Built by Arcona Yachts, the 380 and its successor sit squarely in the Swedish yard’s modern performance-cruiser lineage. Both suit sailors who value clean hull lines and an engaged helm.
Design and Construction
The 380 has a modern European profile, with minimal sheer and a plumb bow and stern. Its keel structure is built around a bulb attached to a galvanized steel beam that runs lengthwise down the hull and is glassed in place to absorb dynamic loads.
The surrounding structure is substantial. Unidirectional glass reinforces the entire area up to the chainplates, while Divinycell cores most of the remaining hull. Rather than being set into a liner, the bulkheads are laminated directly to the deck and hull.
The later 385 carries the same philosophy forward. A galvanized steel cradle at its heart takes all rig, mast, and keel loads, ensuring the boat is strong, stiff, and responsive. Its lay-up uses a 20mm Divinycell foam core with vacuum infusion. Arcona also keeps weight central rather than pushing tankage and stowage toward the ends, reflecting the boats’ performance-first brief.
Rig, Deck Layout, and Handling
On the 380, the shrouds sit outboard on the rail, while short genoa tracks are mounted well inboard. This arrangement produces tacking angles as narrow as 32 degrees to the wind.
The primary genoa winches and secondary spinnaker winches sit on the cockpit coaming. Two cabintop winches handle the halyards and sail controls. A cockpit traveller controls the mainsheet, although testers noted that the falls can catch the unwary during a gybe.
Yachting Monthly’s test sailors found that the 380 positively flies upwind. They also reported that her structural stiffness and ballast distribution let her carry full canvas when other boats are reefing. Off the wind, she glided regally and accelerated under the helmsman’s complete control.
The magazine called the 380 the benchmark among performance cruisers for sailors who genuinely enjoy sailing. That available power also means she isn’t a boat for beginners.
Accommodation and Stowage
The 380’s standard layout has a V-berth forward, twin aft cabins, and a saloon with a two-leaf dining table. The table seats six and includes built-in bottle storage. The chart table folds back, converting the starboard settee into a 6-foot 6-inch berth, while maximum headroom is 6 feet 3 inches.
A two-cabin version replaces the second aft cabin with an enclosed shower and provides markedly more stowage. That choice addresses one of the standard three-cabin boat’s main practical limitations.
Testers praised the 380’s L-shaped galley as a fine example, with good stowage and ventilation. Elsewhere, however, they found stowage limited to outboard lockers and the slender space beneath the sole. They also noted that the aft cabins are a little tight.
The 385 has three cabins as standard, with an optional two-cabin layout that includes a separate shower. Its generous saloon uses the full 3.8m beam and is intended for entertaining. Wide side decks and a spacious cockpit add room on deck.
A larger hull and larger coachroof windows bring more natural light below on the 385. Its open transom also admits more light into the cabins while providing accessible lazarette stowage.
Cockpit and Equipment
Both models favor twin wheels. On the 380, they’re mounted on angled pedestals, with a chartplotter display at each station. The 385 uses carbon wheels and adds a larger instrument panel above the companionway to accommodate bigger helm instruments.
The 380’s dodger folds into a cabintop coaming that curves around the companionway hatch. A simple walk-through leads aft to a bathing step and ladder. The center of the transom is open and steps down to a swimstep; the 385 develops this feature into a standardized open transom.
A windlass and bow roller are optional on the 380. Propane is stowed forward in the anchor locker.
Known Considerations
Period reviews repeatedly return to the 380’s temperament. It is a beautifully engineered, refined sports tourer with plenty of power. Sailors who know the boat can control that power readily, but it may intimidate newer sailors. The mainsheet traveller geometry also requires attention during gybes.
Stowage is the other recurring practical caveat. It is limited in the standard three-cabin 380, and the issue is resolved only by choosing the two-cabin version.
The Verdict
The Arcona 380 and 385 are serious performance cruisers from a Swedish builder with a clear design approach: centrally concentrated weight, a stiff glassed-in steel backbone, and a helm that rewards an active sailor. They are fastest and most composed in the hands of a couple or crew who already know how to sail. Their accommodation trade-offs favor light and speed over volume.
Pros
- Stiff, responsive hull with a glassed-in steel keel beam and Divinycell-cored structure
- Narrow tacking angles and excellent upwind pace for a 37-footer
- Generous natural light and the practicality of an open transom on the 385
- Strong performance-cruiser pedigree from Stefan Qviberg
Cons
- Limited stowage in the standard three-cabin layout
- Available power makes the boats less forgiving for novice owners
- Mainsheet traveller falls can catch the unwary during a gybe
