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38 morgan sailboat

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  • Sailboat Reviews

Morgan 38/382

Charlie morgan's hurrah becomes ted brewer's success story becomes today's pseudo-classic..

We receive many requests from readers to review certain boats. Almost without exception, the requests come from owners of the boat suggested. Few boats have been the object of more requests than the venerable Morgan 38. At first blush, it is difficult to determine which Morgan 38 we ought to address, as two distinct designs were built since the first one appeared 22 years ago. After some thought, we decided to trace the history of both as best we could, including also the Morgan 382, 383 and 384.

Morgan 38/382

The Morgan 38 was designed in 1969 by Charlie Morgan. He had founded Morgan Yacht Company in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1965. The Morgan 34 was his first production model. A hometown boy, he had made a name for himself in the 1960 and 1961 Southern Ocean Racing Conference (SORC), winning with a boat of his own design called Paper Tiger . While not a formally trained naval architect, Morgan demonstrated his skill with a variety of designs. Many of these were keel/centerboard models, owing to the shoalness of Florida waters. Seventy-nine were built before production halted in 1971.

In 1977, the Morgan 382 was introduced, designed by Ted Brewer, Jack Corey and the Morgan Design Team. According to Brewer, the boat was loosely based on the Nelson/Marek-designed Morgan 36 IOR One Ton. The most obvious difference between the 38 and 382 was the elimination of the centerboard and the addition of a cruising fin keel (NACA 64 012 foil) with skeg-mounted rudder. They are two completely different designs from two different eras in yacht design.

In 1980, the 382 was given a taller rig and called the 383. About 1983 the boat underwent other subtle changes, now called the Morgan 384. The rudder was enlarged and the interior modified. In its three versions, the Brewer model registered about 500 sales.

The company changed ownership several times during this period. It went public in 1968, was later bought by Beatrice Foods and then Thor Industries. Presently it is owned by Catalina Yachts, who built just 24 38s (three were kits) before discontinuing production in 1986.

The first Morgan 38 was a development of the highly successful 34, which Morgan called a “beamy, keelcenterboard, CCA (Cruising Club of America)-style of yacht. We had a good thing going and didn’t want to deviate; we found little interest in those days in keel boats. Centerboards have their own sorts of problems, but there’s an awful lot of thin water in the world, and safe refuge and quiet anchorages are mostly in shoal water.”

The boat has a long, shoal keel drawing just 3′ 9″ with the board up. The rudder is attached and there is an aperture for the propeller. “Beamy,” in 1969, meant 11 feet. The waterline was fairly short at 28 feet, but the overhangs give the hull a very balanced and pleasing profile. The stern is pure Charlie Morgan—a finely proportioned shape that is neither too big nor too small. In profile, the angle between the stern (which interestingly is a continuation of the line of the backstay) and the counter is nearly 90 degrees. It’s a trademark look.

Sloop and yawl rigs were offered, which was typical of CCA designs. The rig has a lower aspect ratio (the proportion of the hoist to the foot of the mainsail) than later designs, including the Brewer-designed 382. Yet this is a very wholesome rig for cruising. Owners responding to our questionnaire said the boat balances very well.

Owners of the 382 and subsequent permutations seemed less pleased. They didn’t rate balance as highly, noting most frequently the difficulty in tracking (keeping the boat on a straight course) when sailing off the wind (not uncommon with beamy fin keel designs; it’s a trade-off with speed, pointing ability and maneuverability). Others said that they raked their masts forward to improve balance. One thought the problem was caused because the rudder was slightly undersized. Still, these owners liked the way their boats sail.

The rig, of course, isn’t the only difference between the Morgan and Brewer designs. The latter has a foot wider beam—12 feet—and a longer waterline. Two keels were offered, the standard five-foot draft and an optional deep keel of six feet. Displacement jumped a thousand pounds to 17,000 despite a reduction in ballast from 7,500 pounds to 6,600 pounds. Centerboard boats, naturally, require more ballast because it isn’t placed as low as it is in a deep fin keel boat.

