Navan C38Centre console with cabin for four people

Jan-Ole Puls

 · 20.09.2026

The new Navan C38 in full swing.
Photo: Navan
The American brand Navan, part of the Brunswick Corporation, will unveil the C38 at the Cannes Yachting Festival in September 2026. The 38-foot motorboat combines the open layout of a centre console with a cabin offering sleeping accommodation for four people. The manufacturer is targeting the model at owners who wish to undertake both day trips and multi-day cruises.

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The C38 is Navan’s first model to combine a full-fledged cabin with a centre-console layout. Measuring 11.60 metres in length and 3.40 metres in width, Brunswick positions the yacht between sporty day boats and classic cabin yachts. The kerb weight is approximately 7,800 kilograms.

The centre console creates passageways on both sides

The helm is situated centrally along the boat’s longitudinal axis. This leaves clear walkways on both the left and right, leading from the cockpit to the bow. This layout is familiar from sport fishing boats, where quick access to the foredeck is important. On a cabin boat, this arrangement has a further benefit: the helmsman remains within sight of the passengers in the aft section.

The Helm seat can be adjusted to suit various driving situations thanks to its fold-down backrest and flip-up side bolsters. A 15-inch Simrad NSX display serves as the main screen; two of these displays are available as an option. Standard equipment includes Mercury’s SmartCraft Connect system, Active Trim (automatic trim tab adjustment) and electric power steering with a leather-wrapped steering wheel.

The drawback of the central console becomes apparent below deck: the central console and the two side passageways take up width that is otherwise lacking in the interior. With an overall width of 3.4 metres, the designers have to make the most of every centimetre to ensure sufficient headroom and freedom of movement.

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The cabin offers headroom and an electric toilet

Below deck there is a cabin with sleeping accommodation for four people and a separate bathroom. The manufacturer does not specify exact interior dimensions, but confirms that there is headroom in both areas. The sleeping cushions can be arranged to form various sleeping areas; an additional cushion is available as an optional extra.

The bathroom is fitted with an electric toilet, a washbasin with taps, a mirror and a porthole to let in natural light. Electric ventilation can be added as an option. A macerator system is also available as an option; this system grinds down waste and disposes of it via a sea valve locking mechanism. A greywater system with a shore connection is also available.

Inside the cabin, LED lighting in the ceiling and walls, an inductive charging point, storage compartments and padded bulkheads are all standard features. Portholes provide natural light. Optional extras include curtains for the side windows, a smart TV (requires shore power), a 16-litre fridge and a microwave (220V/50Hz for international markets).

Modular rear end adapts to different uses

The cockpit can be ordered in four different configurations: as a Dive Centre, an Angler Station, an Entertainment Station or as Aft Seating. The Dive Centre variant is part of the standard specification and includes a rear bench seat with storage space underneath, as well as floor lockers. Three tables for the cockpit, saloon and bow are available as options, as are inflatable cushions that create additional lounging areas.

The extendable bathing platforms on both sides of the stern increase the usable space whilst at anchor. When extended, the overall length increases to 13.1 metres (42 feet 11.5 inches). A swim ladder and a transom shower are fitted as standard. A hot-water system for the shower is available as an option.

An air compressor for water toys can be fitted as an option. A searchlight, roof rails and a Rocket Launcher rod holder can be fitted to the hardtop as optional extras. Sun awnings for the front and rear areas, as well as an opening roof window in the hardtop, are also available.

The bow features a sun lounger with an adjustable backrest

The bow area is designed as a sun lounger with an adjustable backrest. A black bow rail and an anchor locker are included as standard. An electric windlass with an anchor and full chain can be fitted as an option. A bowsprit (extended bow platform) is also available.

The saloon features a dinette seating area and storage compartments beneath and behind the second row of seats. Fibreglass sliding doors on the port and starboard sides connect the interior to the side passageways. LED lighting, 12-volt sockets and USB ports are fitted as standard. A 51-litre fridge, a sink with a hob under the bench seat and curtains for the upper deck area are available as options.

