Design and Construction
Hood, the founder of Little Harbor Yachts, conceived the Little Harbor 38, and his influence is unmistakable. The boat displaces 20,600 pounds and carries 8,400 pounds of lead ballast. That 40.78 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio places it firmly in the heavy-cruising camp.
The hulls were typically built in Taiwan by Lien Hwa or similar yards under Hood’s oversight, using solid fiberglass construction. The keel/centerboard arrangement draws 9.5 feet with the board down and 4.5 feet with it raised. Owners can trade upwind bite for access to shallow cruising grounds without changing boats. A skeg-hung or spade rudder supports balanced tracking and protection aft.
Rig and Handling
The Little Harbor 38 carries a masthead sloop rig and a sail plan intended for offshore range. The foretriangle measures 51.2 feet at the I dimension and 16.6 feet at the J. The mainsail covers 312 square feet, while the working jib measures 411 square feet with a 115 percent LP. The 150 percent LP genoa expands that area to 637 square feet. For downwind sailing, the boat can carry a spinnaker of roughly 1,299 square feet.
With a displacement-length ratio near 309 and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.73, the Little Harbor 38 is no lightweight racer. Its character comes less from raw performance figures than from the centerboard’s flexibility.
Accommodations
Below, the Little Harbor 38 has a comfortable, traditional interior with four to six berths in typical layouts. There’s a V-berth forward, saloon settees, a galley, an enclosed head, and good storage, along with about six feet of headroom.
The 11.83-foot beam gives the saloon and sleeping spaces generous proportions for a 38-footer of the period, without the open-plan excess found in later designs.
Verdict
The Little Harbor 38 is a premium, seaworthy cruiser and a rare, highly regarded classic. Approximately 29 hulls were built, so finding one is a challenge. For those who do, the design offers Hood’s signature centerboard versatility and a stout, traditional interior suited to extended cruising.
Pros
- Adjustable keel/centerboard draft from 4.5 to 9.5 feet
- Heavy-displacement, lead-ballasted hull for offshore stability
- Traditional, accommodating interior with an enclosed head and about six feet of headroom
Cons
- Very limited production—approximately 29 hulls—restricts market availability
- Heavy displacement and a moderate sail plan favor passage-making over speed
