The boat represents the sharper end of the marque’s late-20th-century approach: a light-displacement masthead sloop with a bulb fin, sandwich construction, and a ballast fraction that exceeds almost everything in her class.
Design and Construction
X-Yachts built the IMX 38 with a fiberglass hull using a Divinycell-cored sandwich construction. According to the builder’s specification, this construction improves the cabin’s indoor climate while keeping seasonal maintenance to a minimum.
The IMX 38 displaces 11,795 pounds and carries 6,173 pounds of lead in the bulb. Her 52% ballast ratio is higher than that of 96% of comparable sailboat designs. A displacement-length ratio of 176 places her firmly among “light racers,” with 82% of similar designs weighing more.
Her 12-foot-1-inch beam and 31-foot-1-inch waterline produce a length-beam ratio of 3.09, making her roomier than 66% of her peers. Despite those proportions and her interior volume, the hull remains relatively slender. Wet-surface area is about 430 square feet, and the immersion rate is near 1,311 pounds per inch.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The IMX 38 has a masthead rig and a 910.95-square-foot sail plan. The estimated running-rigging dimensions are:
- 37.3-foot jib and genoa sheet runs at half-inch diameter
- 93.3-foot mainsheet
- 82.1-foot spinnaker sheet
A 28-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel provides auxiliary power. The calculated maximum speed under power is about 6.3 knots, while the theoretical maximum hull speed for a displacement hull of this length is 7.5 knots.
The boat’s capsize screening value is 2.11, which indicates that she wouldn’t be accepted for participation in ocean races. Her Motion Comfort Ratio ranges from 19.9 to 20.3, making her more comfortable than only 14% of similar designs. Together, those figures describe a stiff, quick platform biased toward sheltered-water performance rather than offshore passage-making.
Accommodations
The IMX 38 includes a galley and toilet facility, in keeping with her cruiser-racer brief. Her generous beam helps provide interior volume above the median for a 38-foot performance design. The Divinycell sandwich hull also offers the builder’s stated benefit of a better indoor climate.
The available sources describe this space through comparative ratios rather than berth counts or detailed cabin plans.
Keel Options and Draft
X-Yachts offered the IMX 38 with different keel alternatives. One version draws between 6.53 and 6.83 feet, depending on load. The fin keel with bulb draws between 6.96 and 7.26 feet.
Both options restrict the boat to major marinas. Prospective owners will therefore need to account for her draft when choosing a berth. The bulb fin and high ballast fraction define both her righting character and her draft profile.
The Verdict
The IMX 38 is a Jeppesen-designed light racer with a cored hull, high ballast ratio, and generous beam for her length. X-Yachts built her in small numbers before 2000. She suits sailors who value stiffness and interior space more than ocean-race eligibility or a soft motion.
Pros
- Ballast ratio higher than that of 96% of similar designs
- Roomier than 66% of comparable 38-foot designs
- Divinycell sandwich hull with low seasonal maintenance
- Several keel options, including a bulb fin
Cons
- Capsize screening value excludes ocean-race acceptance
- Comfort ratio better than that of only 14% of similar boats
- Deep draft limits her to major marinas
- Fewer than 100 built, with sparse brokerage availability
