Island Trader 38 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

The design embodies the traditional oceangoing style of late-1970s Taiwan-built boats: a clipper bow, taffrails, pinrails, and a hull made from heavy solid fiberglass.

Design and Construction

The Island Trader has a 12-foot beam and a 30-foot-4-inch waterline within an overall length of 37 feet 4 inches. Reported displacement varies considerably, from 18,600 to 26,400 pounds, while the displacement-to-length ratio is near 422. Those figures give it the deep-seated heft of a voyaging hull.

The keel is the literal conception of a full keel. The hull is solid fiberglass—and, as period reviews noted, there’s a great deal of it.

The low-aspect ketch rig carries 567 square feet of sail, producing a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of about 10.7. That’s modest by any performance measure, but consistent with a boat designed for steadiness rather than speed. Wooden spars were fitted.

On deck, a wide, 3-1/2-inch caprail of unvarnished teak is subject to abrasion, according to owners. The chainplates protrude from the outside of the hull and are also vulnerable to abrasion over time.

Rig, Handling, and Machinery

Owners consistently rate the 37/38 as slow upwind and only average off the wind. One owner put it more directly, warning that the boat is very slow.

The tradeoff is comfort. Owners praised its easy motion and described the boat as a very stiff, solid, dry, and stable platform. Most also say it balances well. One owner reported in 1982 that the boat sailed to windward for four hours without any helm adjustment.

Given its ketch rig and long keel, the Island Trader should be hard to knock off course. Under power, owners report good maneuverability with the standard three-blade propeller.

Late-1970s boats used a Volvo MD3B diesel, while later models moved to the Yanmar 3QM30H. Owners indicated slightly greater satisfaction with the Yanmar’s reliability and access.

Accommodations

Below, the Island Trader makes good use of its 12-foot beam. The layout includes a V-berth forward, a head with shower, a convertible dinette and extension berth in the saloon, an aft galley to port, and a quarter berth to starboard.

Headroom ranges from 6 feet 4 inches to an astonishing 6 feet 8 inches. Stowage is generous for the boat’s length.

The Taiwanese building style is evident throughout the joinery, with plenty of doors, louvers, and knick-knacks. Interior teak carvings depict five-clawed Chinese dragons, poppy flowers, and Dr. Fu Manchu. Seven portlights and two skylights provide good ventilation.

One owner found the icebox too large, difficult to reach into, and poor at draining.

Known Issues

Practical Sailor’s owner surveys recorded several recurring problems. Some boats built in the 1970s had plywood cabins that rotted, giving the builder a bad name.

The boats used gate valves rather than proper sea cocks, and the turnbuckles were poor quality. The cable steering system relied on poor-quality sheaves, while the rudder stock had inadequate support.

Owners also complained about the wiring, including an engine starter connected directly to a single battery. The poorly designed exhaust system could lead to engine damage.

The wide, unvarnished teak caprail and the exterior chainplates are both vulnerable to abrasion over time.

The Verdict

The Island Trader 38 is a heavily built, traditionally styled cruiser that trades speed for a calm, stable motion and an ability to hold its course. Those qualities suit long passages and liveaboard use, including a self-steering motion.

Its faults are concentrated in aging systems and fittings rather than in the hull itself. A careful buyer can address most of them through targeted upgrades.

Pros