Wellcraft 38 Explorer

Summary

Best Suited For

• Coastal Cruising

  From the published figures: CE Category B · LOA 11.85 m

Tags are derived from certified class, length, sail area, accommodation and tankage using the criteria described on the Sources page; an editor may add or remove one.

Speed, Power & Tanks

What the builder publishes about how fast, how strong and how much the boat carries.

Dimensions

LOA

38.9 ft (11.85 m)

Hull length

35.2 ft (10.73 m)

LWL

—

Beam

10.8 ft (3.3 m)

Draft (min)

2.8 ft (0.84 m)

Draft (max)

2.8 ft (0.84 m)

Air draft

8.3 ft (2.53 m)

Displacement

16,131 lb (7,317 kg)

Ballast

—

Cabins

1

Heads

—

Berths

—

Performance

Maximum speed

50 kn

Cruising speed

—

Range

—

Guests

—

Crew

—

Engine and Tanks

Engine

—

Engine count

—

Engine manufacturer

—

Propulsion type

outboard

Fuel capacity

264 gal (1,000 L)

Fresh water capacity

42 gal (160 L)

Black water capacity

—

Construction

Hull material

—

Deck material

—

Rudder type

—

Steering wheels

—

Builder's Own Figures

Max. engine power

1050 hp (the boat's total outboard rating, as printed)

Deadrise

20 °

CE persons

category B 10; category C 12 (certified persons, not guests)

Speed basis

from the model page text: 'Power to Explore Available with twin or triple outboards , the Wellcraft 38 Explorer reaches top speeds up to 57 mph ( 50 knots ) , giving you the power to seek new horizons and the confidence to go b'

Displacement basis

light displacement as printed

Layouts & Drawings

2 drawings from the builder's page: general arrangement, sail plan, profile.

• 

  deck-layout-38-explorer — Wellcraft (Groupe Beneteau)

• 

  lowerdeck-layout-38-explorer — Wellcraft (Groupe Beneteau)

Films of this model from the builder's official YouTube channel (Wellcraft Boats). They are the builder's own; the figures above are the reference.

Videos whose title names the Wellcraft 38 Explorer, from the channel the builder's site links; last checked 9/30/2026. Playing one loads YouTube's player, which may set cookies.

About Wellcraft

Volume production

Groupe Beneteau's American offshore brand, founded in 1955 — thirteen outboard boats from 6.2 to 11.9 m: the Fisherman centre consoles (202 to 352), the Crossover T-Tops and Speedsters (28, 33, 38) and the 28 and 38 Explorer, built to 'push the limits offshore' at up to 50 knots.

Wellcraft Marine Corporation was founded in 1955 in Sarasota, Florida, building small wooden runabouts and skiffs of 12 to 17 feet before moving to moulded fibreglass in the early 1960s. In 1970 the naval architect C. Raymond Hunt drew five high-performance Deep-V hulls with Step-Lifts for Wellcraft, the basis of the V-20 Step-Lift Fisherman centre console of 1979; the 248 Sportsman walkaround marked the 25th anniversary in 1980, the Scarab 377 Special Edition of 1983 became an icon of performance boating, and the 26 Scarab Center Console starred on Baywatch through the show's eleven-year run. The Fisherman 2800 Coastal followed in 1994 and the High Performance Boot Camp and Saltwater Fishing School in 2000 and 2001. Platinum Equity acquired Wellcraft in 2010, the 35 Scarab Offshore Tournament launched with over 1,000 horsepower in 2013, and in 2014 Wellcraft joined Groupe Beneteau; the Fisherman Series came in 2017 and, from 2022, the performance cruisers -- the 355 Explorer, the 44 Explorer of 2023, the 38 T-Top of 2024 and the 28 T-Top of 2025.

The Wellcraft Range

Every model Wellcraft publishes, by length — where this one sits in the range.

1. Wellcraft 38 Explorer· this model38.9 ft
2. Wellcraft 38 T-Top38.4 ft
3. Wellcraft 352 Fisherman35.3 ft
4. Wellcraft 33 Speedster33.9 ft
5. Wellcraft 33 T-Top33.9 ft
6. Wellcraft 302 Fisherman30.2 ft
7. Wellcraft 28 Explorer27.9 ft
8. Wellcraft 28 Speedster27.9 ft
9. Wellcraft 28 T-Top27.9 ft

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