The prototype, Pinocchio VI, fulfilled that brief. Fairley and his young family crew finished near the top of their class at the Scottish Series, Cork Week, and West Highland Week, and took second in Class 4 at Cowes Week. The same family also cruised extensively around Scotland, Ireland, and Brittany, reaching as far north as Unst in the Shetlands.
Design and Construction
Humphreys drew the MG 38 as a moderate-displacement monohull with a fin keel and spade rudder. Its 13,280-pound displacement is carried on a 12-foot beam and a 28.3-foot waterline. The hull and deck use straightforward solid-fiberglass construction, while 5,200 pounds of lead ballast produce a ballast-to-displacement ratio of around 39 percent.
A length-to-beam ratio of 3.15 and displacement-to-length ratio of 261 place the design among what reviewers classify as moderate racers, rather than out-and-out lead mines or heavy cruisers. Wetted surface is about 398 square feet.
The immersion rate is roughly 1,185 pounds per inch, so the boat settles noticeably under cruising load. That effect appears in the quoted draft range of 6.56 to 6.86 feet, depending on load. Such a deep draft keeps the MG 38 out of all but major marinas.
Rig and Handling
The MG 38 carries a fractional sloop rig with 679 square feet of sail area. Its control-line schedule is unusually precise. The mainsail, jib/genoa, and spinnaker halyards are each 119.8 feet long and half an inch in diameter. The jib, genoa, and mainsheets are 14 mm; the mainsheet alone is 94.5 feet long. The cunningham, kicking strap, and clew outhaul are all 12 mm and approximately 32 to 33 feet long.
The theoretical hull speed is 7.1 knots. A Motion Comfort Ratio of 23.9 makes the MG 38 more comfortable than only about 27 percent of comparable designs. That figure supports its character as a lively, race-biased boat rather than a soft-riding passagemaker.
Its capsize screening value is 2.03, below the accepted threshold for ocean racing. Yachtdatabase.com noted that this excludes the boat from ocean-race participation.
Accommodations and Cruising Use
Despite its racing pedigree, the MG 38 is roomier than 62 percent of similar sailboats. The Fairley family’s extended cruising—from the Shetlands to Brittany—shows that the interior was used for the purpose specified in the original brief.
The combination of club racing and sustained family cruising wasn’t merely a marketing promise. The same boat that won class silverware carried a young family around Scotland, Ireland, and France.
Machinery, Equipment, and Ownership
A Volvo Penta diesel may be fitted as inboard power. For upkeep, the detailed control-line schedule gives owners exact specifications for replacing worn halyards and sheets.
Only 49 MG 38s were built from 1985 onward, making the model scarce. Fairley’s connection with Harken also means that the original deck gear tends to be period Harken hardware.
Verdict
The MG 38 is a focused Humphreys design that delivers the dual-purpose boat Fairley requested: a club racer capable of running near the front, yet practical enough for genuine family cruising. It is quick, lean, and roomier than most of its performance peers. However, its comfort ratio and capsize screening value place firm limits on offshore ambitions.
Pros
- Race-winning pedigree backed by documented family cruising
- Roomier than 62 percent of comparable boats
- Precise rig and control-line specifications simplify upkeep
Cons
- Less comfortable than 73 percent of similar boats; not a soft-riding cruiser
- Capsize screening value of 2.03 excludes ocean-race acceptance
- Deep draft limits access to major marinas
