Prima 38 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a used Prima 38 means looking at a late-1990s Stephen Jones design built by Seaquest Yachts in Britain, a 38-foot fast cruiser/racer with a 9/10 carbon fractional rig and a saildrive transmission. The used fleet is well defined by documented spec and layout data, and the boat's light-racer character shapes both what you will find fitted and what you should check before committing.
Layouts on the Used Market
Both owner three-cabin and charter four-cabin layouts are well represented on the used market, and ex-charter examples are common. The teak interior and the boat's documented l/b ratio of 3.04 — ranked more spacious than 73% of similar designs — mean the four-cabin charter version still reads as roomy rather than cramped, while the owner three-cabin layout trades berth count for private volume. Either version carries the same 13,448 lb displacement and 5,952 lb lead ballast.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, an asymmetric spinnaker, heating, spinnaker, AIS, and chartplotter are commonly fitted to Prima 38 examples. Radar and autopilot appear less often and are best treated as a frequent owner upgrade rather than standard equipment. The documented rig itself is a 9/10 carbon fractional setup, with halyard and sheet estimates (mainsail halyard 39.8 m, jib sheet 11.6 m, mainsheet 29.0 m) that any surveyor can verify against the boat in front of you.
What to Inspect
The one hard limitation documented for the Prima 38 is a capsize screening value of 2.10, which indicates this boat would not be accepted to participate in ocean races capsize screening value is 2.10. The editorial review also lists the keel type as unknown, so confirm the bulb keel and its draft of about 2.50 to 2.60 m dependent on load against the specific hull you inspect, since the draft constrains marina access to major facilities. The saildrive transmission should be surveyed as a matter of course. No structural or systems defect beyond these points is recorded in the source material.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Prima 38 on the used market are the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. For a buyer, the checklist is short and specific:
- Verify the keel type and draft against the unknown-keel editorial note
- Survey the saildrive transmission
- Confirm capsize screening limit if ocean racing is a goal
- Check for commonly fitted AIS/chartplotter and any owner-added autopilot/radar
- Prefer a three-cabin owner layout for volume or a four-cabin ex-charter unit if berths matter
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Prima 38. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 5 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 3 | $ 84,246 | — |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $ 80,809 | -4.1% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $ 80,809 | 0.0% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $ 80,809 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $ 70,861 | -12.3% |
Where they're listed
Prima 38 listings appear across 2 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 8 (80.0%), followed by Netherlands.
Country view
10 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $ 80,809 | 8 | 3 | 80.0% |
| Netherlands | $ 90,972 | 2 | 0 | 20.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dehler 38 | 38.71' | $ 235,000 | 48 | 22 |
| Beneteau First 38 | 40.2' | $ 34,214 | 32 | 7 |
| Sydney Yachts 38 | 38.5' | $ 71,137 | 12 | 4 |
| Seaquest Yachts 38You are here | — | $ 80,809 | 11 | 4 |
| Northshore 38 | 37.99' | $ 50,732 | 11 | 0 |