The look of the 382 is much more contemporary. The rake of the bow is straighter, as is the counter, which is shorter than the original 38 as well. Freeboard is higher and the windows in the main cabin are squared off for a crisper appearance.

Construction

The hulls of the early 38s were built of solid fiberglass and the decks of sandwich construction. Some 382 hulls were cored, others not. A variety of core materials were used, mostly Airex foam. The lamination schedule was your basic mat and woven roving, with Coremat added as a veil cloth to prevent printthrough.

Both designs have internal lead ballast, sealed on top with fiberglass.

The early 382s did not have the aft bulkhead in the head fiberglassed to the hull, which resulted in the mast pushing the keel down. All boats “work” under load, and bulkheads bonded to the hull are essential to a stiff structure. Anyone who has a boat in which major load-bearing bulkheads are not attached to the hull should do so before going offshore. To its credit, the company launched a major recall program.

Morgan 38/382

The owners of all Morgan 38s, as a group, note the strength of the boat. One said he hit a rock at 6 ½ knots and suffered only minor damage. Very few problems were mentioned. The owner of a 1981 model, however, said he “drilled through hull at waterline and was surprised at thinness of glass on either side of the Airex: 1/8” inside, 1/16″ outside.” With the stiffness that sandwich construction provides, not as much glass is required; still, protection from collision and abrasion would recommend greater thickness outside. Brewer, incidentally, discounted the report.

Interestingly, Hetron-brand fire-retardant resin was used for a time, prior to 1984; if you recall, this was blamed for the many cases of reported blistering on the early Valiant 40s. About half of the 382 owners responding to our surveys reported some blistering, none serious.

The attached rudder of the early 38 is stronger than the skeg-mounted rudder of later models. But we do prefer the skeg configuration to a spade rudder, at least for cruising. A problem with skegs, however, is the difficulty in attaching them strongly to the hull. One owner said his was damaged in a collision with a humpback whale, but that is hardly normal usage!

Several owners of later models commented that the mast was a “utility pole,” recommending a custom tapered spar for those inclined to bear the expense.

Other problems reported in our survey were only minor and were corrected by the company. In fact, owners were nearly unanimous in their praise for Morgan Yachts’ customer service.

The layout of the Morgan 38 is quite conventional and workable. In both incarnations there are Vberths forward, private head with shower (separate enclosure in the 382), dinette in main cabin with settee, galley aft in the port quarter area and nav station with quarter berth opposite to starboard. Specifications for the first 38s included “attractive wood-grained mica bulkhead paneling, with oiled American walnut trim.” This was a popular treatment in the 1960s, and practical, but often done to excess. By the 1980s, fake teak didn’t play so well. Owners wanted real wood, and that’s what they got in the 382.

Owners of early 38s complained of poor ventilation (“I added six opening ports, and would like an additional center cabin hatch,” wrote one), short Vberths (“Could be 4″ longer, but I’m 6′ 2.””), and more closet space (from a live-aboard).

Owners of later models mentioned the need for a larger forward hatch to get sails through, a hatch over the galley, larger cockpit scuppers, and Dorade vents.

(Teak Dorade boxes were added on the 384.) They complained of not enough footroom in the V-berths and poor location of the main traveler in the cockpit. (The traveler was moved to the cabinhouse top on the 384.)

Despite these minuses, most owners cite the volume of the interior and many stowage compartments as major reasons for their satisfaction with the boat.

Performance Under Sail

As implied in our comments on balance in the “Design” section of this review, the centerboard 38 sailed beautifully. She is dry and seakindly, stable and relatively fast for her generation. Its PHRF rating ranges from 145 to about 150. The yawl rig is probably not as fast as the sloop, but for the cruising couple, the mizzen sail gives the skipper another means of balancing the boat, as well as a means to fly more sail when reaching if he’s prepared to fuss with a staysail.

The 382 rates between 128 and 150, about 137 on average. The Morgan 383 and 384, which are grouped together, rate a mite lower at 135, on average.

