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Seafarer 38C
Designer: Philip L. Rhodes  ·  Builder: Seafarer Yachts  ·  First built: 1972
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About the Seafarer 38C

Designed by renowned naval architect Philip L. Rhodes and built by Seafarer Yachts beginning in 1972, this classic cutter represents traditional blue-water cruising at its finest. Rhodes, famous for his seaworthy offshore designs, created a vessel that prioritizes safety and comfort over speed, evident in the boat's substantial displacement of 16,500 pounds and long keel configuration. The 37.75-foot overall length provides generous interior volume while maintaining manageable size for a cruising couple. Her cutter rig offers excellent sail handling flexibility, allowing sailors to reduce sail area progressively in deteriorating conditions while maintaining balance. The long keel design, though sacrificing some maneuverability in tight quarters, delivers exceptional directional stability and seakindly motion in rough seas. With a comfort ratio of 36.6, this boat excels at extended offshore passages where crew comfort becomes paramount. The capsize screening formula of 1.65 indicates good stability characteristics for ocean sailing, while the moderate sail area to displacement ratio suggests she's built more for steady progress than speed records. Her fiberglass construction ensures durability with reasonable maintenance requirements, making her an attractive choice for serious cruisers seeking a proven offshore platform with classic styling and dependable performance.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 37.75 ft / 11.51 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 27.25 ft / 8.31 m
Beam 10.50 ft / 3.20 m
Max Draft 4.50 ft / 1.37 m
Displacement 16,500.00 lb / 7,484 kg
Ballast 5,500.00 lb / 2,495 kg
Ballast Type Lead
Sail Area (Reported) 489.00 ft² / 45.43 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Long Keel
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Philip L. Rhodes
Builder Seafarer Yachts
First Built 1972
Related Sailboats Rhodes 38 Seafarer · Seafarer 38 Ketch · Shannon 38 · Irwin 38 1 · Ericson 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
 194
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
 12.12
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
 33.33
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
 364.03
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
 36.6
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
 1.65
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. 7.00 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
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. 1,022.36 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. 12.11
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 36.80 ft / 11.22 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.70 ft / 4.48 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 31.20 ft / 9.51 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.00 ft / 4.27 m
SA Fore 270.48 ft² / 25.13 m²
SA Main 218.40 ft² / 20.29 m²
SA Total (100%) 488.88 ft² / 45.42 m²
Est. Forestay Length 39.63 ft / 12.08 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Perkins
Engine Model 108
Engine Type Diesel
Fuel Capacity 60 gals / 227 L
Water Capacity 150 gals / 568 L
How It Compares

vs. Ericson 38, Irwin 38 1, Rhodes 38 Seafarer, Seafarer 38 Ketch, Shannon 38

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Seafarer 38C ★
37.8 ft
Ericson 38
37.7 ft
Irwin 38 1
37.8 ft
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
37.8 ft
Seafarer 38 Ketch
37.8 ft
Shannon 38
37.8 ft
LWL
Seafarer 38C ★
27.3 ft
Ericson 38
30.5 ft
Irwin 38 1
27.5 ft
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
27.3 ft
Seafarer 38 Ketch
27.3 ft
Shannon 38
30.8 ft
Beam
Seafarer 38C ★
10.5 ft
Ericson 38
12.0 ft
Irwin 38 1
10.5 ft
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
10.5 ft
Seafarer 38 Ketch
10.5 ft
Shannon 38
11.5 ft
Displacement
Seafarer 38C ★
16 lbs
Ericson 38
14 lbs
Irwin 38 1
15 lbs
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
16 lbs
Seafarer 38 Ketch
16 lbs
Shannon 38
18 lbs
Ballast
Seafarer 38C ★
5 lbs
Ericson 38
5 lbs
Irwin 38 1
6 lbs
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
5 lbs
Seafarer 38 Ketch
5 lbs
Shannon 38
6 lbs
Sail Area
Seafarer 38C ★
489 sq ft
Ericson 38
709 sq ft
Irwin 38 1
610 sq ft
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
489 sq ft
Seafarer 38 Ketch
659 sq ft
Shannon 38
703 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Seafarer 38C ★
194 s/nm
Ericson 38
126 s/nm
Irwin 38 1
138 s/nm
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
—
Seafarer 38 Ketch
—
Shannon 38
159 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Seafarer 38C ★
12.1
Ericson 38
19.6
Irwin 38 1
15.8
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
12.1
Seafarer 38 Ketch
16.3
Shannon 38
16.1
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Seafarer 38C ★
33.3 %
Ericson 38
—
Irwin 38 1
—
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
33.3 %
Seafarer 38 Ketch
33.3 %
Shannon 38
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Seafarer 38C ★
36.6
Ericson 38
24.2
Irwin 38 1
34.0
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
36.6
Seafarer 38 Ketch
36.6
Shannon 38
33.6
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Seafarer 38C ★
1.65
Ericson 38
2.00
Irwin 38 1
1.69
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
1.65
Seafarer 38 Ketch
1.65
Shannon 38
1.74
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Seafarer 38C ★
364
Ericson 38
—
Irwin 38 1
—
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
364
Seafarer 38 Ketch
364
Shannon 38
—
Hull Speed
Seafarer 38C ★
7.0 kts
Ericson 38
7.4 kts
Irwin 38 1
7.0 kts
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
7.0 kts
Seafarer 38 Ketch
7.0 kts
Shannon 38
7.4 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Seafarer 38C ★
1.0
Ericson 38
2.7
Irwin 38 1
1.5
Rhodes 38 Seafarer
1.0
Seafarer 38 Ketch
1.2
Shannon 38
1.8
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