Boat Test: 2025 Wellcraft 38 T-Top

Overview

Full disclosure about Wellcraft’s boats: I like them. I’ve owned ’em, raced ’em, and regretted selling ’em.  

But I’ve never seen a Wellcraft like the new 38 T-Top. This is a new breed and, not giving anything away early, I like it. A lot.

If you’re expecting this center-console to be in the hose-out-the-blood and beer-cans style, you’re way off.

This is an elegant center-console made for entertaining on the water. Yes, it’s got all the fishing goodies (check the Adventure Fishing option, $2,610), including a livewell, bait drawer, rod holders, a tackle box under the helm, and a saltwater washdown system.  

Interior and Accessories

But to keep you from getting stuck in angling mode, let’s start with the aft cockpit. The fold-up settee gives you room for fishing but, when down, it creates two wraparound settees on both sides with two tables that can join to dine 10. Yes, seating for 10. You have the choice of a couple of galley consoles with fridge, Kenyon grill, and sink. Another Dometic drink cooler slides out from under a settee. Clink!

One problem with outboards is that they hijack the transom, so this Wellcraft has a fold-down terrace to starboard with its own swim ladder, making access to the water safe, easy and plentiful.

Just forward, the helm also proves clever. First, triple seats are comfy with bolsters, and a pair of 16-inch Garmin GPSMap MFDs are easy to see while steering. I found the rows of digital switches intuitively arrayed and, rather than clutter the windshield with an opening window for air, the 38 boasts an electric-opening vent that doesn’t block your view. Another slick touch: The two side windows angle outward (think the vent windows on a ’57 Chevy) to direct the breeze away from guests.  

Overhead, the T-top in the name is impressive, with what seems like a NASCAR rollbar holding night lights, Fusion audio speakers, six rocket launchers for poles, and a husky ring to keep the tow rope for skiers and water toys above guests and engines.  

Forward, this center-console morphs into a bow rider, with a cabintop sun pad for two and comfy seating circling the bow. Every hinged seat has storage underneath that drains overboard. I estimated there is comfortable seating for 18 people, provided chunky Uncle Harry isn’t aboard.

Need to anchor at the sandbar? A Lewmar horizontal windlass leads to a stainless-steel bow roller with enough overhang to protect the plumb bow from dings, and there is a washdown outlet as well as a wired remote. The spacious anchor locker easily handles the 92 feet of chain plus 130 feet of rope.   

But wait—what’s behind that sturdy pantograph door into the console? I found a very civilized cabin that begs for overnighting or afternoon dalliances. The 6-foot-5-inch headroom opens to a forward berth that is more than 6 feet, 4 inches wide at the pillow end (king-bed width). And there’s an electric head (with a 22-gallon greywater tank) in an enclosed compartment that doubles as a shower. Making this cabin even more appealing for long weekends is the 16,000-Btu air conditioning which, using Victron lithium batteries, will power the AC all night without shore power.

When it comes to construction, Wellcraft (with a history of rugged race boats) creates the 38 hull in one piece, using resin infusion. Structural stringers reinforce the hull and are foam-filled fiberglass with no wood to rot. Looking under the hatches, I found the finish (even in no-see areas) to be clean and tidy, with no stray glass strands to snag skin.  

The 38 T-Top also will get points from parents, with the side deck coamings being a full 38 inches high, for the most part, with recessed hand rails for the area next to the console where the walkway was 20-plus inches wide. Good grab rails abounded around the seating as well. 

Engines

Underway, the 38 is just a giggle. The skipper has plenty to enjoy on the dash, including the usual joystick for docking with the outboards, plus controls for the Sleipner bow thruster that plants the bow exactly where you want it. Engine trim is complemented with Lenco trim tabs. On my test boat, with three 350 hp Mercury V-10s, I used the Merc joystick, interfaced with the Garmin GPS for Skyhook, Mercury’s term for the automatic position holding at the push of a button.

Underway, the 23-degree deadrise and two strakes per side keep this Wellcraft tracking straight, even in the lumpy Gulf Stream, and it banked nicely on its Michael Peters hull. Hammer down (with full fuel and six solid citizens aboard), we hit 57.5 mph. With the base twin 350s, you can expect mid-40s mph. Just as interesting, the 38 T-Top launched like a hot rod from a stoplight, nailing an average of 5.6 seconds on multiple zero-to-30 mph sprints. At low speeds, and while rolling in chop, a Seakeeper 3 kept us stable.

Read Next: Wellcraft 355

Shopping around? Check out the Saxdor 400 GTO ($390,400 with twin Mercury 400 hp V-10), 2 feet longer with twin terraces, walk-through windshield, and not really fishy. Also consider the Pursuit Sport S 378 ($493,880 with twin Yamaha 350), no terrace, but still luxurious and more fishing-oriented.

Wellcraft offers a choice of Mercury or Yamaha 300 hp and 350 hp engines in both twin and triple configurations, to 1,050 hp (triples). And the options list allows you to tailor the 38 T-Top from pure center-console fishing to weekend entertaining and overnighting.

The Wellcraft 38 T-Top breaks new center-console ground, and I promise you, once you’ve seen the 38, you’ll never look at center-consoles the same.

How We Tested

• Engines: Triple 350 hp Mercury V-10 Verados
• Drive/Prop: Outboard/16.8″x19″ Revolution X 4-blade stainless steel
• Gear Ratio: 2.08:1 Fuel Load: 260 gal. Crew Weight: 1,200 lb.

High Points

• Multiple areas for sunning, entertaining and dining.
• Euro styling with vertical bow is ­eye-catching.
• Gutters in the deck hatches are deep enough to handle Biblical rain or energetic washdowns.

Low Points

• Some seacocks on the through-hulls are hard to reach through the cockpit hatches.
• Not as much width to walk across the transom or check engine oil as aboard similar boats.
• We’d like to see boats with vertical stems come with an anchor scuff plate.

Pricing and Specs

Speed, Efficiency, Operation