Valentijn’s brief called for a full-bodied cruiser that could carry a large rig on a stable hull. The boat’s numbers reflect that aim. At 38 feet 3 inches overall, with a 32-foot waterline and a 12-foot 8-inch beam, the Endeavour 38 falls into the medium-displacement class. Its D/L is about 240, and its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is near 16.7 with the standard sloop rig. The ballast-to-displacement ratio is just under 40 percent, while the capsize screening value is 1.92—low enough that, by that formula alone, the boat would qualify for ocean racing.
Design and Construction
The hull has a soft-V forward section that flattens into a nearly flat bottom amidships. Valentijn used this shape to widen the keel’s footprint and add stability. Aft, the sections remain flat and full, with straight diagonals.
The keel sections came from systematic testing carried out on America’s Cup contenders. Buyers could choose between the original 4-foot 11-inch shoal keel and a 5-foot 7-inch deep keel, which was designed to improve windward performance.
The hull is built from GRP around a 3/4-inch Klegecell core. On the bottom, the inner and outer skins are at least 1/4 inch of solid glass. Interior bulkheads are glassed in as structural members.
A 3/8-inch plate-steel frame sits in the bilge and is heavily bonded with woven roving. A large steel grid is also glassed into the hull, carrying the mast compression frame down to the keel. The keel areas, maststep, chainplates, and engine beds received special steel reinforcement for stiffness.
Endeavour’s chief engineer described the boat as being built to last at least 12 to 15 years, although the builder doubted that organic materials would survive that long.
Rig and Handling
The standard 703-square-foot sloop rig uses extruded 6061-T6 aluminum spars with anodized coatings. The mast passes through the cabin top and steps onto the steel grid. All halyards run internally and are made from pre-stretched, jacketed Dacron.
Standing rigging connects to the chainplates through adjustable turnbuckles. The upper and intermediate shrouds attach to stainless straps carried through heavy bulkheads, while the lower shrouds use tie rods.
A high-lift, skeg-mounted rudder provides hands-off tracking and easy steering. The pedestal system uses stainless-steel cables connected to a radial quadrant on a solid stainless-steel rudder post.
With an I measurement of 51 feet, the rig’s aspect ratios were chosen to deliver maximum performance per square foot of sail. Reviewers writing in yachtdatabase.com rated the Endeavour 38 as significantly over-rigged compared with peer designs. Fitting a 135-percent genoa raises the SA/D to about 20.2.
Accommodations
In the aft-cockpit version, the interior is wood-built, with a teak-and-holly sole laid over plywood bonded to the steel grid. All wood below the sole is sealed in polyester.
The galley is to starboard in the main cabin, with a large settee forward. Opposite, a double berth extends beneath the cockpit and can be closed off with a drawable curtain. The navigation station sits just forward of this berth and faces an L-shaped settee arranged around the table.
At the mast, a main bulkhead carries the rigging loads. It also separates the forward head and its separate shower stall from the hanging lockers, vanity, and forepeak V-berth.
The interior provides six berths and 6 feet 4 inches of headroom. Fifteen screened opening ports and six deck hatches bring in light and airflow.
Electrical and Mechanical Systems
The DC system uses two parallel 12-volt batteries, with color-coded wiring and crimped junctions. The AC system is supplied by 115-volt, 30-amp shore power. Below-waterline metal is bonded to a common ground with green 8-gauge copper wire.
Tankage varies by cockpit layout. The aft-cockpit boat carries 30 gallons of fuel and 76 gallons of water, while the center-cockpit version carries 34 gallons of fuel and 70 gallons of water. Both have two holding tanks with a combined capacity of 12 gallons.
Standard power for the aft-cockpit boat was a 30-horsepower Yanmar 3-HMF diesel, with a 40-horsepower 3-JHE available as an option. The center-cockpit version came with a 44-horsepower Yanmar 4-JHE.
Verdict
The Endeavour 38 is a thoughtfully engineered mid-1980s cruiser. Its cored, steel-reinforced hull carries a large sloop rig on a stable, medium-displacement platform, while the aft-cockpit model offers a practical two-cabin interior. It is more cruiser than racer when it comes to light-air speed, but its structure and ballast profile suit extended coastal and offshore work.
Pros
- Cored hull with a full steel grid and glassed-in bulkheads for structural stiffness
- Stable, medium-displacement hull with keel sections derived from cup-boat testing
- Practical aft-cockpit layout with private berths and a separate shower
- Large sloop sail plan, internal halyards, and robust chainplate details
Cons
- The builder expressed doubts about the lifespan of organic materials in the structure
- Modest light-wind speed under standard sail compared with similar designs
- The deep-keel option improves windward performance but limits marina access compared with the shoal-keel version
