The Nauticat 38 is one of the classic Finnish motorsailers that helped define the modern pilothouse cruising yacht. Built by Siltala Yachts (later Nauticat Yachts) in Finland, she combines heavy displacement, a protective pilothouse, and a practical ketch rig.
Design and production
The Nauticat 38 was developed in the early 1970s through international collaboration and the yard’s own design office (Siltala Design Office). Production ran from approximately 1972/1975 until 1997. Sources vary slightly on exact start year, but the model was in series production for roughly two decades. Estimates suggest around 250 boats of this model were built.
By the end of 2009 the entire Nauticat range had reached more than 2,500–2,750 yachts launched worldwide. The 38 sits between the earlier Nauticat 33 and the larger Nauticat 44 in the traditional motorsailer line.
The yard’s later story
Nauticat Yachts Oy (the company that succeeded Siltala Yachts) continued building until 2018. After several difficult years the company was declared bankrupt on 16 May 2018. The brand, moulds and intellectual property were put up for sale.
In 2022 a group of Latvian entrepreneurs revived the brand under the name Nauticat Yachts SIA. Production has been restarted in Latvia, keeping the Nauticat name and traditional design philosophy alive for new boats.
Keel and rig variations during production
During the long production run of the Nauticat 38, Siltala offered different keel and rig configurations. Early boats were typically long-keel, while later examples could be ordered with a fin keel and skeg-hung rudder. The ketch rig remained the standard and most popular choice, although a few boats were delivered with alternative sail plans. These variations mean that two Nauticat 38s from different years can feel quite different under sail and when manoeuvring in harbour. When buying a used example it is therefore important to check the exact keel type, rudder arrangement and original sail plan.
Famous or well-known boats
The Nauticat 38 has never been a celebrity “yacht of the rich and famous”. Instead she has earned a quiet reputation among serious long-distance cruisers and liveaboard couples who value safety, comfort and the ability to keep going in less than ideal weather. Many examples have completed long Mediterranean and Atlantic voyages. Individual boats occasionally appear in sailing magazines and owner forums.
Our boat – S/Y Maja (hull number 156, 1982)
Maja was built in 1982 and first owned by a group of four Norwegians who made long voyages to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic islands. She later returned to Norway and spent time in Bergen and Ålesund before we bought her after the pandemic. We sailed her for several seasons in Norwegian, Swedish and Danish waters, then took her south. In 2024 she received a major teak deck refit in Sweden. In 2025 she was sailed from Sweden via Denmark, Germany, Helgoland, the Netherlands and the UK. A professional delivery crew then brought her from the UK to Spain. During that passage she was involved in an orca interaction near Gibraltar and had to make an emergency entry into port. After a year in Alcaidesa Marina she is scheduled to continue to Torrevieja for the 2026–2027 season.
Owning and documenting a 1982 Nauticat 38 has given us a practical understanding of both the strengths and the typical maintenance points of these boats. The solid construction, protective pilothouse and seakindly motion are still the reasons most owners choose them today.
Why the Nauticat 38 still matters
More than forty years after the first boats were launched, the Nauticat 38 continues to attract owners who value safety, comfort and the ability to keep sailing in less-than-perfect weather. She is not the fastest or the most modern boat, but she is honest, strongly built and well suited to couples who want to spend extended periods on board. That combination explains why so many examples are still actively cruising and why the model retains a loyal following among experienced sailors.