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Yachting Monthly

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The most boat for your money? Bavaria C38 yacht test

Theo Stocker
April 26, 2021

Competition is hot for high-volume cruisers, but have Bavaria built a boat that is fun to sail as well as spacious and affordable? Theo Stocker took her for a spin to find out

Product Overview

Bavaria c38.

Fun and engaging to sail
Vast amounts of space
A lot of boat for your money
Limited stowage in 3-cabin version
Mainsheet lacked power
Some exposed systems in lockers

Manufacturer:

Price as reviewed:.

A job worth doing is worth doing properly, so the saying goes. There’s no doubt that Bavaria have committed wholeheartedly to the concept behind their new C38 and the result is a boat fully confident in its identity. That’s a good job, given the level of competition the C38 will be up against in the 37-38ft production cruiser market.

This boat aims to do three things: create the absolute maximum amount of space on deck and below from the available waterline length; be enjoyable and engaging to sail, if not a race boat; and give a potential buyer the maximum bang for their buck. In practice, the design has added significant volume in both the bow and the stern, introduced a deeper, rounder forefoot to reduce slamming, and has deepened the single rudder, which, coupled with the bow thruster, should give plenty of control in harbour and underway.

A first look at the boat reveals a few significant details. Firstly, her waterline takes up almost her entire length, with virtually no overhangs at the ends. Then there are the chines. This is only the second Bavaria to have hull chines, and they are used to take the significant beam, which is carried all the way aft, down to the water, creating more volume in the aft cabins, as well as providing power to the hull form. