Design and Construction
Sirius builds the hull and deck in-house from hand-laid fiberglass. The solid-glass hull is fully laminated in one piece and reaches 40 mm thick at its deepest section. The deck is partly a balsa-cored sandwich. All bulkheads are laminated to the outer skin from every side, while the hull and deck are joined as a single unit with laminate rather than relying on mechanical fasteners alone.
Below the waterline, the finish consists of epoxy primer and antifouling. Customers choose the topside paint and streak. The antimon-hardened lead keel is available in either 2.75- or 2.90-tonne form. It is secured through stainless panels with six 20 mm and two 24 mm stainless bolts.
Steering runs through a prebalanced shaft with half skeg to a 78 mm aluminium shaft running in roller bearings. A pushbar connects it to the stainless wheel.
A solid 10 mm teak deck covers the companionway, upper deck, coaming, and cockpit. It is glued with polyurethane, partly screwed, and caulked with Sikaflex 290 DC. YACHT credited the boat’s market position to good design and the very careful finishing evident in such details.
Rig, Sail Handling, and Engine
The two-spreader aluminium rig has a forestay, backstay, two upper shrouds, four lower shrouds, and two triatic shrouds. Main and jib halyards are provided, along with an extra halyard at the mast.
The main boom has a two-line in-boom single-line reefing system and a kicking strap. Halyards, reefing lines, and tackle lead back to the cockpit. Self-tailing 18 winches handle the halyards through stoppers, while 46 self-tailers serve the genoa sheets. A traveller with stops controls the mainsail.
The standard sail set comprises a 30 m² mainsail with two reefing lines and a 27 m² genoa III. A self-tacking jib is also listed.
Under power, the 38 DS uses a Volvo D2 40 four-cylinder, 29 kW diesel with double cooling, a saildrive, and a folding propeller. YACHT found that she sails well and can be sailed safely under engine power.
Accommodations and Stowage
Below deck, the 38 DS provides a well-planned living space with many attractive details. The galley has a two-flame, half-gimballed gas stove with oven, an 80 litre refrigerator with icebox, a stainless double sink, and pressurized water. It also provides roughly 1800 litres of bottom-shelf stowage, plus drawers and cupboards.
The heads compartment includes a separate shower cabin, manual sea toilet, large washbasin, mirrored cupboards, and lower cupboards. Berth and seating cushions use 10 cm ergonomic foam.
Five skylights and a Plexiglas sliding hatch bring light into the saloon. An opening side window serves the galley and saloon. All deck hatches use safety glass in double aluminium frames. The windows carry worldwide-cruise registration and are washtight without deadlights.
The cockpit adds about 3000 litres of sealed locker space beneath three seats, as well as a separate gas box.
Tanks, Electrical System, and Deck Equipment
The stainless steel diesel tank starts at 150 litres and includes a display. Pressurized water comes from a stainless tank starting at 235 litres, with a control. Waste-water capacity starts at 70 litres, with overboard discharge and deck vacuum.
The electrical centre is in the navigation corner, with the main switches and fuses. The core installation also includes a 14 V 115 Ah generator and a compass at the pedestal. The battery bank consists of one 66 Ah starting cell and two 100 Ah house batteries on independent circuits.
Deck equipment includes bow and stern pulpits, eight V4A stanchions, two guardwires, and wooden rubbing strakes. The anchor arrangement comprises a roller, a 15 kg Bruce anchor, and 25 m of 8 mm chain. These sit in a windlass-equipped locker with a closeable ventilator. A telescopic bathing ladder completes the listed deck gear.
Long-Distance Version and Specification Changes
Sirius-Werft’s own leadership commissioned a long-distance version of the 38 DS. Shipyard boss Peter Schmidt realized a 38 DS in this configuration as a personal dream.
The builder reserves the right to change the construction and standard equipment as part of continuous development. Individual hulls may therefore differ from the base specification described here.
Verdict
The Sirius 38 DS is a seriously built deck-saloon cruiser with a degree of structural unity that is rare at this size. A one-piece hull up to 40 mm thick, a fully bonded deck, and bulkheads laminated to the outer skin all support her intended role as a CE Category A ocean yacht.
With sail controls led to the cockpit and substantial stowage above and below deck, she presents a plausible long-voyage home rather than simply a coastal weekender.
Pros
- One-piece hull up to 40 mm thick, with all bulkheads laminated to the outer skin
- CE Category A ocean certification as standard
- Cockpit-led halyards and reefing lines, plus self-tailing winches for short-handed control
- Approximately 3000 litres of cockpit stowage and 1800 litres of galley stowage for extended cruising
- Worldwide-cruise-registered, washtight windows and safety-glass hatches
Cons
- The teak deck will require polyurethane and seam maintenance over time
- The saildrive leg brings diaphragm and anode servicing demands
- The builder’s continuous-development clause means specifications may have changed between boats, complicating survey baselines
