Hermanson 38

Description

The Hermanson 38 is a custom or semi-custom bluewater cruising sailboat, typically built in steel/aluminum/composite construction to high standards (e.g., ABS rules with extra bow framing and watertight bulkheads), associated with renowned metal boatbuilder Topper Hermanson (of Hermanson Boat Building / Topper Hermanson Boatbuilding in Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA). Topper Hermanson was a respected designer, builder, and craftsman known for custom steel and aluminum vessels (including sailboats, motor yachts, and trawlers, often collaborating on designs like those from Charley Morgan or Van de Stadt), with his yard producing limited, high-quality, owner-specific or small-series boats rather than mass production; exact quantity built for the Hermanson 38 is undocumented but very low (likely one-offs or a handful, given the custom nature and builder's focus on bespoke projects from the 1980s–2000s era). A notable example is a 1989 model (LOA ~38–39 ft) listed as a robust offshore cruiser with features including a double-spreader sloop rig (mast ~62 ft above waterline, removable inner forestay, spinnaker pole), substantial rigging, generous sail inventory (e.g., new 135% genoa in examples), Perkins diesel auxiliary (~50 hp), good tankage (fuel ~75 gal, water ~150 gal), ground tackle setup, and a practical layout for extended cruising or liveaboard use emphasizing strength, seaworthiness, and range (~600 miles under power).