If, thinking about the Pardo 38, your mind evokes glamorous scenes of luxury cocktails enjoyed in the trendiest ports and anchorages of the moment, you are only partially right.
While her bold beauty is clear at first sight, to better understand her marine qualities, her innate ability to meet the multiple needs of a day at sea and her unsuspected predisposition for medium-range cruising, you need to take a more in-depth, analytical and complete look.
In order to understand the real reason for the global success of this open yacht, you need to climb on board, sail and spend some time on it. Only this way, you can understand the thousand facets that this small jewel is able to synthesize within just 12 meters of length.
That’s why, as soon as we got the chance, we did not hesitate and climbed on board the brand-new Pardo 38 that, in white livery, was waiting for us in the waters of Lake Garda.
Pardo 38 Sea Trial
A beautiful day welcomes our exit from the port of Moniga del Garda. It’s sunny, there is no wind and the flat water of the lake reflects the amazing colours of a vegetation that could not be greener than this.
We proceed at low speed while the inverted bow of the Pardo 38 cuts through the water surface, gently rippling it, with no drag marks aft. Excellent premises for what is a completely new hull, specially designed for the Pardo 38. Feauturing a deadrise angle of over 15 degres and a very pronounced V-bow profile, these waterlines guarantee excellent seaworthiness and a soft ride on the waves.
Among the numerous engine options, both sterndrive and outboard, that Pardo Yachts makes available for this boat, the owner of this Pardo 38 has chosen twin Volvo Penta D6, 380Hp each. It’s a medium yet “light” power, both in terms of overall weight and fuel consumption.
I push the gas throttles forward and the Pardo speeds up without hesitation, the speed increases and the boat gets up on plane immediately. At just 2,000 rpm, we are sailing at 21 knots with perfect trim. The boat is perfectly stable on the water, the trail is clean and, thanks to the protection offered by the large windshield, everyone on board feels like standing still.
Speeding up a little more, the supercharger comes into operation with a truly striking progression. The Pardo 38 increases, without any visible effort, her speed while sailing with a substantially perfect trim.
At cruising speed and 3,000 rpm, the boat sails at more than 31 knots with the same comfort as a 50-footer and the same fuel consumption as a RIB: 3 l/nm, that is 45 l/h. Really great! In these conditions, we could travel the distance that separates La Spezia from the island of Capraia in two hours, with first-class comfort and very low emissions.
I push the throttles forward, I want to see how far the Pardo 38 can go. I feel the acceleration increase while the GPS marks increasingly important numbers. I adjust the drives until I feel the propellers that almost breathe, then a click down and both the trim and speed are at the maximum. The speedometer touches 40 knots, a very good performance for the youngest member in Pardo Yachts’ family that, at this speed, registers a fuel consumption of less than 80 l/h.
I slow down and, at 27-28 knots, I perform some turns. Progressively, the boat tilts. The turning angle becomes increaingly tighter. We’re turning with a diameter of no more than 20 meters, I take my hands off and the Pardo 38 remains in trajectory without blinking and, above all, without reducing her speed. I counter-turn, intercept our wake but the boat proceeds totally undisturbed, with no shocks. What a hull, guys, that a hull…
The deck, the thousand faces of Pardo 38
The deck plan of this walk-around is full of ingenious touches that make it capable of instantly adapting to the thousand situations that sea life requires every day.
A brilliant example of this is the complex composed by the central table and the two seats that, in the blink of an eye, can switch from a large table for 6-8 guests to a huge additional sundeck.
The same area is equipped with an electric folding awning that, a bit like it came out of the magical pocket of Eta Beta, extends and covers much more than one could expect. The result is a large shaded area, excellent on sunny days.
The T-Top is another small masterpiece. Sturdy and vibration-free, it perfectly covers the helm station, the three pilot seats and the bar cabinet positioned just behind them.
However, it’s only looking from the stern platform towards the bow that you can realize that the Pardo 38 is the embodiment of the authentic walk-around concept. From here to the bow, on the port and the starboard side, the gaze catches the expanse of (synthetic) teak whose only limit lies in the bulwarks that, high and safe, guarantee a delicious and carefree circulation on board. This means having the possibility to enjoy every single centimeter of this boat that can accommodate a family and some friends for a daily outing in total comfort.
The bulwarks are high and wide. This makes possible to accommodate some additional seats and lateral storage compartments, thus further improving comfort on board.
The bow, another touch of genius, houses a sundeck and, in the exact point where side-decks converge, creates what can indifferently be the most appreciated seat during navigation or a platform for the most exciting diving experiences of the summer.
A little further down, retractable from the beautiful inverted bow, there is the anchor that, needless to say, will appear only when necessary, leaving the most beautiful profile of the moment completely unclettered and elegant.
Interiors
If you have come this far, it is because you have understood that the surprises of the Pardo 38 have not finished.
From a yacht like this, which externally does not have any “protuberances” but, conversely, boasts a very clean and dry line, one might expect very small interiors and limited spaces.
Instead, as if the spell of unrecognizable extension had been pronounced by Harry Potter for the first time on board the Pardo 38, you only need to take a look below deck to remain stunned.
The space that appears in front ot our eyes is immeasurably wider than what the exteriors can suggest. A large central bed, equipped with drawer and accessible from both sides, dominates an open space that is also able to accommodate two side cabinets and an extraordinarily large separate bathroom.
The second unexpected surprise comes down the entrance staircase. Two other single beds, with central walkway, bring the number of berths to four, all comfortable and, above all, available without having to raise, lower or convert anything.
Because luxury is not only beauty and fine finishes but, also and above all, comfort and, on board the Pardo 38, the presence of all this is definitively tangible.
Performance detected
| Rpm | Knots | L/nm | L/h |
| 600 | 4.4 | 0.6 | 2.64 |
| 1,000 | 9.4 | 2.4 | 22.56 |
| 1,500 | 16 | 2.7 | 43.2 |
| 2,000 | 21 | 2.4 | 50.4 |
| 2,500 | 26.7 | 2.8 | 74.76 |
| 3,000 | 31.3 | 3 | 93.9 |
| 3,500 | 33.7 | 3.4 | 114.58 |
| 4,000 | 39.7 | 3.9 | 154.83 |
| Acceleration | Time in seconds | ||
| 0-10 kn | 3.17 | ||
| 0-20 kn | 5.56 | ||
| 0-30 kn | 11.69 | ||
| 0-Max | 24.08 |
Pardo 38 Technical Specifications
| LOA | 11.90 m |
| Beam | 3.60 m |
| Displacement | 7 t |
| Fuel Capacity | 1,000 l |
| Water Capacity | 180 l |
| Engines | VOLVO V6-280 HP PETROL |
| VOLVO D4-300 HP X 2 DIESEL | |
| VOLVO D6-380 HP X 2 DIESEL | |
| VOLVO D6-440 HP X 2 DIESEL | |
| MERCURY VERADO 300 HP X 2 | |
| MERCURY VERADO 350 HP X 2 | |
| MERCURY VERADO 300 HP X 3 | |
| CE Design Category | B |
| Builder | CANTIERE DEL PARDO |
| Project | ZUCCHERI YACHT DESIGN |
| Interior & Exterior Design | ZUCCHERI YACHT DESIGN & CANTIERE DEL PARDO |
