Design and Construction
Hood's hand in the Little Harbor 38 is unmistakable. The boat carries 20,600 pounds of displacement against 8,400 pounds of lead ballast, a 40.78 percent ballast-to-displacement ratio that places her firmly in the heavy cruising camp anchor. Her hulls were typically constructed in Taiwan by Lien Hwa or similar yards under Hood's oversight, using solid fiberglass construction. The keel/centerboard arrangement gives a maximum draft of 9.5 feet with the board down and a shoal 4.5 feet with it raised, letting the owner trade upwind bite for gunkholing access without changing boats. A skeg-hung or spade rudder supports balanced tracking and protection aft.
Rig and Handling
The 38 is a masthead sloop with a sail plan built for offshore range. The foretriangle measures 51.2 feet at the I dimension and 16.6 at the J, while the mainsail spans 312 square feet. The working jib areas out at 411 square feet with a 115 percent LP, and the genoa opens to 637 square feet at 150 percent LP. For downwind work, a spinnaker of roughly 1,299 square feet can be flown. With a displacement-length ratio near 309 and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 15.73, the boat is no lightweight racer, but the centerboard's draft flexibility shapes her character more than raw numbers.
Accommodations
Below, the Little Harbor 38 offers a comfortable, traditional interior with typically four to six berths. The layout includes a V-berth forward, saloon settees, a galley, an enclosed head, and good storage with about six feet of headroom. The 11.83-foot beam gives the saloon and sleeping spaces a proportion that feels generous for a 38-footer of the era without tipping into the open-plan excess of later designs.
The Verdict
The Little Harbor 38 is a premium, seaworthy cruiser and a rare, highly regarded classic anchor. Her limited production—approximately 29 hulls—means finding one is itself a challenge, but the design rewards the search with 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 accommodative interior with enclosed head and ~6' headroom
Cons
- Very limited production (~29 hulls) limits market availability
- Heavy displacement and moderate sail plan favor passage-making over speed
