The Rival 38 Sailboat
Key Specs & Performance Indicators

The Rival 38, an aft-cockpit sloop, was designed by Peter Brett and built in the UK by the Rival/Southern Boatbuilding Co. Ltd.

The Rival 38 sailboat 'Wandering Dream' at anchor off Deshaies in Guadeloupe, French West IndiesThe Rival 38 'Wandering Dream' completed a circumnavigation in 2018.

Published Specification for the Rival 38

Underwater Profile: Fin keel with skeg-hung rudder.

Hull Material: GRP (Fiberglass)

Length Overall: 37'7" (11.5m)

Waterline Length: 29'6" (9.0m)

Beam: 11'3" (3.4m)

Draft: 5'4" (1.6m)

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 17,280lb (7,838kg)

Designer: Peter Brett

Builder: Rival/Southern Boatbuilding Co. Ltd. (UK)

Year First Built: 1977

Number Built: 63

Owners Association: Rival Owners Association

Published Design Ratios for the Rival 38

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.9

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: Not Published

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 300

4. Comfort Ratio: 33.3

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 1.7

read more about these all-revealing numbers...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Rival 38

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.9 suggests that the Rival 38 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. In the absence of a published Ballast/Displacement Ratio for the Rival 38 we are unable to make any assessment of her stiffness under sail.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 300, tells us the Rival 38 is clearly a heavy displacement cruising boat. You can load her down with all your cruising gear and equipment and it will hardly affect her waterline. Not an ideal choice for coastal sailing, but she'll come into her own on an offshore passage in testing conditions.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 33.3 suggests that crew comfort of a Rival 38 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.7 tells us that a Rival 38 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.

Accomodation Layout

Rival 38A Accommodation LayoutRival 38A Accommodation Layout

The standard version (the Rival 38A) has an aft cockpit and a two-cabin layout with a forward double berth, a saloon with two settees that can convert to berths, a galley, a navigation station, and an aft cabin with two single berths. Some of these were rigged as cutters.

A centre cockpit version was also available, with a three-cabin layout that had a forward double berth, a saloon with two settees that can convert to berths, a galley, a navigation station, an aft heads compartment, and an aft cabin with either two single berths or a double berth.

Some boats may have a non-standard aft cabin layout with a double berth to port and the heads to starboard.

Cruisers' Questions about this Sailboat...

Q: What are the different versions of the Rival 38 sailboat?

The standard version of the Rival 38 sailboat is the Rival 38A, which has an aft cockpit and a sloop rig. Some of these were rigged as cutters with an inner forestay and staysail. A center cockpit version was also available, called the Rival 38C, which had more headroom and storage space in the aft cabin. A ketch rig option was also offered for both versions.

How many people can sleep on board a Rival 38 sailboat?

The number of people who can sleep on board a Rival 38 sailboat depends on the layout and configuration of the boat. The standard layout has two single berths in the forward cabin, two single berths in the saloon (plus optional pipe cots), and two single berths in the aft cabin. Some boats have a double berth in the aft cabin instead of two singles, and some have a double berth in the forward cabin with an infill cushion. Therefore, the maximum number of berths can vary from six to eight, depending on the boat. However, for comfort and practicality, a smaller number of people would be preferable, especially for long-distance cruising.

How much water and fuel can a Rival 38 sailboat carry?

The Rival 38 sailboat can carry 416 litres of water and 492 litres of fuel. However, some boats may have different or additional tanks, so the actual capacity may vary depending on the boat.

What are the main features of the Rival 38 sailboat?

The Rival 38 sailboat is an aft-cockpit sloop with a fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. It has a GRP (fiberglass) hull and deck, a masthead rig, and a Perkins 4.108 diesel engine. It has a spacious interior with a forward cabin, a saloon, a galley, a navigation station, a head, and an aft cabin.

How much does the Rival 38 sailboat cost?

The price of the Rival 38 sailboat depends on the condition, age, equipment, and location of the boat. According to some online listings, the average asking price for a used Rival 38 sailboat is around £40,000 to £50,000 ($53,000 to $66,000).

What are some similar or comparable boats to the Rival 38 sailboat?

Some similar or comparable boats to the Rival 38 sailboat are:

  • Westerly Oceanlord 41
  • Moody Eclipse 38
  • Hallberg-Rassy 382
  • Rustler 36
  • Nicholson 35

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge, we believe them to be accurate.

Other sailboats in the Rival range include:

Rival 34The Rival 34

Rival 36The Rival 36

Rival 41The Rival 41

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