A near-plumb stem and minimal aft overhang produce a 35-foot, 1-inch waterline on a 38-foot, 9-inch hull. The result is a long, narrow hull at the waterline, with its beam carried well aft into broad, powerful stern sections.
Design and Construction
The hull is a hand-laid composite of glass mat with uni- and multidirectional rovings, hydrolysis-proof polyester resin, and an end-grain balsa core. Structural bulkheads are bonded to both the hull and deck, while integrated load-bearing stringers distribute loads through the structure.
The deck is also hand laid, using a balsa-glass sandwich with laminated-in aluminum reinforcement plates for every fitting. Most distinctively, the hull and deck are laminated together while still in the mold, creating an integrated monocoque. Dehler used this method throughout its classic production era.
The high-aspect bulb keel combines cast iron and lead. Stainless bolts embedded in the floor laminate secure it to the hull. The balanced spade rudder turns on a solid aluminum shaft with self-aligning JP3 bearings.
A standard Dehler 39 displaces 17,195 pounds. The lighter sailing configuration weighs 15,572 pounds and has a D/L of 154. The deep keel draws 6 feet 5 inches.
Rig, Cockpit, and Sailing Performance
The triple-spreader fractional rig uses a tapered Sparcraft mast and stainless Dyform wire stays, with the complete rig reaching 61 feet. Upwind sail area is 1,032 square feet, giving an SA/D of 22.12. The sail plan combines a large mainsail with a blade jib fitted with vertical battens.
Inboard chainplates allow tight sheeting angles, and a Harken adjustable genoa-track system supports the headsail. Writing in Yachting Monthly, testers found performance under sail exhilarating and recorded a close-winded tacking angle of 80 degrees.
The helm is a large destroyer wheel connected by super-smooth Whitlock linkage. Molded-in helming positions sit on either side, and the cockpit sole is shaped to clear the wheel. A leather wheel cover is standard.
From the factory, the boat also came with a retractable, deck-mounted carbon-fiber sprit for an asymmetrical chute, along with a standard spinnaker kit.
Accommodations
The test boat had a large V-berth forward and a saloon with a forward-facing navigation station to starboard. Beside the companionway, a large head occupied the starboard side, with a large quarterberth to port.
The port-side galley, just aft of the settee, included deep sinks, a gimbaled oven and stove, ample cabinetry, and solid-cherry fiddles. Yachting Monthly described the interior as a far cry from Dehler’s earlier brash styling. It was bland toward mainstream, but finished to a high standard. The saloon was light and airy, if a little stark and short on stowage, and the chart table was small. The L-shaped galley and heads were excellent, while the forecabin was wonderfully roomy. The port-side aft cabin was also large.
Owners could specify mirror-image quarterberths or two head-and-shower compartments. The port quarterberth could also trade its starboard neighbor for a small berth or lazarette. Both the quarterberth and V-berth have hanging lockers, and a second settee folds out to form a berth. Every layout retains a pair of large transom storage areas.
Engine access is through either the companionway steps or a quarterberth panel.
Engine, Electrical System, and Deck Equipment
The standard engine is a 27-horsepower Yanmar 3GM30 with a two-blade propeller and saildrive. An optional 38-horsepower Yanmar 3JH3 also uses a saildrive.
The electrical system includes a 55-amp-hour starting battery and a 110-amp-hour house battery. An optional arrangement adds a pair of 200-amp-hour cells with a 40-amp charger.
Hardware listed aboard the test boat included twin Lewmar 44AST mainsheet winches, a Harken traveler, Lewmar 48AST primary winches, and cabintop Lewmars, including a 44EST electric winch. An optional teak deck was available over the standard gray-tinted nonskid.
The transom hinges down to form a swim step with a boarding ladder. The companionway incorporates a bridgedeck.
Verdict
The Dehler 39 is a purpose-built sport cruiser that translated Judel/Vrolijk’s race-derived thinking into a production hull without sacrificing the fit and finish expected by a cruising owner. Its monocoque construction and tight sheeting help make it quick and close-winded, although the narrow, powerful hull delivers a wet ride to windward.
Pros
- Integrated hull-and-deck monocoque, with bonded bulkheads and load-bearing stringers
- Tall triple-spreader fractional rig, with 1,032 square feet of sail and an 80-degree tacking angle
- Inboard chainplates and a carbon sprit for asymmetrical-spinnaker work
- Roomy forecabin, large aft cabin, excellent L-shaped galley, and excellent heads
- Flexible interior layouts, with transom storage in every configuration
Cons
- Quite wet when sailing to windward
- Saloon is short on stowage, and the chart table is small
- Deep 6-foot, 5-inch keel limits access to shallower cruising grounds
