Northwest 38 Information, Review, Specs

Sailing Performance & Handling

The Northwest 38 is characterized by a heavy-displacement philosophy typical of early 1970s offshore designs. With a hull shaped by Ted Moreau, the boat prioritizes directional stability and a comfortable motion over raw light-air speed. The masthead sloop rig provides a versatile sail plan that allows the boat to maintain momentum through chop, a necessity for coastal cruising in high-latitude environments.

While specific performance ratios like the Sail Area to Displacement (SA/Disp) lean toward the lower end of the spectrum compared to modern racer-cruisers, this translates to a boat that feels "planted" in a blow. Owner anecdotes often highlight the vessel’s ability to track well on a reach, though like many designs of its era with a deep-draft fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder, it requires active helm management when running in a following sea. The displacement-to-length ratio suggests a hull that is more at home in 15 to 20 knots of breeze than in the light summer doldrums.

Interior Comfort & Variations

As a 38-foot cruising yacht from the 1970s, the Northwest 38 offers a voluminous interior for its era, benefiting from the generous beam required to support its heavy displacement. The layout is traditional, typically featuring a forward V-berth, a large head compartment, and a main salon with a U-shaped dinette. The use of heavy fiberglass laminates and extensive teak joinery provides a sense of permanence and warmth, though the specific finish often varied depending on whether the boat was delivered as a factory-finished hull or a "kit" for owner completion—a common practice for the builder.

The Northwest 38 was the largest in a three-model lineup that included the Northwest 21 and the later Northwest 28. While the 21 offered a swing-keel variant for trailerability, the 38 remained a dedicated deep-keel cruiser. There are no documented major hull variations for the 38, such as a pilot-house or ketch version, as the builder focused on a standardized masthead sloop configuration to maximize production efficiency.

Known Issues & Buyer’s Checklist

Prospective buyers of a Northwest 38 should focus on the technical realities of 1970s fiberglass construction. High-signal areas for inspection include:

• Deck Core Integrity: Like many boats of this vintage, the Northwest 38 utilized a balsa-cored deck. Moisture ingress around stanchion bases and chainplates is a common "gotcha" that can lead to significant delamination and soft spots.
• Fuel Tank Corrosion: If the original iron or aluminum fuel tanks remain, they should be pressure-tested. Reports from similar regional builds of this era suggest that tanks were often glassed-in or placed in areas with restricted access, making replacement a labor-intensive project.
• Chainplates: Given the boat’s age and the stresses of the masthead rig, the stainless steel chainplates should be pulled and inspected for crevice corrosion, especially where they pass through the deck.
• Osmotic Blistering: While Northwest Yacht Constructors used robust hand-laid fiberglass, early resins were susceptible to osmotic blistering. A haul-out and moisture meter reading of the hull are essential.

Community & Resources

Due to the relatively small production run and the regional nature of the builder, there is no centralized national class association. However, technical information and owner support are frequently found within the broader Pacific Northwest sailing community and heritage boat forums. Information regarding the designer, Ted Moreau, is preserved through regional maritime archives in Oregon, where his contributions to the "Moreau" line of yachts are documented alongside his work for Northwest Yacht Constructors.

The Verdict

The Northwest 38 is a robust, "honest" cruiser that offers substantial offshore capability for the budget-conscious sailor. It is a product of its time—heavy, stable, and built with an emphasis on longevity rather than contemporary aesthetics.

Pros:

• Heavily built hull capable of handling rough coastal conditions.
• Stable and predictable handling characteristics in heavy air.
• Substantial interior volume for a 38-footer of its vintage.

Cons:

• Sluggish performance in light air (under 10 knots of breeze).
• Potential for high maintenance costs related to 50-year-old deck cores and tanks.
• Limited production numbers make finding model-specific spare parts or documentation difficult.