Morgan 38/382

It is not surprising that Brewer’s redesign is faster, even though it’s 1,000-2,000 pounds heavier. This is due to it’s deeper fin and higher aspect rig with the ability to carry larger headsails. There is also less wetted surface. Performance Under Power

The centerboard 38 was powered by the seemingly ageless Atomic Four gasoline engine, though a Perkins 4-107 or Westerbeke 4-107 was available at extra cost ($1,940 in 1969). The early 38s cruise at about 6 ½ knots.

A first-generation Yanmar—the 3QM30—was used on some 382s, and as owners of those engines know, they tend to be noisy and vibrate a great deal. Yanmar engines improved a great deal after the manufacturer redesigned and retooled the entire line. But the most common powerplant was the magnificent 50-horsepower Perkins 4-108. If we were looking for a Morgan 38 to purchase, we’d certainly lean toward one with this engine.

Both designs handle reasonably well under power, as well as most sailboats do, meaning that backing down with a two-blade prop is a necessarily cautious procedure.

A number of owners recommend changing to a three-blade prop, but that will affect sailing performance. One should examine his sailing style closely before making the move.

The Morgan 38, in any incarnation, is a handsome boat that sails well and is built strong enough for most people’s purposes. Some may pause before taking a centerboard boat far offshore, but it has certainly been done—recall, if you will, Carleton Mitchell’s hugely successful racer Finnisterre .

Both centerboard and fin keel versions seem to us to have advantages and disadvantages that are essentially tradeoffs.

On the one hand, we like an attached rudder for cruising, as it provides the best protection from collision with logs and other hard objects. On the other, we recognize the importance of placing ballast low, as in the fin keel version, and we appreciate

Brewer for giving a nice slope to its leading edge so that damage from hitting logs will be minimized. Brewer said that a 382 that passes survey is capable of cruising just about anywhere. “They’ve crossed oceans,” he said.

To our eye, we admit to being fond of the CCA designs with low freeboard and graceful sheer lines. The yawl is a versatile rig that is especially attractive, though it does require more in the way of tuning and maintenance.

An early Morgan 38, in good condition, should sell in the high 20s. Expect to pay a thousand or so more for the yawl. For sellers, considering that in 1969 the base price of the boat was $22,995, that’s not a bad return on investment.

Fifteen years later the price had jumped to $84,995 (1984 model). Those boats today are advertised in the mid to high 60s, and occasionally the low 70s. (What anyone is actually getting for these days is another matter entirely).

Considering the changes in the economy, that’s still not bad performance. What it means most to the prospective buyer is that the Morgan 38 and 382 are popular, much admired boats that should, we expect, hold their value as well as or better than most others.

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

My husband & I bought a 382 Morgan in 1980. Named her Galewynd. We enjoyed her til we sold in 2000

My husband & I bought a 382 in 1980. We named her Galewynd. We enjoyed her til we sold in 2000

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  • Sailboat Guide

Morgan 38 is a 37 ′ 7 ″ / 11.5 m monohull sailboat designed by Charles Morgan and built by Morgan Yachts between 1969 and 1971.

Drawing of Morgan 38

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

  • SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
  • D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
  • LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

  • D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
  • LOA: Length overall in feet
  • Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Available as sloop or yawl. Not to be confused with a later series of Morgan 38 footers (introduced in 1978?).

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  • By Michel Savage
  • Updated: August 25, 2006

38 morgan sailboat

A teardrop-shaped hull, wide beam, discreet reverse transom, and long overhangs might be the hallmarks of a vintage racing boat, but Ted Brewer designed the Morgan 382 as a cruiser, not as a racer that could also be cruised. From 1977 to 1986, Morgan Yachts and its successor, Cat-alina-Morgan, built nearly 500 of the Morgan 382 and its later configurations, the 383 and 384. Owners have taken them everywhere.

Visually, the boat is balanced and well proportioned, and the low cabin trunk and 6-inch bulwarks help keep the profile trim. At upward of 17,000 pounds on a waterline of 30 feet 6 inches, the boat is almost in the heavy-displacement category. The hull, however, with its elongated fin keel, skeg-attached rudder, and roundish bilge, isn’t that of a slow cruiser.

