Design and Heritage
Atkin’s principal departure from Archer’s original was a better entry on the bow that cushioned her landing off the waves, paired with a long broad keel and deep v-sections ahead that keep her stable in the rough. The ballast is enclosed and dispersed from bow to stern, and the 8,000 pounds of lead sits within a 26,000-pound hull that draws 5 feet 8 inches. That heavy displacement and ultimate stability came at the familiar price: the Ingrid is not quick, though she sails admirably in light weather and usually cruises at a steady 6 knots against a hull speed of 7.2. Enough float fore and aft keeps her dry, and the long-keel form lets her avoid the pitching motion fin-keel sailors know well.
Construction
The hull is hand laid in fibreglass with overbuilt construction that demonstrates her seaworthiness, and she carries strong outboard chainplates. Protection below comes from an outboard rudder covered by extra fibreglass and a huge bronze shoe casting in case she scrubs the bottom. Many boats left Blue Water Boats as hull and deck kit sets finished by their owners to a range of specifications and layouts, so no two interiors tell quite the same story.
Rig and Handling
The ketch rig provides plenty of possibilities on all points of sail, and she is a simple boat to sail solo. Writing in OceanWaveSail.Com, the reviewer noted Atkin described her as the kind of boat that behaves herself in rough water and can be relied on to sail herself, and owners and reviewers alike speak of excellent one-finger-on-tiller tracking and a comfy ride. Owners state she can sail at half the wind speed up to 8 knots of wind, and while she is no speedster, she comes into her own in rougher seas where the directional stability and self-steering character matter most.
Accommodations
Head room is a modest 6 feet 0 inches, and the owner-finished nature of many hulls means the internal arrangement was often a personal commission rather than a production standard. The Volvo MD2B diesel sits within a hull whose beam reaches 11 feet 4 inches, giving room for the liveaboard minded to shape the space as they saw fit.
Known Issues
Because many Ingrid 38s were purchased as hull and deck sets and finished by their owners, the quality and watertightness of interior joinery, tankage, and through-hull work depend entirely on the individual builder. A buyer of any given hull is effectively examining a one-off fit-out atop a sound production shell.
The Verdict
The Ingrid 38 is a throwback ocean cruiser whose Archer-derived double-ended form and heavy displacement reward the sailor who values seaworthiness and self-sufficient motion over velocity. She is a boat that suits the patient voyager, not the charter-week racer, and her kit-built history means the right example demands careful inspection of the owner-added work.
Pros
- Heavy displacement blue water ketch with dispersed enclosed ballast and stable long-keel behavior
- Excellent self-steering and one-finger tracking; simple to sail solo
- Hand-laid overbuilt fibreglass hull with bronze-shoed outboard rudder protection
Cons
- Not quick; hull speed and cruise figures reflect the displacement penalty
- Owner-finished kit hulls vary widely in joinery and systems quality
- Modest 6-foot head room and bespoke interiors complicate comparison shopping
