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Rival 38

Designer: Peter Brett  ·  Builder: Rival/Southern Boatbuilding Co. Ltd.  ·  First built: 1977
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About the Rival 38

Regarded as one of Britain's finest bluewater cruising yachts, the Rival 38 has earned a devoted following among serious offshore sailors since its introduction in the 1970s. Built by Rival Bowman in the UK, this vessel was designed with one purpose in mind: to take its crew safely and comfortably across oceans, and it has done exactly that on countless passages around the world. The Rival 38 carries a reputation for exceptional build quality and seaworthiness, with a robust hull form that inspires confidence in challenging conditions. Its traditional long-keel design provides directional stability and a forgiving motion at sea, making it a natural choice for extended offshore passages rather than inshore day sailing or racing. The interior is typically well-appointed for liveaboard cruising, prioritising comfort and practicality over racing weight savings. For buyers researching a capable bluewater cruiser with genuine ocean pedigree, the Rival 38 is well worth serious consideration. Examples can vary in condition and fit-out, so a thorough survey is always recommended, but the underlying design and construction reputation remains strong among the cruising community.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 37.58 ft / 11.45 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 29.50 ft / 8.99 m
Beam 11.25 ft / 3.43 m
Max Draft 5.33 ft / 1.62 m
Displacement 17,280.00 lb / 7,838 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 745.00 ft² / 69.21 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Peter Brett
Builder Rival/Southern Boatbuilding Co. Ltd.
First Built 1977
Related Sailboats Ericson 38 · Ct 38 Warwick · Panda 38 · Landfall 38 Cc · Pearson 38
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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
 141
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
 17.9
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
 33.3
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
 1.74
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. 7.28
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
 1.55
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. 1.0
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 48.4
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.33
P (Mainsail Luff) 37.6
E (Mainsail Foot) 13.75
SA Fore 346.79
SA Main 258.5
How It Compares

vs. Ct 38 Warwick, Ericson 38, Landfall 38 Cc, Panda 38, Pearson 38

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Rival 38 ★
37.6 ft
Ct 38 Warwick
37.7 ft
Ericson 38
37.7 ft
Landfall 38 Cc
37.6 ft
Panda 38
37.6 ft
Pearson 38
37.5 ft
LWL
Rival 38 ★
29.5 ft
Ct 38 Warwick
30.8 ft
Ericson 38
30.5 ft
Landfall 38 Cc
30.2 ft
Panda 38
31.5 ft
Pearson 38
29.6 ft
Beam
Rival 38 ★
11.3 ft
Ct 38 Warwick
11.5 ft
Ericson 38
12.0 ft
Landfall 38 Cc
12.0 ft
Panda 38
12.0 ft
Pearson 38
12.3 ft
Displacement
Rival 38 ★
17 lbs
Ct 38 Warwick
16 lbs
Ericson 38
14 lbs
Landfall 38 Cc
16 lbs
Panda 38
19 lbs
Pearson 38
15 lbs
Ballast
Rival 38 ★
—
Ct 38 Warwick
7 lbs
Ericson 38
5 lbs
Landfall 38 Cc
6 lbs
Panda 38
6 lbs
Pearson 38
6 lbs
Sail Area
Rival 38 ★
745 sq ft
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
709 sq ft
Landfall 38 Cc
648 sq ft
Panda 38
718 sq ft
Pearson 38
655 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Rival 38 ★
141 s/nm
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
126 s/nm
Landfall 38 Cc
—
Panda 38
162 s/nm
Pearson 38
—
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Rival 38 ★
17.9
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
19.6
Landfall 38 Cc
15.9
Panda 38
16.2
Pearson 38
17.2
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Rival 38 ★
—
Ct 38 Warwick
44.9 %
Ericson 38
—
Landfall 38 Cc
38.9 %
Panda 38
—
Pearson 38
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Rival 38 ★
33.3
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
24.2
Landfall 38 Cc
29.1
Panda 38
32.2
Pearson 38
25.9
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Rival 38 ★
1.74
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
2.00
Landfall 38 Cc
1.88
Panda 38
1.80
Pearson 38
2.00
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Rival 38 ★
—
Ct 38 Warwick
255
Ericson 38
—
Landfall 38 Cc
271
Panda 38
—
Pearson 38
—
Hull Speed
Rival 38 ★
7.3 kts
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
7.4 kts
Landfall 38 Cc
7.4 kts
Panda 38
7.5 kts
Pearson 38
7.3 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Rival 38 ★
1.6
Ct 38 Warwick
—
Ericson 38
2.7
Landfall 38 Cc
1.9
Panda 38
1.9
Pearson 38
—
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