The West Indies 38 Morgan is designed for cruising comfort rather than racing.
Hull Speed
The theoretical displacement-mode speed limit — determined by waterline length, not engine or sail power.
7.6 kts
A displacement hull pushes a bow wave whose speed is limited by the waterline length.
With a waterline of 32.5′, the West Indies 38 Morgan tops out around 7.6 knots in displacement mode — after that, the bow wave outruns the hull and resistance climbs steeply.
1.34 × √32.5′ LWL = 7.6 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
152s/nm
Typical cruiser — designed for comfort and ease, not podium finishes.
Ballast / Displacement
44.1%
Stiff enough to carry a big genoa comfortably into moderate breeze.
Displacement / Length
221
Moderate — a good balance of speed and load-carrying ability.
Hull Speed
7.6kts
Pounds/Inch Immersion
8lbs
Weight needed to sink the hull one inch — loading sensitivity.
PHRF Fleet Position
Where the West Indies 38 Morgan sits on the PHRF handicap spectrum — lower numbers mean faster boats.
Catalina 38
West Indies 38 Morgan
Typical cruiser — designed for comfort and ease, not podium finishes.
Cabo Rico 38
Ingrid 38
How It Compares
Side-by-side with the boats most often cross-shopped against the West Indies 38 Morgan.
| West Indies 38 Morgan | Cabo Rico 38 | Catalina 38 | Downeaster 38 | Ingrid 38 | Islander 38 C | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | ||||||
| LOA | 38.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 | 38.0 |
| LWL | 32.5 | 29.3 | 31.5 | 29.0 | 32.0 | 27.5 |
| Beam | 12.0 | 11.5 | 12.2 | 11.8 | 11.3 | 12.0 |
| Displacement | 17 | 21 | 16 | 19 | 26 | 17 |
| Ballast | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 |
| Sail Area | — | — | 665 | 735 | 815 | 673 |
| Performance | ||||||
| PHRF | 152 | 180 | 114 | — | 213 | — |
| SA/Disp | — | — | 16.7 | 16.3 | 14.9 | 16.4 |
| Bal/Disp | 44.1 | 37.1 | 42.8 | — | 30.8 | 45.3 |
| Comfort | — | — | 26.3 | 35.4 | 46.9 | 31.3 |
| Capsize | — | — | 1.94 | 1.76 | 1.53 | 1.87 |
| Hull Speed | — | — | 7.5 | 7.2 | 7.6 | 7.0 |