The Dominator 38M Tri Deck is the yard’s larger statement, a near-40-metre superyacht that carries the Ilumen design language onto three full decks. Where the smaller Ilumen models trade on compact bespoke volume, the 38M uses its length for genuine displacement-yacht range and the vertical space that only a tri-deck arrangement provides. She is a semi-displacement design, built in Italy and certified by RINA with LY3 charter compliance available. Two propulsion philosophies are offered. A single pair of MAN V12 engines at 1,900 horsepower prioritises range, returning around 3,500 nautical miles at a 10-knot displacement cruise from 35,000 litres of fuel. Owners who want more pace can specify MTU 12V 4000 units, which lift top speed to roughly 21 knots at the cost of some range. Either way, the hull is engineered to move a 205-tonne yacht quietly and economically rather than to chase planing speeds. Three decks open up the kind of interior and exterior volume normally associated with larger tonnage: a full-beam owner’s deck, generous saloon and dining spaces, and expansive sun and shade areas above. As with every Dominator, the 38M is a bespoke build, finished to each owner’s brief rather than a fixed specification. For a buyer stepping up from a sub-30-metre yacht who wants ocean range and tri-deck living without moving into steel-hull tonnage, she is a logical next step.
Length
39.8M
Beam
8.8M
Draft
1.6M
Day Guests
12
Sleeping
10
Cabin
5
Crew
7
Cruise Speed
10KT
Max Speed
21KT
Fuel
35000L
Range
3500NM
Engine
2 x MAN V12 1900 hp
Option 1
2 x MTU 12V 4000 M73L (performance option)
Exterior
Alberto Mancini / AM Yacht Design
Interior
Luca Catino Yacht & Design
New Starting From
€16,000,000
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Range defines the 38M. In its long-range configuration, a pair of MAN V12 engines at 1,900 horsepower each drives the yacht to a comfortable 10-knot displacement cruise and roughly 3,500 nautical miles between fuel stops, drawing on 35,000 litres of capacity. That is genuine ocean-crossing autonomy. Owners who value pace over pure range can specify twin MTU 12V 4000 M73L units instead, lifting top speed to around 21 knots. In either form she is a semi-displacement hull carrying about 205 tonnes light, so the emphasis stays on quiet, economical passage-making rather than planing performance. Twin 70-kilowatt generators support a full hotel load at anchor. The two-engine choice is telling: Dominator lets the owner decide whether the 38M is a long-legged explorer or a faster coastal cruiser, and builds accordingly.
The 38M wears a tri-deck profile that stays modern rather than top-heavy. Large expanses of glass and clean horizontal lines pull the eye along the hull and keep the superstructure looking light despite three full levels. It is recognisably part of the Ilumen family, sharing the range’s preference for uninterrupted glazing and restrained detailing over applied ornament. The extra deck buys enormous usable exterior space: a sun deck for open-air living high above the water, sheltered aft areas on the main and upper decks, and the foredeck volume a hull of this length allows. As a bespoke build, the arrangement of those spaces, tender stowage, shade structures and deck furniture is resolved with the owner rather than fixed in advance.
Three decks translate directly into interior volume. The 38M offers the space for a full-beam owner’s suite, a main-deck saloon and formal dining area, and further guest accommodation below, with room set aside for crew to run the yacht discreetly. Exact cabin count and layout are decided as part of the commission, in keeping with Dominator’s one-off approach, but a yacht of this size and configuration comfortably hosts an owner’s party in the manner of a much larger vessel. Interiors follow the yard’s house style of natural materials, generous daylight and calm, contemporary surfaces rather than heavy traditional joinery. The result is living space that feels like a large apartment at sea, with the light and ceiling height that only a near-40-metre tri-deck can provide.
With three decks to work across, the 38M separates its living zones cleanly. The main deck handles formal entertaining and dining, the upper deck offers a more relaxed sky lounge and helm environment, and the sun deck becomes the yacht’s open-air heart with room for sunbathing, a spa pool and al fresco bar as the owner specifies. Guests can move between quiet, sheltered corners and social, sun-filled spaces without crossing paths with the crew. The vertical arrangement also keeps the owner’s areas private from the general flow of the yacht. For entertaining at anchor or hosting on passage, the sheer amount of usable deck across three levels is the 38M’s clearest advantage over the smaller yachts in the range.
The 38M is built in Italy in composite, classed by RINA, and available with Large Yacht Code compliance for owners who intend to charter. Twin 70-kilowatt generators, the choice of long-range MAN or faster MTU propulsion, and 35,000 litres of fuel point to a yacht designed for extended, self-sufficient cruising. As with the rest of the range, she is a bespoke commission rather than a stock product, so specification, layout and finish are resolved with the owner. Pricing for a build of this size and type sits in the mid-teens of millions of euros depending on specification. For a buyer who wants ocean range, tri-deck volume and genuine authorship over the result, without stepping up to a full steel-hull superyacht, the Dominator 38M Tri Deck is a considered and unusual choice.
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