Design and Construction
The hull and deck are both solid fiberglass. A ballast ratio of 47 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 295 place the 38.8 firmly among heavy cruisers. Her length-to-beam ratio is 3.16, and wetted surface measures about 516 square feet.
With her stub/centreboard keel, draft ranges from about 4.49 to 4.79 feet, depending on load. That lets her tuck into shallow marinas beyond the reach of deeper fin-keel rivals. An immersion rate of about 1,295 pounds per inch indicates a firmly planted hull that resists being pushed around by passing wakes or quartering seas.
Rig and Handling
The 38.8 has a masthead sloop rig, with a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.6 under the ISO reference sail and 20.0 with a 135 percent genoa. This places her rig among the lightest 4 percent of comparable sailboats; the review describes her as significantly underrigged.
Her capsize screening value is 1.81, which, by that formula alone, would admit her to ocean racing. The Motion Comfort Ratio is 32.2. Calculated maximum speed is about 6.2 knots, compared with a theoretical displacement-hull limit of 7.4 knots.
Running-rigging specifications include a 118-foot mainsail halyard with a half-inch diameter and a 95.6-foot mainsheet measuring 0.55 inch in diameter. Those details matter when an owner replaces running gear or re-rigs the boat.
Accommodations
The interior arrangement includes a toilet facility. Beyond that, the available material provides little detail, so the cabin plan needs to be judged in person.
The Verdict
The Bristol 38.8 is a limited-production heavy cruiser with a shoal-draft centerboard arrangement and a conservative, significantly underrigged masthead sloop rig. Her stability figures and shallow-draft flexibility are genuine strengths. The light rig and sparse information about the accommodations are the main caveats.
Pros
- Stub-and-centerboard keel provides a draft of 4.49–4.79 feet for shallow-water access
- 47 percent ballast ratio and a displacement-length ratio of 295 mark her as a true heavy cruiser
- Capsize screening value of 1.81 meets the formula threshold for ocean racing
Cons
- Significantly underrigged compared with peers, placing her among the lightest 4 percent of similar boats
- Accommodations are barely documented beyond the toilet facility
