Built in Henan, Sweden, and offered from 2007, the 380 is a 37-foot 9-inch fractional-sloop cruiser displacing nine tons. Her 32-foot 5-inch waterline and 12-foot beam provide real volume without resorting to extreme breadth.
Design and Construction
The 380 has a hand-laid, epoxy-treated hull and a foam-cored laminate deck. The hull-to-deck joint is strengthened at the stanchion bases by through-hull mechanical fittings. Stainless-steel chainplates are bolted to transverse bulkheads, while the mooring cleats are through-bolted with backing pads.
A bolted-on lead keel has an elongated foot with a bulbous edge intended to keep the center of gravity low. It is paired with a spade rudder. Standard draft is 6 feet 3 inches, while the shoal-draft version draws 5 feet 4 inches for thinner water.
Each boat was built to order in layout, so interior arrangements vary from hull to hull, though the structural envelope remains consistent.
Rig and Deck Layout
The Selden silver-anodized aluminum mast is stepped on the coachroof and supported below by a steel pillar. It carries a fractional rig with twin spreaders and twin lower shrouds. Halyards are handled at the mast base, while sheets lead aft to the cockpit. The backstay is mechanically adjustable.
The boom is fitted with a gas-dampened Selden rodkicker and topping lift. The tested boat also had in-mast furling and stainless-wire halyards tucked inside the mast. A Selden Furlex roller-furling drum handled the foresail.
The cockpit seats six in addition to the helmsman’s sculpted seat and two stern-pulpit perches. A toughened-glass windshield provides shelter. A diesel heater and a spray hood hinged to the windscreen—with side canvas that can fully enclose the cockpit—extend the season.
Forward, flush doors open to a chain locker, providing easy access to a power windlass for a 35-pound Bruce anchor.
Helm and Machinery
At the helm, a 31-inch leather-covered wheel sits below a plotter and an illuminated compass bolted to the pedestal. A row of gauges is mounted above the companionway, and an optional red MOB button has its own plate.
Custom self-tailing Andersen power winches handle the loads. A throttle fitted with a rocker switch controls the battery bow thrusters.
Power comes from a 54-horsepower Yanmar diesel. The engine can be reached either by removing the companionway steps or through a hinged door aft of the galley, which opens into the sound-insulated engine room.
Accommodations
Below, hand-milled African mahogany cabinetry sets the tone, with standing headroom for anyone over six feet two. The companionway’s sliding hatch doubles as a chart table.
In the saloon, an L-shaped settee to port and two parlor chairs to starboard surround the dinette. Its leaves flip up on wooden brackets, and the dinette converts into a fifth berth. A hidden wine locker adds useful stowage.
The galley lies just aft of the saloon on the port side. It includes a two-basin stainless-steel sink with a foot-pedal faucet, a 12-volt Waeco fridge and freezer, a microwave, and a gimbaled oven with twin burners. The fixed gas pipes have a remote shutoff.
In the head, Corian is used for both the washbasin and bench.
Verdict
The Najad 380 is a thoughtfully engineered midsize offshore cruiser, combining a modern Judel/Vrolijk hull with a warm, practical interior. The shoal-draft option broadens her cruising range, while the two engine-access routes make owner servicing more practical.
Pros
- Epoxy-treated hull and foam-cored deck, with a reinforced hull-to-deck joint
- Lead keel with a low-center-of-gravity bulb and a shoal-draft alternative
- Built-to-order interior, generous headroom, and options for enclosing the cockpit
- Two engine-access routes into a sound-insulated compartment
Cons
- Standard 6-foot 3-inch draft limits access to some shallow cruising grounds
- In-mast furling and full cockpit canvas were options on the test boat, not standard equipment
