Hi guys just purchased a 1976 Californian 38 the one thing I can figure out is the back doors on stern are these safe worried about water getting in on sum heavy seas any body know about these doors
What I did-Home Depot weather stripping around the opening for both sliding doors. Then, I installed compression weather stripping on the doors to seal them when closed. So far so good. (the weather stripping has metal flanges) this way you can adjust the contact area. Also, the side effect is that it stops the wind-tunnel effect through the cabin. Hope this helps.
IF you're taking that much water due to combers coming in over the transom, you have bigger and far more realistic problems than a little water in the cabin. I don't see this as a realistic concern.
Same applies if you're burying the bow and taking on so much greenwater over the bow that you're swamping the cockpit.
I've got the small brother to your 38 sedan (I assume), the 34 LRC, that I've owned for 11 years.
I've had water in the cockpit from spray and splash but it always drains quickly out the scuppers and deck drains when underway. The back and stbd doors have a substantial lip preventing water from flowing into the cabin. It's never been a problem.