The all-wood interior offers volumes of room and storage. The head of the double quarter berth to starboard serves as the seat for the nav area; opposite is a large and efficient galley. In the saloon, the L-shaped seat to port only seats two comfortably at the drop-leaf table. A wide settee and a narrow pilot berth occupy the starboard side. The head is roomy and has a fully enclosed shower, but because of the boat’s fine entry, the V-berth is relatively small. On the 384 version, four cowl vents improved the previously poor ventilation.

This boat brought some innovations to the market in 1977. The topsides and the deck were cored with synthetic foam at a time when balsa and plywood were the norm. Morgan also introduced a novel drain system: All deck drains connect to a PVC tube that runs across the boat aft and under the cockpit. Owners call it the “torpedo tube.”

The 382s and later sister ships are generally well built, albeit on the light side. One quirk, however, is that the aft part of the keel houses a 15-gallon integral holding tank, which makes for neither a strong keel nor easy service on the tank. The lead ballast is encapsulated in the forward part of the keel.

Under sail, the motion is predictable and comfortable, and the wide deck offers excellent footing with many flat surfaces. The practical and well-protected cockpit commands a clear view in all directions. The helm is responsive, but directional stability with the wind aft of the beam isn’t great. Overall, the boat is stiff and fast; it points high, and it cuts through chop easily. Aboard our 1982 Morgan 383, Serenity, in 30-knot winds and 5-foot seas on Chesapeake Bay, we’ve surfed at 9.6 knots. Serenity has a Perkins 4-108 and, under power, typically registers 6.2 knots at 1,600 rpm while consuming half a gallon of fuel per hour.

The anchoring system, consisting of a single anchor roller and a foredeck locker, was seen as modern at the time. In reality, it’s inadequate for serious cruising, and many owners have retrofit a second roller and sturdier mooring bitts and cleats.

Some use the quarter berth for storage. All items that need maintenance or repair are easily accessible. With a modified or enlarged saloon table, the interior becomes cozy and functional, though the wood makes it a little dark.

Boats in the Morgan 382/ 383/384 family list from about $40,000 to nearly $80,000. They may not turn heads in harbors, but they’ll take good care of their crews at sea or on the hook, in light air or in heavy weather. Owners trade tips and chat through a website .

Morgan 382 Specs

LOA: 38′ 4″ (11.68 m.) LWL: 30′ 6″ (9.30 m.) Beam: 12′ 0″ (3.66 m.) Draft: 5′ 0″ (1.52 m.) Sail Area (100%): 668 sq. ft. (62.1 sq. m.) Ballast: 6,800 lb. (3,084 kg.) Displacement: 17,200 lb. (7,802 kg.) Ballast/D: .40 D/L: 271 SA/D: 16.0 Water: 95 gal. (360 l.) Fuel: 40 gal. (152 l.) Engine: Various diesels Designer: Ted Brewer

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    Beam:  14'6'    Draft:  5'6'
    Beam:  14'8'    Draft:  7' 6'
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38 morgan sailboat

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How safe/sturdy is the Morgan 382?

  • Thread starter phboujon
  • Start date Apr 29, 2010

Philippe Boujon

  • Apr 29, 2010

Hi All, My girlfriend and I are looking for a boat to go cruising for 2 years, leaving from Los Angeles, CA and going to South Pacific/South America. We are in our early 30s and cannot put too much money into a boat. The Morgan 382 attracted our eyes. The boat was reviewed highly by Gregg Nestor, John Kretschmer and John Neal as a great performance cruiser. However, how does the boat do as an offshore cruiser? The #1 criterion for us is safety/sturdiness. When I look at the Morgan 382 characteristics, it seems to have a capsize ratio of 1.81 & an LPS of ~120 degrees. The LPS barely meets offshore standards, and the CR ratio isn't that high (at least in comparison with other performance cruisers, ex: Valiant 37, Valiant 40). This concerns me. I read this blog archives and saw one person who took the boat across the Atlantic. Have anyone cruised the South Pacific with that boat? How about rounding any great Capes? Anyone endured difficult conditions that could report on the sturdiness of the boat? Not that I wish to be in those conditions, but I want a boat I feel safe in, if the conditions were to happen. It is clearly a great coastal cruiser, with high praises from the above authors and from the owners (I read lots of the archive, and I am impressed by the community). However, before buying one, I want to make sure it has the potential to be a safe offshore cruiser (once equipped obviously). Thank you all in advance Philippe  

