Captain's Report

The floor of the 2004 38 express has a wood finish which really highlights the cabinetry. An inspection hatch lifts up in the floor of the saloon and provides additional storage for 6 seven-foot rods. Forward in the saloon is the berth area, which can sleep four adults comfortably with lighting and privacy curtain. Being down below in the 38, I was impressed by the seven feet of headroom. This makes a big difference in the look and feel below deck. To the port side of the saloon is the head. I didn't expect it to have as much room as it did but to my surprise the head had a full-size shower with a half-round Plexiglas door separating it from the sink and toilet area. This is not your run of the mill boat, so you wouldn’t expect the head to be any different. Engine AccessWith the flip of a switch the entire cockpit of the 38 Express’s floor is hydraulically raised exposing an immaculate engine compartment. The two 480-hp Cummins 480Cs have been allowed plenty of space to work in and around them. On the port side of the engine room is the generator, and directly forward in the engine room is the fire suppression system. All wiring, fuel lines, battery boxes, and plumbing are neat, and seem to have been installed with the person who would be servicing things in mind.The most notable feature of this engine compartment is the entire bilge area under and around the engine. This whole area is a one-piece molded fiberglass tray. This tray contains fluid spills, and makes cleaning them up extremely easy.PerformanceThe seas on test day were 1-2 ft and the wind 10-12 knots, with rain and some snow, so this was not much of a challenge for the 38 Express, but coming from the West Coast staying warm was a bit of a challenge for me. The 38 was responsive when getting out of the slip and during close quarter maneuvering she did not lunge forward or backwards too quickly. One contributing factor to this is the “slow boat” mode on the 38. Push a button on the controls and engine rpm is governed to a manageable speed, which makes maneuvering more precise. After hitting a larger swell or two in open water, I found the re-entry to be fairly smooth with her 19-degree deadrise. We made a few tight turns at speed, and the 38 never bogged down one bit, just powered right through. Flat out top speed in the 38 Express is 32.8 mph at 2680 rpm, and we found her best cruise the be 18 mph at 1750 rpm. With a fuel capacity of 400 gallons she has a cruising range of 253 miles. All in all, the 2004 Rampage 38 Express offers a great vessel to get you offshore to the fishing grounds while making your first mate almost forget you are on a sportfisher.

Standard and Optional Features