Caliber 38 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Caliber 38 means looking at a McCreary-designed, Caliber Yachts-built 38-foot cruiser from a 1987 start of production, aimed at offshore couples rather than weekend racers. The boat's heavy-cruiser credentials and safety structure make it a common alternative to the Pacific Seacraft 37 or Cabo Rico 38 for buyers who want a linerless solid-glass hull without the price of a custom yard.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common version afloat, though the two-cabin layout exists, and ex-charter boats turn up regularly. Both plans share the 12.67-foot beam and 156-gallon water capacity that let a couple live aboard and cruise without constant replenishment. The direct-drive Yanmar diesel of 44 horsepower and 46-gallon fuel capacity are standard; the fin keel draws about 4.92 to 5.22 feet by load, so most marinas are reachable.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Well-equipped used Caliber 38s commonly carry solar, an inverter, and a chartplotter as the energy and navigation core, with autopilot and radar often part of the same cockpit setup. Canvas and sail handling usually include a bimini and dinghy davits, and electric winches are a common fitting that matters for shorthanded crews. Air conditioning and heating are commonly fitted for liveaboard comfort, while lithium batteries and an AIS transponder are often seen upgrades. A wind generator or asymmetric spinnaker shows up as an owner upgrade rather than standard, as does hot water.
What to Inspect
The linerless interior means bulkheads should be examined where they bond to the solid fiberglass hull, since there is no pan to hide separation. Check the Water-Tight Rudder Dam and triple-support rudder bearing points for any sign of steering-post leakage, and confirm the forward collision bulkhead is intact. The deck is solid fiberglass, so test for soft spots around heavily loaded hardware where water might have entered.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The Caliber 38 is typically found in the United States and Turkey. For a buyer, the short list is: confirm the three-cabin or two-cabin layout matches your plans, verify the solar-inverter-autopilot cluster works, inspect the rudder dam and bulkhead bonds, and budget for an AIS or lithium upgrade if missing.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Caliber 38. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 11 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 2 | $77,500 | — |
| Jun 25 | 1 | $94,000 | +21.3% |
| Jul 25 | 1 | $67,050 | -28.7% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $99,000 | +47.7% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $69,500 | -29.8% |
| Feb 26 | 3 | $99,900 | +43.7% |
| Mar 26 | 4 | $78,500 | -21.4% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $81,787 | +4.2% |
| May 26 | 1 | $84,500 | +3.3% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $79,000 | -6.5% |
| Aug 26 | 3 | $78,500 | -0.6% |
Where they're listed
Caliber 38 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 16 (94.1%), followed by Turkey.
Country view
17 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $83,250 | 16 | 3 | 94.1% |
| Turkey | $81,574 | 1 | 0 | 5.9% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabo Rico 38 | 38' | $ 89,000 | 25 | 7 |
| Caliber 38You are here | — | $ 81,787 | 18 | 4 |
| Sabre 38 Mk II | 38.67' | $ 60,000 | 17 | 1 |
| Caliber 33 | 32.5' | $ 43,950 | 12 | 6 |
| Laurent Giles 38 | 38.83' | $ 51,158 | 11 | 4 |
| Morgan 38 | 37.67' | $ 69,000 | 5 | 1 |
| Endurance 38 | 37' | $ 87,400 | 4 | 0 |