Design and Construction
The Comfortina 38 measures just over 38 feet overall, with a 31-foot waterline and an 11.5-foot beam. Its length-to-beam ratio of 3.33 provides interior volume without making the hull excessively broad.
The solid fiberglass hull and deck use laminate construction rather than a cored sandwich. A lead fin keel carries 4,850 pounds of ballast against a displacement of 14,991 pounds, giving a ballast ratio of 35 percent.
The boat has a capsize screening value of 1.88 and a motion comfort ratio of 26.0 to 26.8. Those figures put it firmly in the territory of a stable, predictable, offshore-capable cruiser rather than a twitchy dayboat. A displacement-to-length ratio of 218 earns it the classification of a “moderate racer,” while roughly 39 square meters of wetted surface helps make its theoretical displacement-hull maximum of 7.5 knots a realistic target in the right conditions.
The immersion rate is about 222 kg per centimeter (1,247 pounds per inch), so the boat settles heavily and predictably as additional load comes aboard.
Rig, Handling, and Power
The Comfortina 38 carries a fractional sloop rig. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 18.3 with the ISO reference sail, rising to 21.2 with a 135 percent genoa. That points to a boat designed to move well in a breeze without being overcanvased.
The standing and running rigging dimensions are generous for a boat of this size. Halyards are 37.5 meters long and 12 mm in diameter; the mainsheet is 29.1 meters of 14 mm line; and the jib and genoa sheets are 11.7 meters of 14 mm line. These lengths and diameters suggest a rig set up for control and endurance rather than weight-saving.
Under power, the calculated maximum speed is about 5.7 knots. A 28-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel drives through a saildrive, keeping the propeller close to the keel for reasonable tracking. The saildrive also brings the usual underwater-gear service considerations. With a draft of 6.4 feet, the boat is confined to major marinas.
Accommodation and Cruising Capacity
No direct account of the interior arrangement is available beyond the structural and hydrostatic facts. Still, an 11.5-foot beam and a 35 percent ballast ratio within a 38-foot hull argue for a saloon and berths arranged with volume to spare rather than squeezed into the available space.
Tankage is modest for extended cruising: 48 gallons of water and 26 gallons of fuel. That is consistent with a boat whose racing pedigree still influences its approach to tankage.
What can be said with confidence is that the solid fiberglass hull and deck, lead fin keel, and comfort ratio in the mid-20s describe a platform whose liveaboard character rests more on predictable motion than lavish space.
Verdict
The Comfortina 38 balances a moderate-racer displacement profile with a comfort-oriented motion index. Its fractional rig, lead fin keel, and solid-laminate construction make it a credible coastal and offshore cruiser for sailors who value race-bred proportions and a known, limited-production Scandinavian design.
Pros
- Thomas Bern design, with fewer than 200 built
- Limited-production Scandinavian cruiser-racer
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck
- Lead fin keel and 35 percent ballast ratio
- Motion Comfort Ratio of 26.0–26.8 and capsize screening value of 1.88 indicate stable, seaworthy behavior
- Fractional sloop rig with an SA/D of up to 21.2 under genoa
- Theoretical hull speed of 7.5 knots
Cons
- 6.4-foot draft restricts the boat to major marinas
- Modest 26-gallon fuel and 48-gallon water capacities for long-range cruising
- Saildrive transmission brings the usual underwater-gear service considerations
