Design and Construction
What defines the 38s at first glance is her centrecockpit arrangement, which the period press noted allows for a spacious aft cabin — a layout choice that trades a midships salon volume for private quarters aft. She majors in solid, heavy displacement at 18,716lb, and her standard shallow winged keel gives a draught of just 4ft 6in, a deliberate concession to shoal waters and easy ground handling. Yachting Monthly described her plainly as a typical Contest of the early 1980s, and the substantial hull and deck presence reflect that yard's pre-infusion construction philosophy of the period typical Contest of the early 1980s.
Rig and Handling
The 38s was offered rigged as a ketch or a sloop, giving owners a choice between divided sail plans for easier short-handed control and a more conventional rig. Reviewers credited her with easy handling for family crews, a quality consistent with the moderate sail plan and the reassuring heavy displacement that keeps motion predictable. The shallow winged keel and skeg-hung rudder combine with the heavy displacement to produce a boat that is forgiving rather than twitchy, suited to couples or families who value predictability over sparkling performance.
Accommodations
Below, the 38s carries a substantially fitted interior that rewards careful inspection more than first impressions. The saloon looks small but has ample stowage, a useful trait on long passages where gear accumulates. The centrecockpit layout yields a spacious aft cabin with single and double bunks and a small en suite heads, while the main heads sits forward and the forecabin is rather cramped by comparison. The excellent galley and huge chart table are standout workstations, the latter a serious navigator's desk that speaks to the boat's bluewater intent. These spaces collectively argue for a boat equipped for extended cruising with a small crew.
Refits and Ownership
With production ending in 1992, surviving 38s have now seen decades of service, and the substantially fitted interior and solid construction give a sound basis for refit. The ketch option in particular lends itself to re-balancing sail plans as rigging ages. Owners shopping a specific hull should look for documented history rather than assume condition from the marque, as the yard's later vacuum-infusion advances postdate this model and do not apply to her build.
The Verdict
The Contest 38s is a thoughtfully laid-out centre-cockpit cruiser whose heavy displacement and shallow winged keel prioritize stability and access to shoal anchorages over speed. Her divided rig options and easy handling make her a rational choice for family voyaging, and the aft cabin plus navigator-friendly chart table remain genuinely useful. The cramped forecabin and visually modest saloon are the main compromises.
Pros
- Centre-cockpit design with spacious aft cabin and en suite heads
- Solid, heavy displacement with shallow winged keel as standard
- Easy handling for family crews; ketch or sloop rig choice
- Excellent galley and huge chart table for cruising
Cons
- Rather cramped forecabin
- Saloon appears small at first glance
- Moderate sail plan limits light-air pace
