The Sabre 38 is and respectable in club racing.
Hull Speed
The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.
7.5 kts
A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length.
With a waterline of 31.2′, the Sabre 38 tops out around 7.5 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √31.2′ LWL = 7.5 kts
Performance Ratios
Racing handicap, sail-carrying power, stability and comfort — and what each one actually tells you about a day on the water.
PHRF Rating
114s/nm
Cruiser/racer — competitive in club racing, comfortable cruising.
Ballast / Displacement
42.1%
Stiff enough to carry a big genoa comfortably into moderate breeze.
Displacement / Length
224
Moderate — a good balance of speed and load-carrying ability.
Hull Speed
7.5kts
Pounds/Inch Immersion
8lbs
Weight needed to sink the hull one inch — loading sensitivity.
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the Sabre 38 sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Peterson 38
Centurion 38
Sabre 38
Cruiser/racer — competitive in club racing, comfortable cruising.
Moody 376
Shannon 37
How It Compares
Side-by-side with the boats most often cross-shopped against the Sabre 38.
| Sabre 38 | Centurion 38 | Hallberg Rassy 38 | Moody 376 | Peterson 38 | Shannon 37 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||||||
| LOA | 37.8 | 37.7 | 38.0 | 37.8 | 37.8 | 37.8 |
| LWL | 31.2 | 31.2 | 31.2 | 31.2 | 31.5 | 30.8 |
| Beam | 11.5 | 12.5 | 11.4 | 12.5 | 12.1 | 11.5 |
| Displacement | 15 | 20 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 17 |
| Ballast | 6 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 6 |
| Sail Area | — | 682 | 651 | 648 | 720 | 751 |
| Performance | ||||||
| PHRF | 114 | 108 | — | 129 | 90 | 195 |
| SA/Disp | — | 14.8 | 14.8 | 16.2 | 19.4 | 17.9 |
| Bal/Disp | 42.1 | 31.2 | 43.5 | 40.0 | 48.3 | — |
| Comfort | — | 32.5 | 34.0 | 26.2 | 24.3 | 31.8 |
| Capsize | — | 1.84 | 1.72 | 1.98 | 1.99 | 1.78 |
| Hull Speed | — | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 7.4 |