offshore

Cape George 38

Cecil Lange & Son / Cape George Marine Works · 1985 · Cutter rig

Cape George 38 profile drawing
LOA38'
Beam11.58'
Draft5.17'
Displ.15.0t
Rigcutter
HullFiberglass

Bluewater Evidence · Ocean Proven

76% confidence

John Neal's Boats to Consider for Ocean Cruising lists the Cape George 38, rated 2 of 5: 'Many owner-completed, quality varies. Fast, but watch for deck and cabin rot.' Its capsize screen value is 1.49.

Overview

The Cape George 38 is a William Atkin cutter design developed by Cecil Lange & Son and Cape George Marine Works in Washington State, built from 1985. Many hulls were finished by their owners.

Design and Construction

sailboatdata.com lists a long keel, 38 ft on deck on a long 35 ft waterline, 11.58 ft of beam and 5.17 ft of draft. Displacement is a heavy 30,000 lb with 10,500 lb of ballast, and the cutter carries about 820 sq ft.

Buyers Notes

John Neal rates it 2 of 5: fast, but quality varies with who finished the boat, and deck and cabin rot are common (see Known Issues).

Passage records

Telerra· Dave and Melanie Boots2006

San Juan Islands to Mexico, then Mexico to the Marquesas (voyage begun 2006)

Sailed from Mexico to the Marquesas in 25 days, continuing toward New Zealand.

Year is when the voyage began; the source does not date the Pacific crossing itself.

Source: Good Old Boat: Cape George Cutter 38 (Brandon Ford, Nov 1, 2019)

Lorgadoir Eolais· R&H O'Shaughnessy2006

Baja Ha-Ha (2006)

Finished.

Source: Baja Ha-Ha 2006 results

Talerra· D & M Boots2006

Baja Ha-Ha (2006)

Finished.

Source: Baja Ha-Ha 2006 results

Known Issues

Deck and cabin rotseriousPassageBoats editorial

Neal warns of deck and cabin rot, and notes many boats were owner-completed with varying quality.

Inspection: Survey the deck, cabin structure and any wood for rot, and establish who finished the boat.

Source: John Neal - Boats to Consider for Ocean Cruising

Documented repairs and system-specific fixes reported for the Cape George 38, drawn from known-issue write-ups and video transcripts.

Repairs Documented on Video

⚙ cutless bearing⚙ propeller shaft

The owner replaced the cutless bearing by lifting the engine and sliding the prop shaft in through the engine room.

⚙ refrigeration

The owners replaced the refrigerator's evaporator and condenser. The condenser sits in the engine room and stopped working when the engine ran because it got too hot, so they added a vent bringing salon air to the condenser, and say they have not had the problem since.

What sailing channels say about the Cape George 38, quoted from video transcripts with a link to the exact moment. Opinions belong to the speakers; the written review above stays independent of them.

discusses

The owner of a 2000 Cape George 38 says the 38 has a little more tumblehome than the straight-sided 36, giving more waterline when heeled. He reports 7.5 to nearly 8 knots in 15 knots of wind, with the boat overpowered once the green stripe under the toe rail goes under, and about 11,500 lb of lead in the keel.

recommends

The owner says Cape Georges in general have side-mounted chainplates that do not go through the deck, bolted to solid fiberglass so the load is carried from the sides. He calls it a great design.

repairs⚙ cutless bearing⚙ propeller shaft

The owner replaced the cutless bearing by lifting the engine and sliding the prop shaft in through the engine room.

repairs⚙ refrigeration

The owners replaced the refrigerator's evaporator and condenser. The condenser sits in the engine room and stopped working when the engine ran because it got too hot, so they added a vent bringing salon air to the condenser, and say they have not had the problem since.

discusses

The owners say the water tanks, fuel tanks and batteries are all on the centerline. They describe the cabin sole as half-inch solid wood on half-inch plywood and "incredibly stable", giving credit to the original owners for the wood and the build.

discusses

The owners describe a keel-stepped mast connected directly to the ballast, say it is very stable and that they have had no leaking even in San Francisco and Port Townsend. They also installed a cell booster with the antenna at the masthead.

discusses

The owners note this V-berth has no portholes where many Cape Georges have two, which they put down to the original owners liking to sleep in the dark. They say the original owners took seven years to build the boat.

discusses

The head is spacious with a new toilet fitted by the owners. The black water tank is only 7 gallons, which they worried about but say works quite well in practice.

discusses⚙ water tanks

The owners show their water system: three numbered tanks stored in the center of the boat under the sole, selected through a manifold behind the settee, each with its own shut-off and a breather tube to the galley. Filling one takes about an hour at a slow rate through a 0.5 micron chlorine block filter. They say "most are a little different", so this is their own boat's arrangement.

Sailing Aloha

Sailing On 3: A Cape George 38 - How to fill the water tanks

▶ watch at 0:20
  1. [1]SpecificationsCAPE GEORGE 38 - SailboatData.com- Dimensions, displacement, ballast, sail area, keel, rig, designer and builder.
  2. [2]EditorialJohn Neal - Boats to Consider for Ocean Cruising (Mahina)- Lists the Cape George 38, rated 2 of 5.
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