1985 Endeavour 38

Name: Charles Overman overman@oasys.dt.navy.mil
Boat Name: Crystal Vision
Year: 1985
Size: 38' sloop, ccpt
Date Purchased: 1994

Previous Owner History:
3rd owner.

Your Sailing Experience:
25 years, started racing Hobie Cats. Cruised Chesapeake Bay for last 15 years.

Boat Review:
We love this boat. She's fast. She's comfortable. She's stiff for a shoal draft, tall rig. The four cylindar diesel is smooth, guiet, and powerful. The aft cabin is comfortable and private with it's own spacious head and shower.

My wife and I, with two cats, have lived aboard a 1985 Endeavour 38 Center Cockpit Sloop for the last four years. When we have guests aboard (the limit is two) we have to clean out the v-berth as it is used for storage usually. The aft cabin with private head allows us privacy, while guests utilize the forward head.

Everything, and I mean everything on a boat has some trade-off. Our vessel is fairly heavy displacement, but with our Martec folding prop, a full batten main, and our 150% roller furling/reefing genoa she sails faster in light airs than many lighter performance oriented vessels. Fast is fun. I prefer the Endvr. 38 or 42 over the 40 or 43 primarily for the slightly superior sailing characteristics.

Going offshore? Check out the E42 in the April 98 Cruising World magizine article that utilizes "fuzzy logic" technique to rate desirable offshore characteristics.

"Small enough for one or two people to handle easily". Depends. Depends on the people and the handling circumstances. Consider just these two things. Handling the mainsail for one. Without good lazyjacks, or some other handling system, a standard mainsail on a large center cockpit vessel is extremely difficult to manage, especially if you are 5ft. 5in. tall. Now add 30mph wind. Now lets look at ground tackle. Heavier vessels require even heavier anchors with more chain. Sure, the specified displacment is only...... Stop right there ! Our E38 is only supposed to have an 18,000lb. displacement. When we last had our vessel hauled we were told it weighed 28,000lb. , give or take 100lb. We just purchased a new 44lb. Bruce with 50ft. of 3/8in. chain. We like our vessel very much.