maluhia

Many Morgan 38s have sailed all over the Pacific and do very well off shore. Look for a 6 foot draught version for even better performance. Any boat has trade offs. The heavier the boat, like the Valiant, will be like a slug but is stable but a moderate displacement boat, like the Morgan 38, is a good off shore boat if it is rigged correctly. In fact, the Morgan has sailed and won or placed in the Pacific Cup to Hawaii many times. Happy Shopping! Jim  

Alan & Cheryl Shedd

Hi Philippe: You've got CR backwards. Lower numbers are supposed to be less likely to capsize. I'm sure you've done a lot of reading regarding what makes a boat offshore-worthy. The recommendations that you select a boat with LPS > 120 and CR less than 2.0 is a starting point. There are plenty of stories of people crossing oceans in all kinds of boats and the skipper and crew in many cases play a larger role in safety than the boat. I agree that safety is no place to compromise but you must also evaluate how much difference in real safety is indicated by a small difference in CR. I find http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html to be a good source of data. M382 = 1.83 Valiant 37 = 1.79 Is the 0.04 difference in CR significant? There are probably other more important considerations. While we are comparatively new owners of our M382, its former owner sailed her to Bermuda twice. We plan to do the same but with upgrades to meet the ISAF Offshore Special Regulations for Race Catagory 1 Monohulls. We delivered a Beneteau 38 from Florida to Tonga - over 9000 miles, mostly in the Pacific, I would much prefer to be on the Morgan. As everyone will say, it's a series of tradeoffs. -Alan  

Thanks for the replies so far! Sorry for my stupid mistake on the CR. It was a morning post and my mind wasn't working, but I meant "is high". John Rousmaniere book recommend a CR less than 2.0. However, other authors, such as Holtrop, go further and recommend less than 1.8. I am also using Carl's Sail Calculator to shift through boats. You're right that it is but a ratio, and there are more important considerations. That is why I posted, so I can fear from owners who have sailed their Morgan 382 through difficult conditions and continued to feel safe in the boat. Basically, I am trying to convince myself that the boat is safe, and the only way I can do that (short of being invited to sail on one) is to hear from other owners.  

Part of any boat is the maintenance, upgrades, safety equipment, and knowledge of the captain. That can get you through most anything! The Morgan 38 series is an excellent ocean going vessel if it is out-fitted correctly. Jim  

I forgot-it does need a experienced Captain and crew! With that, it can go anywhere; and money no consideration. Jim  

dave_a

Dave Ahlers

  • Apr 30, 2010

Philippe and all: A year or two ago Practical Sailor had an article that queried something to the effect "What makes good cruising boat"? They combined many of the measurements and ratios already mentioned. The Morgan 382 wound up in the list of optimum boats, behind one of Perry's classics and another well known cruisers. At a fraction of the "premium cruisers" cost, the 382 represents a great value. Since I already owned my 383, I took some pleasure and pride in the results of the PS article.  

I am not sure what you mean by a forgiving boat? I don't believe that such a boat exists. Your experience, knowledge of the boat, and luck is what will get you through the tough times. I don't believe anyone should take on a trans-ocean voyage without a lot of offshore experience with other knowledgeable sailors. Another thing to consider is outfitting the boat. This can easily take 6 months to a year starting from an unprepared boat. Major boat systems take lots of time and $$$$'s. You can always attempt to find a boat that is totally outfitted and up to date, but that will generally cost a lot more and may not be available. All this must be weighed by your situation and budget. Jim  

