Design and Construction
The Moorings 38 is a solid-fiberglass monohull carrying a fin keel and spade rudder, with a masthead sloop rig above. At roughly 37.67 feet overall and a beam of 12.67 feet, the hull draws a relatively shallow 5.25 feet, a deliberate charter-friendly choice that keeps her accessible to shallow anchorages without sacrificing the stability of a 14,000-pound displacement hull. The shallow draft and the First 38s5-derived hull form together explain why the boat feels more like a performance cruiser than a typical bareboat: the underlying shape was conceived for speed before it was softened for the charter market.
Rig and Handling
Her masthead sloop rig sits atop a hull that, at around 14,000 pounds displacement with that 12.67-foot beam, balances volume against a manageable sail plan for short-handed charter crews. The spade rudder and fin keel combination, inherited from the First 38s5 platform, gives predictable steering and the sort of maneuverability that matters in tight marina approaches. The relatively shallow 5.25-foot draft further reduces grounding anxiety in the cruising grounds where these boats spent their working lives.
Accommodations
Below, the Moorings 38 typically offers a three-cabin, one-head layout with about 6'2" headroom, a sensible arrangement for a charter boat moving six people through a week of island sailing. The L-shaped galley is equipped for multi-day cruises, with refrigeration, a stove/oven, and good storage, positioning the cooking space to stay functional under way. The deep, protected cockpit offers shelter while underway, a trait that translates directly into owner comfort on a coastal passage.
Power and Systems
Propulsion comes from an inboard diesel normally falling in the 27 to 40 HP Yanmar range, backed by a fuel capacity around 40 gallons. That tankage, generous for a 38-foot cruiser of this era, supports extended range between fuel stops and reflects the boat's origins as a self-sufficient charter vessel rather than a weekend racer.
The Verdict
The Moorings 38 is a charter-derived cruiser with a genuine performance pedigree, borrowing a First 38s5 hull and wrapping it in a three-cabin package built for warm-water cruising. The solid-fiberglass construction and practical galley and cockpit make her a sensible used-cruiser candidate where shallow draft and volume matter more than bluewater extremism.
Pros
- First 38s5-derived hull gives real performance cruiser DNA
- Relatively shallow 5.25-foot draft eases anchoring in cruising grounds
- Three-cabin, one-head layout with 6'2" headroom suits families or charter use
- Around 40-gallon fuel capacity is generous for the size
Cons
- Built only 1990–1992, a short production run
- Single head limits privacy for larger crews
