 38-footer represents a brief but notable chapter in 1960s sailboat design. With only 20 hulls produced between 1962 and 1965, the Northeast 38 1 stands as a collector's piece from sailing's golden era. The design showcases Tripp's signature approach to balanced performance cruising, featuring a moderate fin keel configuration that delivers respectable sailing characteristics while maintaining reasonable comfort. Her 16,000-pound displacement and 6,000 pounds of ballast create a stability profile well-suited for coastal cruising and weekend adventures, though the relatively conservative comfort ratio suggests she's happiest in moderate conditions. The masthead sloop rig provides straightforward sail handling, while the fiberglass construction with Airex-cored deck was progressive for its time, offering durability and reduced weight aloft. Her 26.67-foot waterline generates a theoretical hull speed approaching 7 knots, making for pleasant coastal passages. Given her vintage pedigree and limited production numbers, finding a Northeast 38 1 today represents an opportunity to own a piece of sailing history. She's ideally suited for sailors seeking a classic boat with good manners for coastal exploration and club racing, though any prospective owner should expect the maintenance considerations that come with a 60-year-old vessel.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 38.25 ft / 11.66 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 26.67 ft / 8.13 m
Beam 10.92 ft / 3.33 m
Max Draft 5.33 ft / 1.62 m
Displacement 16,000.00 lb / 7,257 kg
Ballast 6,000.00 lb / 2,722 kg
Ballast Type lead
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin Keel
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG w/airex cored deck
Designer William Tripp Jr.
Builder Le Comte (NED)
First Built 1962
Last Built 1965
Number Built 20
Associations LeComte Owners Web Site
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
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
37.5
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
1.13
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 40.80 ft / 12.44 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 13.80 ft / 4.21 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 35.30 ft / 10.76 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 17.50 ft / 5.33 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Universal
Engine Model Atomic 4
Engine Type Gas
Horsepower 30
How It Compares

vs. Northeast 38 3, Sigma 38 Ss, Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Northeast 38 1 ★
38.3 ft
Northeast 38 3
38.3 ft
Sigma 38 Ss
38.3 ft
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
38.3 ft
LWL
Northeast 38 1 ★
26.7 ft
Northeast 38 3
26.7 ft
Sigma 38 Ss
27.5 ft
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
28.7 ft
Beam
Northeast 38 1 ★
10.9 ft
Northeast 38 3
10.9 ft
Sigma 38 Ss
10.3 ft
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
11.6 ft
Displacement
Northeast 38 1 ★
16 lbs
Northeast 38 3
13 lbs
Sigma 38 Ss
19 lbs
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
18 lbs
Ballast
Northeast 38 1 ★
6 lbs
Northeast 38 3
Sigma 38 Ss
6 lbs
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
7 lbs
Sail Area
Northeast 38 1 ★
Northeast 38 3
628 sq ft
Sigma 38 Ss
662 sq ft
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Northeast 38 1 ★
Northeast 38 3
18.2
Sigma 38 Ss
14.9
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Northeast 38 1 ★
37.5 %
Northeast 38 3
Sigma 38 Ss
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
38.8 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Northeast 38 1 ★
Northeast 38 3
27.6
Sigma 38 Ss
43.1
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Northeast 38 1 ★
Northeast 38 3
1.86
Sigma 38 Ss
1.54
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
Hull Speed
Northeast 38 1 ★
Northeast 38 3
6.9 kts
Sigma 38 Ss
7.0 kts
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Northeast 38 1 ★
1.1
Northeast 38 3
1.8
Sigma 38 Ss
1.0
Swan 38 Ss 1 Ton
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