  • May 1, 2010

Phillippe - There's some excellent advice here. Safety can be best enhanced by preparation and experience. The brand of boat itself is not as important as these two criteria, in my opinion (since an experienced boater would not look to use an inadequate boat for the task at hand). Preparation will help avoid small mistakes from becoming big mistakes, by ensuring you're ready for a number of possible eventualities. And experience will provide guidance on possible alternatives when you encounter problems you hadn't anticipated. I think that all Morgan owners would agree that the boat, as originally built,was robust enough to handle offshore cruising, though building methods for certain components and systems used then can't compare to standards today (untinned wire, gate valves, PVC piping etc). However, as most of our boats are roughly 30 years old, you shouldn't take comfort simply by buying any Morgan - you'll need to do the necessary work of getting to know your specific boat inside and out, and determining what's good, what's bad and what's downright scary about your vessel. The good news is that the hulls and spars of Morgans have a reputation for sturdiness. Just about everything else can be replaced, if need be, but a good hull is critical to a good boat. In my mind, the boat is a "forgiving" boat in one respect. I bought mine 3 years ago and have done a ton of work to replace most systems and do some significant alterations. My mistakes aren't obvious, and have not ruined or hurt the boat in any way. It takes a beating and still performs fine. The electrical system, motor, plumbing are all easy to work on and repair. Having no fancy stuff like digital fuel injection or CPU regulated battery cooling systems means I don't have to worry about ripping out the old to put in something new. I just go ahead and do it. But I agree with Jim that there's no boat out there that's going to "forgive" someone who sails in strong winds without tuning the stays, or allows for numerous accidendal gibes or runs aground on occasion. The bottom line is that, if you do buy a Morgan, you're getting a boat that's relatively easy to get to know (especially with this website!), sails well, handles rough seas better than most, and is, as an added bonus, one of the prettiest boats in any harbor. Matt  

Thanks all for your advices. I am now convinced that Morgan 382 have sturdy bases, and a great buy for the money. We will be careful in our planning. I have been sailing since 7 years, coastal only, but we are going through the entire U.S. Sailing program to be more proficient together. Furthermore, I am planning to take offshore classes with either John Kretschmer or John Neal before leaving, in addition to the U.S. Sailing offshore class. With my work schedule, I unfortunately cannot take the time to participate in longer offshore events. The elarning will also be along the way, descending the coast of California & Mexico. I surely understand the boat needs to be refitted for offshore. There are two years that I have been reading all books to understand what needs to be done, on a budget. As long as the hull, spars, and structucal members inside the boat are sound, I can try to do the remaining, and seek help or professional labor when it's over my head. Thanks Matt for pointing to a great advantages of Morgan 382, how forgiving they are to work on. By "forgiving", I didnt mean to make major mistakes while using the boat, but a boat that doesn't need micromanagement like today Catalinas or Hunter when sailing. Thus, now on, I indeed will post in the next few weeks specific questions about the 382 as I will be starting to visit some along the coast of California this weekend. Thansk again Philippe  

<a href="http://www.sailboattraderonline.com/listing/1978-Morgan-382-94756129" target="_top">http://www.sailboattraderonline.com/listing/1978-Morgan-382-94756129</a> a good boat for fair price and 6 foot draughts! Jim  

Thanks Jim. I's a fair price, but in North Carolina. I think I want to limit my search to the West Coast, as the price of trucking would be ~20% of the boat purchase price, and I would prefer to put that money in refit. Is the 6 ft version that much better? A new listing just appeard in san Diego for a 6 ft one: http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1980/Morgan-382-2207870/San-Diego/CA/United-States Philippe  

  • May 2, 2010

The deeper the keel, the more righting ability and stability in my opinion. The negative is that you have 12 inches more to worry about. Jim  

dickkilroy

Richard Kilroy

Hi guys we are back! Philippe : My 1978 Morgan 38-2 has done 5 Marion-Bermuda races. Thats 645 Nautical miles offshore and equal return. Granted it's almost 20 years ago but in 1991 we had huricane force winds and 40 foot seas for about 10 hours. When the wind was down to 45 we all ate in the cockpit. However as Dave say's these boats are antique's by car vintages. Any boat of this age needs a very good survey if it's going offshore. My last M-B race was in 1999. Tony Carey Has not posted on this but he has crossed the Atlantic at least twice in his 38-2. Dick  

