Baltic 38 DP Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used market for a Baltic 38DP means looking at a 1980s hybrid cruiser-racer designed by Doug Peterson, with 55 built between 1982 and 1989. These are genuine racer-cruisers that balanced racing and cruising capability, and the cabins were laid out to serve both a large racing crew and a couple, so the buyer should understand the boat was conceived for crewed sailing first.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 38DP’s interior centers on a centerline ladder descending to a sole 6 feet below the deck, with a Scandinavian teak interior. The galley is to port opposite an enclosed head and chart table to starboard, and forward are the salon and dinette with a V-berth in the narrow bow area; the master stateroom is aft. Reviewers note a delightful after cabin, superb galley, and spacious saloon, though the forecabin is a little cramped due to the very fine bows. Decks were teak or finished fiberglass, and a 30-hp Yanmar diesel provides auxiliary power.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the brokerage market, teak decks, autopilot, chartplotter, solar, and inverter are commonly fitted. Often seen are heating, gennaker, asymmetric spinnaker, electric winches, hot water, swim platform, cockpit shower, AIS, EPIRB, and life raft. Less commonly seen owner upgrades include watermaker, lithium batteries, spinnaker, freezer, bimini, dodger, and radar. The boat itself carries a masthead rig with a large genoa and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.9.
What to Inspect
The documented handling caveat is that although claimed suitable for short-handed cruising, the 38DP is not really a boat for a couple to handle on their own, and the cockpit is designed for hard, crewed sailing. The narrow cockpit that can drain water quickly is a built feature for stability, but the forecabin cramped by very fine bows is an inherent layout trait rather than a defect. No structural defects are recorded in the source material beyond the IOR-driven narrow-ended hull shape.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Baltic 38DP are Canada, United States, Finland, Germany, and Spain. For a buyer, the checklist is straightforward: confirm whether teak or fiberglass decks are present, verify the 30-hp Yanmar diesel, inspect the angled-bulkhead interior for teak condition, and accept that the boat suits crewed or experienced sailing rather than pure couple short-handing.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Baltic 38 DP. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 8 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 4 | $ 97,450 | — |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $ 89,500 | -8.2% |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $ 108,952 | +21.7% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $ 99,900 | -8.3% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $ 98,952 | -0.9% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $ 97,484 | -1.5% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $ 108,952 | +11.8% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $ 108,000 | -0.9% |
Where they're listed
Baltic 38 DP listings appear across 4 countries. United States has the most listings with 4 (44.4%), followed by Finland and Canada.
Country view
9 listings · 4 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 89,500 | 4 | 1 | 44.4% |
| Finland | $ 108,952 | 3 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Canada | $ 99,900 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
| Spain | $ 97,484 | 1 | 0 | 11.1% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 38 | 40.2' | $ 34,291 | 32 | 7 |
| Baltic 38 DPYou are here | — | $ 108,000 | 11 | 2 |
| Northshore 38 | 37.99' | $ 50,803 | 11 | 0 |