Seafarer 38 Ketch
Description
The Seafarer 38 Ketch (also known as the Rhodes 38 Ketch) is a classic American offshore cruiser designed by Philip L. Rhodes and built by Seafarer Yachts in Huntington, New York, USA. Produced from 1971 to 1976, approximately 20 examples were constructed, with the ketch rig (staysail configuration) offered as an option to the more common sloop for enhanced balance and reduced helm loads in heavy weather. This fiberglass vessel features a long keel with skeg-hung rudder for directional stability, raked spooned stem, and counter stern, blending elegant lines with seaworthiness suited to coastal and moderate bluewater passages. The staysail ketch rig provides versatile sail-handling for short-handed crews, while the heavy displacement and high ballast ratio ensure stiff, comfortable motion (elevated comfort ratio). Interiors are traditional with teak paneling, sleeping 6–7 (V-berth forward, U-galley, nav station, saloon settees converting to doubles, quarter berth aft, and enclosed head with shower), offering ample storage and ~6 ft headroom. Known for responsive upwind performance in 15–25 knots and sea-kindly qualities, it's a Rhodes hallmark of durability.
Construction Details
| Designer | Philip L. Rhodes |
|---|---|
| Builder | Seafarer Yachts |
| Length | 37.750 ft |
| LOA | 37.750 ft |
| LWL | 27.250 ft |
| Beam | 10.500 ft |
| Displacement | 16500 lb |
| Ballast | 5500 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.500 ft |
| Year Built | 1971 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 40.75 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 17.16 ft |
| p | 35.16 ft |
| e | 14 ft |
| p2 | 18 ft |
| e2 | 7 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.75 ft | 17.16 ft | 35.16 ft | 14 ft | 18 ft | 7 ft | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Seafarer 38 Ketch - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 35.16 ft - (10717 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14 ft - (4267 mm) |
| Leech | * 37.11 ft - (11311 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 37.39 ft - (11396 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 253.69 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Seafarer 38 Ketch - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 35.37 ft - (10781 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.04 ft - (7327 mm) |
| Leech | * 29.28 ft - (8925 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.98 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.73 ft - (6014 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 348.92 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Seafarer 38 Ketch - GENOA
| Luff | * 42 ft - (12802 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 28.85 ft - (8793 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.75 ft - (11811 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 25.74 ft - (7846 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.02 ° |
| Area | * 540.51 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Seafarer 38 Ketch - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | 43 ft - (13106 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Leech | 40 ft - (12192 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 968 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Seafarer 38 Ketch - YANKEE
| Luff | 40.5 ft - (12344 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 20 ft - (6096 mm) |
| Leech | 30 ft - (9144 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 82.81 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 14.21 ft - (4331 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 21.9 ° |
| Area | * 287.69 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Seafarer 38 Ketch - MIZZEN
| Luff | * 18 ft - (5486 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 7 ft - (2134 mm) |
| Leech-AftHdBd | * 18.9 ft - (5761 mm) |
| Tack Ang | * 88.05 ° |
| Diag (clew/head) | * 19.09 ft - (5819 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 3.5 in - (89 mm) |
| Area (no Roach) | * 65.06 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.