You may have seen many a quaint craft in your day,’ Herman Melville once wrote, ‘but take my word for it, you never saw such a rare old craft as this same rare old Pequod.’ The Sabre 38 Salon Express is no Pequod – far from it. This pocket cruiser is more suited to day boating and weekend breaks than pursuing white whales. What this yacht has in common with Melville’s mythic whaler is that it is a boat ‘of the old school.’ Based in Portland, Maine, Sabre Yachts’ New England heritage flourishes in this entry-level model’s rugged elegance, exquisite craftsmanship, and precise performance.
Inspired by Maine’s coastal tradition and the architectural philosophy of ‘informed simplicity’, this yacht has a welcoming and phenomenally spacious feel. A wide swim platform sets the perfect stage for bathing in the sea, with two transom gates leading to the welcoming aft deck. The cockpit is large and versatile: a three-seater aft settee and glossy teak folding table are perfect al fresco meals, but they can also slide out with the transom, expanding to create even more entertainment space. With sleeping accommodation for up to four people, the 38 Salon Express is the perfect yacht to share with friends and family.
The 38 seamlessly facilitates indoor-outdoor living. Drop-down windows and a glass swing door open to dissolve the boundaries between salon and cockpit, merging each space into one large social hub. Guests can mingle on the aft deck in sight of friends in the salon lounge, the conversation flowing with ease late into the night. High railings protect the generous walkways to ensure safe movement from stern to bow.
The bright scent of cherrywood woodwork and furnishings anoints the salon, while exquisite teak and holly floors add a sophisticated, nautical flair. Guests are greeted by a chic L-shaped settee wrapped around a teak dining table that comfortably seats up to six people. Just opposite is a cabinet with a pop-up TV, perfect for movie nights or simply winding down for the evening.
The starboard helmstation is a captain’s dream, with a traditional teak steering wheel and cutting-edge technology that will satisfy the most discerning owner-operators. This is a boater’s boat, with an adjustable Stidd seat, a single 8616 Volvo-Garmin multi-function display, autopilot, joystick controller, a Ritchie compass, and other state-of-the-art equipment. To port, a forward-facing sliding seat allows the captain to operate with a companion or navigator, perfect for couples or friends.
Cherry-framed windows and a skylight over the helm evoke much older architecture, allowing natural light to stream into the salon as if it were a cathedral. By night, brilliant blue twilight pulses on the horizon and contrasts with the gentle recessed lighting and cheerful sconces within. The energy shifts, becomes more electric. It’s time to break out the refreshments.
Just three steps down from the salon, the airy mezzanine-style galley and lower lounge remain in contact with the rest of the boat, visible even from the cockpit. Tucked just below the salon seating, you can call up to your guests as you prepare coffee, cocktails, or tapas. A skylight above and oval portholes keep this space in contact with the elements. An L-shaped countertop maximizes space, housing a stainless-steel basin sink, two-burner electric cooktop, convection microwave oven, and a stainless-steel drawer-style fridge-freezer. A generous dinette just aft of the kitchen provides further dining space and transforms into a double bed for overnight guests.
The superb private owner’s suite is found at the bow, with a spacious queen island bed with a cedar-lined hanging locker and built-in storage throughout. The stately but relaxed Downeast aesthetic continues here, with warm cherry hull ceilings and teak and holly floors. A skylight breathes fresh light and air into the room, framing the changing landscape of the sky. After a day full of excitement, this room is perfect for meditating or simply daydreaming as you look up at the sunset or the stars.
Inspired by Maine’s lobster and commercial fishing boats, the 38 boasts an impressive, well-rounded performance that will delight anyone lucky enough to captain it. Sabre offers three different engine options, but the standard engines on this vessel are twin 300-horsepower Volvo Penta D4 engines with IPS-400 pod drives. These stellar engines will delight the thrillseeker within as the V-hull cuts through the water as ably a surgeon, reaching top speeds upwards of 28 knots. Even at high speeds, the engines are smooth and quiet, but an ultra-comfortable cruising speed of 23 knots will increase your range to a little over 300 nautical miles.
The impeccable white gel-coated engine room is also worth noting. Located beneath the cockpit, tanks are located forward to keep you balanced, while a mylar-face foam noise barrier ensures peace and quiet in the below-deck living areas. Owner-operators will rejoice at standing-room access to the engines, making maintenance a breeze.
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