Bombardier 3.8
Description
Bhe Bombardier 3.8 is a compact Canadian sailing dinghy introduced in 1974 by Bombardier Research (part of Bombardier Limited, now BRP's recreational arm). It's a scaled-down, lighter evolution of the 1973 Bombardier Invitation, designed to compete in the one-design racing and recreational market against boats like the Laser or Sunfish. Marketed in Sweden as the Triss Racer, this fiberglass cat-rigged daysailer emphasizes simplicity, portability, and fun for beginners or solo/duo sailors on lakes, ponds, or sheltered bays. Production ended in the early 1980s, with around 500–1,000 units built, making it a collectible vintage boat today. Its unstayed mast and daggerboard allow quick rigging (under 5 minutes) and shallow-water access, while the lightweight hull enables car-topping or easy trailering. At just 12'6" LOA, the 3.8 is nimble and responsive, with a focus on planning in light-to-moderate winds.
Construction Details
| Designer | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Builder | Bombardier |
| Length | 12.600 ft |
| LOA | 12.470 ft |
| Beam | 4.430 ft |
| Displacement | 110 lb |
| Max Draft | 2.600 ft |
| Min Draft | 0.330 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | - |
|---|---|
| j | - |
| p | 15.96 ft |
| e | 8 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | 15.96 ft | 8 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 15.96 ft - (4865 mm) |
| Foot | 8 ft - (2438 mm) |
| Leech | 17.15 ft - (5227 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 84.79 ° |
| Diagonal | * 17.19 ft - (5240 mm) |
| Head (inches) | 1 in - (25 mm) |
| Area | * 64.211 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.