Design and Construction
Ohlson drew on his hard-won experience in the highly competitive 5.5 M class when shaping the 38. He also used the towing tank in Göteborg to refine a physical model of the hull.
The result is a traditional deep-V hull with elegant, long overhangs and a narrow beam of only 10'3". It slices through head seas rather than slamming like a modern flat-bottomed yacht. A skeg-hung rudder, separated from the hull, works with the early boats’ lead ballast keel to provide a low centre of gravity and very high directional stability.
Most hulls were moulded by the Tyler Boat Company in Kent, a firm renowned for heavy-duty laminates and structural integrity. The solid GRP laminates are notably thick by contemporary standards. Decks and coachroofs were moulded in GRP with sandwich construction, although buyers could order them in wood. Only yards on the Swedish west coast and in Germany delivered boats with wooden decks and superstructures; most European finishers used GRP.
Later in the 1970s, production moved entirely to Tyler Boats and the design received further modifications. Boats built wholly by Tyler as the cost-reduced Tufglass 38 had a modified, slightly shortened negative-transom hull and a bolt-on cast-iron keel instead of the earlier built-in lead ballast.
Rig and Sailing Characteristics
The Ohlson 38 was offered as either a masthead sloop or a yawl. Einar Ohlson supplied sail plans suited to the RORC, CCA, and IOR racing rule sets. The fore-triangle remained constant throughout production, and the main mast was used in much the same way across all versions. Boom length varied from 3.6 to 4.25 m to alter sail area.
The reasonably tall masthead rig carries a heavy spar, so standing rigging oversized for the loads generated by a 14,900 lb hull is vital for offshore work. Under sail, the 38 is known for excellent performance across a broad range of conditions, with exceptional performance to windward. When heeled, its narrow beam reduces wetted surface and maintains a symmetrical waterplane. The boat remains balanced and light on the helm, tracking beautifully as the weather deteriorates.
Handling under power is less straightforward. The long-ish keel and the propeller’s proximity to the rudder produce significant prop walk, making the boat a handful in reverse. Forward manoeuvrability is generally good once steerageway is established, while the boat’s inherent balance makes single-handed sailing entirely practical.
Accommodation
Below, the Ohlson 38 is traditional rather than voluminous. It lacks the cavernous interior of modern, wide-stern designs and feels more like a modern 32-footer inside, yet sails like a 45-footer in a Force 6.
The deep, well-protected cockpit leads to a companionway with a seagoing galley on one side and a proper navigation station on the other. The galley is compact but designed for use in a seaway, with deep sinks and secure footings. The main saloon has two settee berths, often with pilot berths above. German-finished boats are particularly noted for their rich mahogany and teak joinery, completed to a very high standard.
Tankage and storage reflect the design’s racing roots rather than the needs of long-term liveaboard cruising.
Known Issues
The main material concern is osmotic blistering, particularly if the gelcoat has been poorly maintained or the hull has spent its life in warm water. However, the Tyler-built laminates are so thick that the problem is rarely structural.
The rig also demands proper maintenance. Its heavy spar makes suitably oversized standing rigging especially important for offshore sailing.
Production, Racing, and Ownership
The cost-reduced Tufglass 38 was sold directly or as a do-it-yourself project. The Ohlson Project has identified 128 boats built across several yards, including Malö Yachts, Matthiessen & Paulsen, Alexander Robertson & Sons, and Navalco SA.
Clare Francis and her Ohlson 38, Robertson’s Golly, captured the public imagination in the 1976 Observer Single-handed Trans-Atlantic Race. She finished 13th out of 125 and set a women’s single-handed record of 29 days 4 hours 38 minutes.
The Verdict
The Ohlson 38 is a quintessential offshore cruiser with an aristocratic racing pedigree. It combines aesthetic beauty, heavy-duty construction, and a sea-kindly motion suited to long passages where helm fatigue matters. It will appeal most to owners who value directional stability and graceful upwind performance over interior volume—and who are prepared to maintain the rig and gelcoat properly.
Pros
- Deep-V hull and lead ballast provide a low centre of gravity and exceptional directional stability
- Heavy Tyler laminates resist structural damage even if osmotic blistering develops
- Proven trans-ocean and single-handed capability, including an OSTAR record
- Traditional galley and navigation-station layout designed for use at sea
Cons
- Narrow beam limits interior volume relative to modern designs
- Significant prop walk and difficult handling in reverse with the long-ish keel
- Racing-derived tankage and storage are modest for extended cruising
- Later Tufglass 38 boats replaced built-in lead ballast with a bolt-on cast-iron keel
