Experience cruising with a 38 Frers

[Maugar]

I just bought a 38 frers, she is built in New Orleans in 1982. A IOR racer with all its problems and qualities. I want to know if there is anybody that had cruising experiences with this boat or the newer Carroll marine model?
Even with her design problems, is she capable of sailing offshore?

[apieschel]

Design problems? Frers could not make a bad boat even if he tried to. He is tops so was his father. Both legendary good designers. The question is who built your boat in New Orleans. That may help better say about its abilities offshore.

[Maugar]

Well, thanks for the reply! I know it was built by New Orleans Marina by a man called Tom ... but I forget his last name. He was proud of the boats he built. Ferrenc Mate wrote an article in his book ¨good boats to buy or build¨ about a larger design, the 40 foot frers, but it is almost the same design.

[jac0331]

Originally Posted by Maugar

I just bought a 38 frers, she is built in New Orleans in 1982. A IOR racer with all its problems and qualities. I want to know if there is anybody that had cruising experiences with this boat or the newer Carroll marine model?
Even with her design problems, is she capable of sailing offshore?

Hello! Sounds like we may have twin boats. I have original advertising adds and additional info on the boat from the person whom I purchased the boat from. We became good friends and he also provided me info on many of the wins he had with the boat in the Fla Tampa area.

The boat was originaly built for a Canadian Race team in 1982 for the Admirals Cup. Another boat out there that I'm familiar with, they had a web site of information on the boat, it's called Floating Point, boat kept in RI area. He converted keel design reducing draft, and refitted the boat geared more toward Racer/Cruiser like I plan to do with my boat.

Bob whom I purchased the boat from raced for aprox 5 years with it. He has sailed and raced most of his life and claims the boat is built like a tank 'in the sense of strength' and Bob sailed it extensively all over the ocean.

The grid work on my boat is kevelar, hull is S & E Glass came with titanium stancions. I never sailed the boat since I'm in the process of trucking it to it's new home for refit to racer/cruiser. No interior, just bare bone light weight racing boat in it's present state.

You can e-mail me direct and perhaps we can share some info, great person to speak with is my friend Bob, knows the boats qualities and handeling capability inside out. I can tell you from Bob's experience racing it, it's fast, strong built, but not the greatest for the Florida shallow areas with the 8.5 ft draft.

[Maugar]

Well I am glad to hear from you, and I am very interested in talking to Bob, I was about to give up and find another boat to be able to cruise. How do I write to you?

[jac0331]

Hello, you can just e-mail me direct at jacsailing@yahoo.com.

[jac0331]

I forgot to mention,
In a couple of weeks I'll have a chance to pick up some of the info on the boat that Bob had given me, such as original write up on the boat by the builder and advertising articles back from 1982. I can perhaps make copies and mail them to you.