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Navan will take advantage of the Cannes Yachting Festival, held September 8?13, 2026, to unveil the C38, its new 38-foot motorboat. Behind this increase in size lies, above all, an evolution of the design philosophy: the Brunswick brand aims to retain the open architecture of a center console while offering the space needed to spend several days on board.
A C38 that moves Navan up a category
The C38 marks a milestone in the development of Navan, a brand owned by the American Brunswick Corporation. The manufacturer positions it within the family of boats designed for exploration?a fairly broad term that, in this context, encompasses coastal sailing, day trips, and overnight cruises.
At this size, a motorboat must balance two sometimes conflicting requirements. It must maintain unobstructed exterior walkways and a usable cockpit, while providing enough space below deck to accommodate true living areas.
Navan has announced a cabin and a standing-height bathroom, as well as sleeping accommodations for four people. The manufacturer has not yet provided details on the exact layout of the sleeping areas.
So the C38 does more than just expand the lineup of smaller models. It must strike a balance between outdoor living and cruising, without turning the deck into an obstacle course.
A center console to keep traffic flowing around the helm
Navan sticks with a center console design. The helm station is positioned along the boat?s centerline, leaving walkways on either side. This layout is common on sport fishing boats and dayboats, as it makes it easier to move between the cockpit and the foredeck. On a boat designed for longer voyages, it also has the advantage of not completely isolating the helmsman from the rest of the crew.
The trade-off involves the use of interior space. A center console and two passageways take up more width than a superstructure offset to one side. Architects must therefore make up for the centimeters lost in the exterior walkways by utilizing the space below deck.
This is where the final layout of the C38 will be interesting to see in Cannes. The manufacturer states that the living space can accommodate four people, but has not yet provided the interior dimensions or a detailed floor plan.
The aft cockpit is looking to make the switch from fishing to cruising
The stern is the other key structural element of the design. Navan has announced a modular aft section that can be adapted for various uses, including fishing, cruising, and meal preparation.
This modular design reflects a fairly clear trend in motorboats of this size. An owner does not necessarily use their boat in the same way throughout the season. The cockpit must be able to accommodate a table and seating during a family outing, and then free up more space for water sports or fishing.
The C38 features a retractable swim platform. When extended, it increases the available space at anchor and brings the cockpit closer to the water's surface.
This type of equipment provides additional space without increasing the boat's overall width. However, it also adds mechanisms, joints, and moving parts to an area exposed to sea spray. The quality of construction, the locking mechanism while underway, and access to the mechanisms are therefore details to look for during the boat?s presentation.
A stepped hull whose performance has yet to be measured
Below the waterline, the Navan features a T-shaped step hull. The manufacturer attributes improved handling and performance at high speeds to this design. The principle behind a step is to alter the flow of water beneath a planing hull in order to reduce the wetted surface area as speed increases. However, the presence of a step alone does not allow for conclusions to be drawn about fuel consumption or seakeeping.
Weight, center of gravity, hull angle, waterline length, propellers, and propulsion also play a key role.
And that is precisely where part of the technical specifications are still missing. Navan does not specify the installed power, maximum speed, cruising speed, fuel tank capacity, or range in its listing.
We?ll therefore have to wait for the final specifications and, above all, the initial sea trials to assess what this hull design actually brings to a 38-foot boat loaded for cruising.
The C38 has already announced a second model for 2027
The unveiling at Cannes isn't just about a new boat. Navan also confirms the arrival of an S38 in early 2027. The manufacturer has provided virtually no details about this future model at this time. But the common naming convention suggests a platform strategy centered around this new size.
