Centurion 38 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Wauquiez built the Centurion 38 with a solid fiberglass hull and offered two distinct lead-keel configurations. The deep-keel version draws about 7.05 to 7.35 feet, depending on load, restricting it to major marinas. The shallower fin-keel version draws just 4.79 to 5.09 feet and can enter even shallow harbours.

More than any single specification, this choice defines how an individual boat will behave. The deep keel is the bluewater profile; the fin keel suits Mediterranean and estuary cruising.

The Centurion 38 displaces 20,200 pounds and carries 6,300 pounds of lead ballast, for a ballast ratio near 35 percent. Its length-to-beam ratio is 2.92, relatively narrow for its era, and its wetted surface is about 462 square feet. The 249 kg/cm immersion rate—roughly 1,397 pounds per inch—means the boat loads heavily for every added pound of gear and water.

With a 31-foot waterline and a theoretical hull speed of 7.5 knots, the Centurion 38 is a true displacement hull.

Rig and Handling

Ed Dubois gave the Centurion 38 a masthead sloop rig with a comparatively modest sail plan. It carries more rig than only about a third of similar sailboats, making it slightly underrigged for its class. That’s less a defect than a Dubois calibration: the design relies on hull form rather than sail area for its performance envelope. It rewards clean balance over brute power, although it won’t ghost through the lightest airs as readily as a larger-roached competitor might.

The standing- and running-rigging dimensions are well established. All three halyards—mainsail, genoa, and spinnaker—are about 120.5 feet long and half an inch in diameter. Sheet lengths vary: the jib and genoa sheets are 37.6 feet, the mainsheet is 93.9 feet, and the spinnaker sheet is 82.6 feet. Both the mainsheet and spinnaker sheet are 0.55 inch in diameter.

Accommodations and Tankage

Wauquiez produced the Centurion 38 in a small series of 24 hulls. The builder offered owner three-cabin layouts, while other arrangements can also be found on the used market.

The boat has a 12-foot-6-inch beam, 66 gallons of water capacity, and a comparatively small 25-gallon diesel tank. Those proportions suggest a cruiser oriented toward weeks aboard rather than long motoring ranges. Beyond that, the available material doesn’t describe the interior finish, so the boat is best judged here by its hull and rig rather than by undocumented accommodation details.

Known Issues and Limitations

No structural defects, osmotic blistering, or rigging failures specific to the Centurion 38 design are reported in the available material. Its principal caveats are inherent in the design rather than fault-based.

The deep-keel version’s 7-foot-plus draft restricts access to major marinas. The modest sail plan also limits light-air drive compared with a larger-roached competitor. For crews planning extended motoring, the 25-gallon fuel capacity is a genuine limitation.

The small production run creates another practical concern: with only 24 boats built, spares and survey familiarity are thinner than they are for a mainstream cruiser.

Refits and Ownership

Most examples from this 24-boat series have been through at least one refit cycle. A Volvo Penta inboard diesel is the standard auxiliary, and the documented halyard and sheet lengths make rigging renewal a measured, predictable job rather than a guessing exercise.

The deep- and fin-keel variants share the same basic deck and rig, so many upgrades apply to both. On any individual boat, the keel configuration it was built with is more often the limiting factor than the condition of components that can be replaced.

The Verdict

The Centurion 38 is a narrowly drawn Dubois cruiser from a short, deliberate production run. It’s a boat to choose for a specific keel and a specific kind of sailing, not for universal appeal. The deep keel is the offshore statement; the fin keel is the pragmatic choice for shallow water.

Either way, the Centurion 38 offers a solid, lead-ballasted fiberglass hull, a coherent masthead rig, and a small but identifiable presence on the water.

Pros