Evaluating a Hughes Northstar 38

[blt2ski]

Once your boat is on the hard, run plumb line down from the fartehest point forward, and aft, then measure. That is usually the easiest way. I would also NOT be suprised if your boat is about a foot longer than speced, being as marina's charge by the longest part. Along with my marina, goes from 37'3" to 38'3" is a 38' boat, so if you are 38'4" you're a 39' boat to them!

marty

[Sailormann]

Hughes commissioned Sparkman & Stevens to design a 38' sloop in 1966. It was Sparkman & Stevens design #1903, and was used as the basis for all Hughes and Northstar 38s built from 1967 to 1980. There are different versions, but all use the same S&S design... the Mark I, the Mark II, the Mark III, and a tallmast version which seems to have only offerred in the Mark II version (it had a mast 4' taller than the standard mast). The Northstar 38 built from 1970 to 1974 while US Steel owned the company was probably the same as a Hughes Mark II.

I don't know about 3 models, but I'll guarantee you that there are at least two very different hull shapes that were built and sold as Hughes 38. The older one is a more classic design and is the one with the dark hull pictured earlier in this post. The newer one is a fatter boat with a very pinched stern.

I looked at both versions last year.

[Pub911]

Do you have the beam dimensions for each?

[jheldatksuedu]

I have lots of pictures of a 1968 Hughes 38 on my website.I think it is a good, strong, well designed bluewater boat. I bought it to circumnavigate. I wanted something larger and steel but didn't think I would find one affordable, I was wrong. Concerning the engine in the bilge, if you've got enough water in the the bilge to cause problems with a diesel, the engine in the bilge is not something you need to worry about. My opinion a gas engine has no business being anywhere near salt water for many reasons. Jon