<div>It took some digging, but here are some Morgan sales literature and the Practical Sailor article from 1991 plus another good one. Jim View attachment Morgan_38_Articles-17051.pdf Morgan 38 Articles.pdf </div>  

Sorry they are big! Jim  

  • May 3, 2010

Jim, that's great info! The articles were perfect. Dick, thanks for the info, it reassures me to hear the boat has been going offshore quite a bit.  

The Morgan 382 Ghost won the West Marine Pacific Cup in 1992, Class A, San Francisco to Kaneohe, Hawaii. That is 2070 Nautical miles. Jim  

Jim: It's even more impressive... From what I understand, Lou and Kim Ickler have raced Ghost, their Morgan 382, in the Pacific Cup to Hawaii at least six times. Nice photo at http://www.latitude38.com/LectronicLat/2004/0704/July14/July14.html Since they are from Hawaii, they have to sail to San Francisco then race home. (more than 4000 miles each trip) They were second in class in 1992 - a Moore 24 won that year - see http://www.pacificcup.org/pcychistory.htm They won Divison A in 2004. See http://www.pacificcup.org/2004-we-begged-more -Alan  

terry_thatcher

Terence thatcher.

  • May 4, 2010

Phillippe: I agree generally with all that has been said about the sailing ability of the Morgan; they are not perfect (nor is any boat), but for the price they are fine ships. I will add only these comments: First, I have always been convinced that the most dangerous part of coastal or long distance cruising are land falls and anchorages. I think it is likely you will run into land sooner or later, no matter how careful you are, especially in rock and coral strewn tropical paradises. If I had my choice and the money, I would get a well found, well surveyed steel boat for long distance cruising. I have seen both fiberglass and steel sailboats after they spent a couple of days on a reef. I would rather be in steel. Second, it may sound silly, but in rough conditions, any boat is going to bounce around a lot. Consider wearing a bicycle helmet--especially below. A friend, sailing alone across the Pacific in a Morgan 382, spend 3 days recovering from a concussion after he was thrown across the cabin. He always uses the bike helmet now. Third, don't ignore east coast options for the 382s. If you get one well equipped and updated, you might save even with shipping. There is what looks like a very robust, well equipped 382 (wind generator, Monitor, I think water maker, etc) for $65K somewhere in the country now. (I saw it fiddling around on Yachtworld.) I hope you find your dream boat.  

One word for steel - RUST. The areas of a steel boat that are the most prone to rust are the places that can't be seen or are seldom accessed. Give me strong FG anytime! Jim  

donald toews

Terence Thatcher (Terry_thatcher, The Morgan 382 you noted is mine. I put her up for sale about 5 weeks ago due to some health issues I have. The Morgan is in wonderful shape and has had over 138,000 dollars worth of work done to bring her up to current standards for international sailing. Yes, their is a water-maker, Mini-M, radar, AIS (Receive/Trans), Winslow 6 person life raft, etc. I have her on the hard in Port Charlotte, Florida (just north of Fort Myers). She has always performed well on very long sailings. I sail about 98% of the time single-handed and she is a real dream with the monitor!.  

Donald--I am sorry to hear you cannot sail your ship anymore. I didn't have one already, I would come buy yours. She looks wonderful. Best of luck selling her.  

  • May 5, 2010

Alan, Jim, thanks for the info about "Ghost". That's impressive and it speaks highly of the boat. I am visiting another Morgan 382 this coming weekend in California, and next weekend in Seattle. Donald, I have your boat on my radar too. Would you mind if we chat by email about it? I belive my name can be clicked to see my email, otherwise it's simply phboujon at gmail. Thanks all for the information  

Gary Crocker

  • Aug 25, 2014

I have a nice 382 for sale in San Diego. It is set up to go anywhere. Buying a house in Nevada. Gary 1-775-742-0855  

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