Sabre 38 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Hewson's hand on the Sabre 38 is visible in a hull that trades flat-water speed and below-deck volume for a fine entry and bow overhang chosen for aesthetics and seakeeping—a trade the original reviewers were happy to make. The cabintrunk sits low with a gentle sweep that recalls other Maine-built boats such as Hinckley and Morris, and teak handrails line the cabintop. Structurally, some early hulls were solid fiberglass while most later boats, especially the MK IIs, carried end-grain balsa coring; the hand-laid layup combined polyester resin with woven roving, unidirectional cloth, and mat around that balsa. Decks were balsa-cored with composite or plywood inserts at hardware loads, and the hull-deck flange was both through-bolted and chemically bonded under a teak caprail. Bulkheads were tabbed to the hull in stick-built fashion, with stout floors carrying the external lead ballast on stainless keel bolts over a reinforced glass fillet.

Rig and Handling

The sloop rig places the mast farther forward than was typical of the era, a concept that put the boat ahead of its time and supports a tall, high-aspect-ratio sail plan. Double spreaders and double shrouds with inner lowers are all mounted inboard for tight sheeting, and a 135 percent genoa on roller furler teams with a hydraulic backstay. The mainsheet traveler sits forward of the companionway, keeping the bridgedeck clear. On the wind in 12 to 15 knots apparent, test sailors found her tracking very well and coming about quickly, able to point to 35 degrees apparent, and most boats rate 132 seconds per mile under PHRF. The semi-balanced rudder is set well aft for steering control, while the builder claimed the hull was designed to carry a full main and genoa up to 14 knots.

Accommodations

Both generations share a saloon finished in teak with opposing settees and a drop-down table over a wine or food rack, plus a good-sized forward cabin. The MK I shows a bulkhead table and a large open quarterberth, with the nav station to port and a double quarterberth aft of it; the galley to port holds double forward-facing sinks, a full cooker, and a decent icebox. The MK II, just over 1,000 pounds heavier, added a private cabin aft of the galley with a double berth and hanging locker, moved the nav station starboard facing aft, and placed a large head with wet locker to starboard. A substantial bridgedeck, wide side decks, and a T-shaped cockpit round out the practical layout.

Known Issues

Owners caution prospective buyers to inspect for rot in the sole near the mast step, where rainwater tracking down the mast slot can reach the bottom and saturate the timber anchor. This is the one documented weak point in an otherwise robust structure.

The Verdict

The Sabre 38 is a thoughtfully engineered cruiser-racer whose forward mast position and balanced rudder deliver lively, controllable performance without demanding oversized canvas, while the stick-built interior and flanged hull-deck joint reflect a serious construction ethos. The MK II's added private cabin makes it the more versatile cruiser, though both generations share the same well-finished saloon and seakindly hull form.

Pros