Design Brief & Intent
The Comfort 38 MS was conceived as a true liveaboard and long-distance passage maker for cruisers who refuse to let the weather dictate their schedule. Unlike standard sailboats of its era that offered cramped, damp quarters, this vessel prioritizes volume, shelter, and comfort. It was designed to compete directly with European heavyweights like the Nauticat 38 and the Finnsailer 38, as well as domestic competitors like the Islander 37 MS. The design stands out because of its dual-helm configuration: an exterior cockpit wheel for pleasant days, and a fully sheltered internal helm inside the raised pilothouse for navigating through cold, driving rain.
Stepping below deck reveals the hallmarks of Taiwan’s golden era of yacht building. The interior is a showcase of heavy, hand-joined teak cabinetry, satin finishes, and solid teak-and-holly cabin soles. The layout typically features two private staterooms and a remarkably spacious head. Because C&L designed this boat around the realities of extended cruising, they integrated massive tankage: a fuel capacity of 264 gallons and a freshwater capacity of 160 gallons. These capacities are nearly unheard of on a standard 38-foot sailboat and allow for a cruising range under power that exceeds 1,000 nautical miles, making the vessel uniquely suited for the remote channels of the Pacific Northwest or the Inside Passage to Alaska.
Sailing Performance & Handling
Evaluating the Comfort 38 MS under sail requires shifting one’s expectations away from racing performance and toward predictable, comfortable transit. With a displacement of 21,000 pounds and a modest sail area, the boat’s sail area-to-displacement ratio rests at a conservative 11.81. This low figure confirms that the boat is significantly under-canvased for light-air sailing. In winds under 12 knots, the hull is sluggish and struggles to overcome its own surface resistance, usually requiring the assistance of its 65-horsepower Ford Lehman diesel engine.
However, when the breeze stiffens to 15 knots and beyond, the masthead ketch rig comes alive. The split rig configuration provides a highly balanced, easily managed sail plan that can be adjusted to suit shifting conditions, allowing short-handed crews to comfortable sail "jib and jigger" in a gale.
The boat’s underwater profile features a traditional full keel, which works in tandem with a hefty displacement-to-length ratio of 295.14. This produces excellent tracking ability, meaning the boat will hold its course with minimal helm correction even when running downwind in a swell. With a comfort ratio of 32.46, the Comfort 38 MS offers an incredibly soft ride, dampening the jarring motions of a choppy sea and keeping crew fatigue to a minimum on long passages. Its capsize screening formula of 1.86 places it well below the ocean-passing safety threshold of 2.0, affirming that despite its tall pilothouse profile and high freeboard, the vessel carries its ballast low and possesses excellent ultimate stability.
Known Issues & Triage
As with many Taiwanese-built vessels from the early 1980s, potential buyers and current owners must watch for specific structural and material issues that stem from the construction standards of that era. The most prevalent issue concerns the teak decks. C&L Marine typically laid teak planks over a fiberglass deck structure using thousands of individual screws. Over decades, as the deck seams and screw bungs degrade, water finds its way down the screws and into the plywood or balsa deck core. Triage requires scanning the deck with a moisture meter and listening for hollow sounds with a mallet; repairing a rotten core is a highly labor-intensive process that often culminates in stripping the teak entirely, filling the screw holes, and finishing the deck with non-skid fiberglass.
Another significant issue relates to the massive 264-gallon fuel tanks. The original tanks were typically made of black iron or aluminum and situated deep in the bilge, under the engine room or cabin sole. Over more than forty years, condensation and trapped moisture can cause severe external pitting and internal corrosion. Because of the boat's tight layout, replacing these tanks is a notorious task that frequently requires cutting away sections of the cabin sole or dismantling the surrounding teak joinery.
Additionally, the dual-helm steering system relies on a network of cables, chains, or hydraulic lines that link the inner and outer steering wheels. These linkages are prone to cable stretch, hydraulic seal failure, or overall mechanical play, which can lead to unresponsive handling at the helm. Finally, the large windows that define the pilothouse are prone to frame flexing and sealant degradation. Regular inspection of the window tracks and the teak paneling directly below them is necessary to catch leaks before they cause structural wood rot in the bulkheads.
Modernization & Upgrades
Owners who commit to keeping these classic motorsailers seaworthy usually focus their refit budgets on electrical independence and drivetrain reliability. The original 65-horsepower Ford Lehman diesel is a legendary, slow-revving workhorse, but finding specialized replacement parts has become more difficult. Many owners choose to systematically rebuild the cooling systems, replacing old heat exchangers and exhaust elbows, while others opt to re-power the boat with a modern, fuel-efficient 70-to-80-horsepower Yanmar or Beta Marine diesel to secure peace of mind on long-distance passages.
On the electrical side, the house load demands of modern cruisers have prompted many owners to abandon lead-acid batteries in favor of lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) systems. The flat roof of the pilothouse provides an ideal, unshaded platform for mounting rigid solar panels, which can easily supply enough power to run refrigeration, autopilot systems, and modern electronics without the need to run a generator. Lastly, removing the high-maintenance exterior teak decks and replacing them with a modern synthetic teak or a painted non-skid coating is one of the most common, value-retaining upgrades performed on these boats today.
The Verdict
The C&L Comfort 38 MS is a robust, niche cruising platform designed for sailors who value comfort, shelter, and long-range self-sufficiency over speed and agility. It is a floating cottage built to tackle cold climates, providing its crew with a warm, dry helm and a spacious interior that feels much larger than its 38 feet. While it requires significant wind to perform under sail alone and demands a disciplined maintenance routine to preserve its extensive teak and vintage systems, it remains an incredibly capable cruiser for those seeking adventure in high latitudes.
Pros
- Dual-helm pilothouse configuration offers superb, dry, all-weather comfort
- Exceptional fuel and water capacities provide unmatched cruising range under power
- Heavy hull displacement and a full keel deliver an incredibly sea-kindly and stable ride
- Rich, high-quality teak interior joinery creates a warm and highly liveable cabin environment
- Predictable and easily balanced masthead ketch sail plan is well-suited for shorthanded crews
Cons
- Sluggish sailing performance in light winds, making the engine necessary in calm conditions
- High windage from the tall pilothouse and topsides can make docking in crosswinds challenging
- High risk of costly, high-effort deck core and fuel tank remediation due to age and original build methods
- Rare production run makes sourcing model-specific structural parts and sistership advice difficult
