Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980)
Description
The Hughes 38 (pre-1980 models, built 1968–1979 by Hughes Boat Works in Canada with ~200 hulls produced) is a robust 38-foot full-keel cruiser designed by Sparkman & Stephens (S&S #1905) featuring a 10.83-foot beam, 27.5-foot waterline, and 5.67-foot draft with 6,500 pounds of encapsulated lead ballast in a 17,500-pound displacement for outstanding stability, a comfort ratio of 34–38, and a capsize screening value under 1.75. Its classic masthead sloop (or optional yawl) rig delivers ~650 sq ft of sail area for a moderate SA/D of ~16.0 and PHRF ~180–195, prioritizing seakindly motion, heavy-weather composure, and effortless tracking over speed.
Construction Details
| Designer | Sparkman and Stephens |
|---|---|
| Builder | Hughes Boat Works |
| Length | 38.000 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 43.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.50 ft |
| p | 41.41 ft |
| e | 13.34 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43.50 ft | 14.50 ft | 41.41 ft | 13.34 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 41.41 ft - (12622 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.34 ft - (4066 mm) |
| Leech | * 42.79 ft - (13042 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 43.06 ft - (13125 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 285.07 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 36.68 ft - (11180 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19.34 ft - (5895 mm) |
| Leech | * 31.64 ft - (9644 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.68 ft - (5084 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.98 ° |
| Area | * 305.87 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980) - GENOA
| Luff | * 43.56 ft - (13277 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 23.53 ft - (7172 mm) |
| Leech | * 40.85 ft - (12451 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 21.75 ft - (6629 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | * 473.69 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980) - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 43.56 ft - (13277 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 23.92 ft - (7291 mm) |
| Leech | * 40.08 ft - (12216 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 781 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 43.56 ft - (13277 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 26.1 ft - (7955 mm) |
| Foot | * 26.1 ft - (7955 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 966 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Northstar / Hughes 38 (prior to 1980) - STORMTRYSAIL
| Luff | 16 ft - (4877 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 12.5 ft - (3810 mm) |
| Leech | 15 ft - (4572 mm) |
| Length Perp | * 12.67 ft - (3862 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * -32.2 ° |
| Area | * 88 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
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.