Design and Construction
Crown Marine laid up the OE 38 in solid fiberglass for both hull and deck, with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder underneath a 38-foot-2-inch overall length. The beam spans 10 feet 8 inches, giving a length-to-beam ratio of 3.58. Ballast of roughly 6,173 pounds of lead is set in a 43 percent ballast ratio against a 14,330-pound displacement, and the wetted surface runs about 365 square feet. A displacement-length ratio of 248 places her among moderate racers.
Rig and Handling
The fractional sloop rig carries 656 square feet of sail area, returning a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 17.79. Sheet dimensions from the original specification are uniform: jib and genoa sheets run 38.2 feet at 14 mm diameter, the mainsheet stretches to 95.6 feet, and spinnaker sheets to 84.1 feet, all at 0.55-inch diameter anchor. The fin keel draws between 5.91 and 6.21 feet depending on load, which restricts her to major marinas. A capsize screening value of 1.76 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 29.3 describe a stable, reasonably easy boat in a seaway. Her theoretical hull speed is 7.3 knots.
Known Issues
The load-dependent draft of 5.91 to 6.21 feet has stranded lesser harbors — a marina-access limitation, not a defect. No structural defects or systems faults appear in the available material.
The Verdict
The OE 38 is a quietly competent Enderlein design whose published metrics — a 43 percent ballast ratio, 17.79 SA/D, and 1.76 capsize screen — argue for a stable cruiser-racer that Crown Marine built in solid glass. Scarcity of hulls is the defining ownership fact.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck construction
- Stable offshore profile by capsize-screen and comfort-ratio metrics
- Moderate-racer displacement length suits lively handling
Cons
- Load-dependent draft limits her to major marinas
- Only a few hulls exist, complicating parts and knowledge sharing
