Northshore 38 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Northshore 38 means looking at a design that ran through 1995 at Northshore Yachts' Mona Vale yard, with the 380 continuation from the same moulds afterward. Hank Kaufman's slender, easily driven hull with its 1.78m draft and lead-filled fin keel has aged well, and all 110 examples built since 1983 are still sailing — a useful sign for anyone weighing a brokerage purchase.
Layouts on the Used Market
The original interior puts a forward double vee-berth forward, a port dinette, head/shower and galley to port, a starboard navigation station, and an aft quarter berth, with the port-side quarter berth omitted to create a huge cockpit locker. That arrangement carried straight into the 380. Later boats gain a hull prism each side for light, and the 380 standardises three cabin windows. An aft double berth was offered from 1990 to 1995 but only four or five exist, so most buyers will see the quarter-berth layout. The cockpit seats six in comfort and many have stern pushpit seats for two more.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilot, chartplotter, hot water, dodger, solar and bimini are commonly fitted, and you'll often see an asymmetric spinnaker, furling main and electric winches. A short-handed setup, bow thruster or inverter sit in the owner-upgrade tier. For buyer consequence, focus on the power and energy cluster — solar and inverter matter for anchoring independence — and sail-handling upgrades like the furling main and electric winches that make a 38-foot boat manageable short-handed. Navigation is covered by the common chartplotter and autopilot. Factory engine fitment varied: 20hp Bukh to 1986, Bukh 24hp in 1987, Volvo 28hp from 1988 to 1994, then Yanmar or Nanni 29hp saildrive on 380s — know which you're looking at.
What to Inspect
The keel bolts, nuts and washers are 316L stainless steel, so check for any crevice staining at the nuts or hull interface that would signal replacement anchor. The hull-to-deck joint is FRP strapped with 12-ounce cloth from stem to stern; run a hand along the sheerline for any softness or separation that betrays a failed strap. Bulkheads are bonded with eight-ounce cloth — tap for hollow sounds suggesting debonding. Post-1984 hulls use vinyl ester in the first layer or full lay-up, and Sydney Yachting Centre boats have epoxy primer under anti-fouling; on any post-1995 boat confirm the five-year osmosis warranty paperwork and sight the primer at a scratched spot. The class is noted for osmosis resistance, but a surveyor's moisture meter still belongs below the waterline. If considering a taller-rigged cruising boat or an NSX38, understand the tenderness in stiff breezes and ask whether a keel shoe was fitted to stiffen it.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts are typically found in Australia. For a viewing, run through this short list:
- Check 316L keel hardware for staining at nuts and washers
- Feel the hull-to-deck strap along the sheer for softness
- Tap bulkheads for debonded areas
- Confirm vinyl ester lay-up and epoxy primer on later hulls
- Verify engine model against build year
- Assess rig tenderness if buying a tall-rig or NSX38
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Northshore 38. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 26 | 3 | $49,445 | — |
| Mar 26 | 2 | $62,344 | +26.1% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $51,953 | -16.7% |
| Aug 26 | 5 | $46,221 | -11.0% |
Where they're listed
Northshore 38 listings appear across 1 country. Australia has the most listings with 11.
Country view
11 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | $51,953 | 11 | 5 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
5 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 38 | 40.2' | $ 34,633 | 33 | 6 |
| Sigma 38 | 38.33' | $ 52,124 | 21 | 1 |
| Seaquest Yachts 38 | 38.06' | $ 81,142 | 12 | 5 |
| Sydney Yachts 38 | 38.5' | $ 72,013 | 12 | 2 |
| Northshore 38You are here | — | $ 51,953 | 11 | 5 |