T-shaped Redan hull designed to boost efficiency

Below the waterline, the Navan features a T-shaped redan hull. A Redan is a step in the hull designed to reduce the wetted surface area at higher speeds. The manufacturer claims this results in better handling and greater efficiency, although specific fuel consumption figures or test data are not yet available.

The standard engine configuration comprises two Mercury 350 FourStroke V10 outboard motors, each producing 261 kilowatts (350 PS), and a Digital Throttle & Shift System in black. The same engines are available as an option in white or with joystick piloting (joystick control). As a more powerful alternative, Navan offers two Mercury 425 FourStroke V10 engines, each producing 317 kilowatts (425 PS), also with joystick piloting in black or white. The maximum engine output is 634 kilowatts (850 PS).

The fuel tank holds 950 litres, whilst the fresh water tank holds 190 litres. Electric trim tabs are fitted as standard, whilst a bow thruster (also available with joystick integration) and an automatic self-levelling system (Pro Control) are available as options. The boat features a self-draining cockpit, an electric bilge pump with automatic and manual operation, and a high-water alarm.

Electrical and audio systems in various trim levels

Standard equipment includes a dual-battery switch-over system for the engine and on-board electrical system, as well as a shore power connection. A battery system with an inverter/charger is available as an option, which can also power 220-volt appliances without shore power. Underwater lighting and illuminated steps in the hull are further electrical options.

The standard audio system comprises a stereo with six speakers. An optional upgrade featuring eight speakers, a subwoofer and an amplifier is available. A Simrad HALO20 DOME radar and a Simrad RS40B VHF radio can be added for electronic navigation.

Air conditioning with a heating function is available as an option. The windscreen is fitted as standard with a washer system (using drinking water) and windscreen wipers; a windscreen heater is available as an option.

Colour options and floor coverings

The standard colour scheme features a white hull with a white floor and a silver boat stripe. A black floor or coloured hull options in Stillwater Blue, Fogbank Grey, white or black are available as options. The hardtop is white as standard, but can be ordered in black.

The standard upholstery is Driftwood Tan; Steelwater is also available. As an option, the floor can be fitted with GatorStep Laser in silver or almond, a textured, non-slip surface. Covers for the bow lounger and the rear bench seat are available as optional extras.

Other standard features include six fixed black cleats, a boarding step, a 12-volt horn, black fittings for the navigation lights, hull windows and a swimming ladder. Four quick-release fender holders, rod holders on the railing, a flagpole with base and a flag are available as optional extras.

Navan is planning the S38 for early 2027

Alongside the C38, Navan has announced the launch of an S38 for early 2027. The manufacturer has not yet released any details about the S variant. The identical model designation suggests they share a common platform, although the models will presumably differ in terms of body design and configuration.

Technical specifications:

  • Overall length: 11.60 m
  • Width: 3.40 m
  • Unladen weight: approx. 7,824 kg
  • Fuel tank: 950 litres
  • Fresh water tank: 190 litres
  • Standard engine specification: 2 x Mercury 350 V10 (261 kW / 350 PS each)
  • Maximum engine power: up to 634 kW (850 PS)
  • Sleeping places: 4 people
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Jan-Ole Puls

Jan-Ole Puls

Editor Test & Technology

Ole Puls was born in Schleswig in 1999. He quickly swapped the football pitch for the Schlei and grew up sailing a wide variety of dinghies and tall ships. From his grandfather's self-built wooden opti and a Europe to a 49er and an X362 Sport, there was a lot to choose from. After leaving school, Puls decided to train as a boat builder at the high-tech shipyard Knierim Yachtbau in Kiel in 2016. He successfully completed his training in 2020 and stayed at the shipyard as a bachelor. In 2022, he decided not only to build boats, but also to test them. Since then, he has been working for Delius Klasing Verlag in the Test & Technology section of BOOTE magazine. The training he received and the eye for detail and quality of workmanship he acquired help him immensely today. Even though he is a regatta sailor with heart and soul, he feels right at home on motorboats and enjoys separating his professional and private lives and yet combining them. Because we all know one thing: there is simply no better place to be than on the water.

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