North Star 38 (Hughes 38)
Description
The North Star 38 (later produced as the Hughes 38) is a classic fiberglass masthead sloop designed by the legendary firm Sparkman & Stephens (design #1903) and built by North Star Yachts Ltd. in Canada from 1971 to 1976 (continuing under Hughes Boat Works until 1982). Approximately 20-30 units were produced across early variants, known for their balanced racer-cruiser performance, seaworthy fin keel with skeg-hung rudder for protected steering, and robust hand-laid fiberglass construction emphasizing quality and durability. Ideal for coastal cruising or club racing, it offers a responsive helm and sea-kindly motion in breezes. The teak-finished interior accommodates 4-5 comfortably: V-berth forward, U-shaped galley, saloon with convertible settees, enclosed head with shower, and quarter berth aft, under 6'2" headroom. Standard power was a Universal Atomic 4 gasoline inboard (30 hp), with diesel upgrades common.
Construction Details
| Designer | Sparkman and Stephens |
|---|---|
| Builder | North Star Yachts Ltd. |
| Length | 37.833 ft |
| LOA | 37.833 ft |
| LWL | 27.000 ft |
| Beam | 10.083 ft |
| Displacement | 12500 lb |
| Ballast | 6400 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.000 ft |
| Year Built | 1971 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 43.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 14.50 ft |
| p | 39.43 ft |
| e | 13.74 ft |
| p2 | 27.75 ft |
| e2 | 9.75 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 43.50 ft | 14.50 ft | 39.43 ft | 13.74 ft | 27.75 ft | 9.75 ft | - | - |
Sails
North Star 38 (Hughes 38) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 39.43 ft - (12018 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 13.74 ft - (4188 mm) |
| Leech | * 41.14 ft - (12539 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 41.3 ft - (12588 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | 270.58 ft² |
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North Star 38 (Hughes 38) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 36.68 ft - (11180 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19.34 ft - (5895 mm) |
| Leech | * 31.63 ft - (9641 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 16.68 ft - (5084 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | 305.78 ft² |
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North Star 38 (Hughes 38) - 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 |
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North Star 38 (Hughes 38) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 43.56 ft - (13277 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 26.1 ft - (7955 mm) |
| Foot | * 26.1 ft - (7955 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | 966.38 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.