Design and Construction
The Eclipse 38 is a fiberglass monohull with a fin keel and a spade rudder beneath her 37'6" LOA, 32'2.5" waterline, and 13'0" beam. Displacement is 16,250 lbs with 6,500 lbs of lead ballast, a 40% ballast ratio that, combined with the 2.89 length-to-beam ratio, gives her a moderate and purposeful stance rather than a stretched coastal shape. Marine Projects built her in the early 1990s under the long Dixon partnership that had begun in 1981, and the hull is solid hand-laid GRP in the manner of the yard's late-period production. The wetted surface measures roughly 419 square feet, and the immersion rate of about 1,457 lbs per inch speaks to a hull that sits heavily and moves predictably under load.
Rig and Handling
She carries a masthead sloop rig with headsail and inmast furling systems, a configuration clearly aimed at short-handed cruising. The twin steering positions let the helmsperson choose the interior station or the cockpit, and the deck layout was styled so the saloon enjoys excellent all-round visibility from both the interior helm and the seating and dining areas. The rig dimensions — I 47', J 15', P 41', E 14.25' — set a 292-square-foot mainsail against a 485-square-foot furling genoa, yielding a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.1 on the reference sail and 19.1 with a 135% genoa. Her theoretical hull speed is 7.6 knots with a calculated maximum near 8.0; the Motion Comfort Ratio of 24.3 and a displacement-length ratio of 218 place her among moderate racers in the database classification, while the capsize screening value of 2.05 would bar her from sanctioned ocean races.
Accommodations
The interior is arranged as a deck saloon with a raised port-side U-shaped seating area that makes the main cabin large, light, and airy. Two main sleeping cabins define the layout: an owner's stateroom forward and an aft guest cabin to starboard. The owner's heads sits to port with a marine WC, hot and cold water, and a separate shower, and the main heads to starboard is similarly equipped. The galley is to port, consolidating the working triangle along one side of the saloon so the raised seating and dining space stay open. The all-round visibility from the interior helm ties the steering position directly into the living space, a hallmark of the Eclipse concept.
Engine and Systems
A Perkins M60 59-horsepower diesel provides auxiliary power, paired with 72 US gallons of fuel and 66 US gallons of water. The modest draft of 4'6" (ranging to 4'79" under load) lets her into shallow marinas that deeper 38-footers avoid, and the 59 hp on a 16,250-lb hull gives a useful margin for docking and adverse currents. Period test reports in Yachting World (April 1991) and Motor Boat & Yachting covered the boat during its launch window.
The Verdict
The Moody 38 Eclipse is a scarce, purpose-built deck-saloon cruiser that trades production commonness for a genuinely distinctive short-handed layout. Dixon's twin-helm, interior-visibility concept and furling rig make her an easy boat to manage as a couple, and the shallow draft extends her cruising range into tight harbours. The short build run of 24 hulls means finding one takes patience, and the capsize screening value of 2.05 confirms she was never meant for bluewater racing.
Pros
- Twin steering positions with interior helm and all-round saloon visibility
- Headsail and inmast furling for short-handed sailing
- Shallow 4'6" draft for marina access
- Deck-saloon accommodation with two heads by Bill Dixon
Cons
- Only 24 built, limiting availability
- Capsize screening value of 2.05 excludes ocean-race eligibility
- Brief 15-month production run with no extended development
