Prima 38 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Prima 38 means looking at a low-production Stephen Jones design built by Seaquest Yachts from 1998, with just 25 hulls afloat. She is a light cruiser-racer with a carbon fractional rig and a deep bulb keel, and the used fleet splits between owner three-cabin boats and ex-charter four-cabin examples, the latter being common.
Layouts on the Used Market
Both the owner three-cabin and charter four-cabin arrangements are well represented, and ex-charter boats turn up often. The four-cabin charter version trades privacy for bunk count, while the three-cabin owner layout keeps the beamy hull's volume for the saloon and forecabin. Either way the teak interior and 12.5-foot beam give more living space than most comparable 38-foot boats.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry an asymmetric spinnaker, a heater, a symmetric spinnaker, AIS, and a chartplotter as standard used inventory, which together mean a buyer gets offshore-capable navigation and downwind sailing gear without immediate outlay. Autopilots are often seen, taking the load off short-handed steering. Less common but present as owner upgrades are hot water and radar, the latter a useful addition for coastal fog but not a fleet norm.
What to Inspect
The review notes a capsize screening value of 2.10, which would exclude the boat from ocean racing anchor, so verify the intended use matches the certification. The deep draft of 8.2 to 8.5 feet under load limits her to major marinas, and the saildrive transmission should be surveyed for seal condition. The immersion rate of about 1,496 pounds per inch means load planning affects draft and performance, so check how the specific boat is ballasted and equipped.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical markets are the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm layout (owner vs ex-charter four-cabin), verify saildrive and deep-keel condition, confirm the carbon rig's status, and check that standard gear (AIS, chartplotter, heater, spinnaker) is present. She is a rare, fast, roomy cruiser-racer best suited to a marina-based sailor who values space and speed over offshore-race eligibility.
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 | $84,627 | — |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $81,175 | -4.1% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $81,175 | 0.0% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $81,175 | 0.0% |
| Jul 26 | 3 | $60,932 | -24.9% |
Where they're listed
Prima 38 listings appear across 2 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 10 (83.3%), followed by Netherlands.
Country view
12 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $81,175 | 10 | 5 | 83.3% |
| Netherlands | $92,173 | 2 | 0 | 16.7% |
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' | $ 243,398 | 50 | 16 |
| Beneteau First 38 | 40.2' | $ 34,655 | 33 | 6 |
| Seaquest Yachts 38You are here | — | $ 81,212 | 12 | 5 |
| Sydney Yachts 38 | 38.5' | $ 72,015 | 12 | 2 |
| Northshore 38 | 37.99' | $ 51,956 | 11 | 5 |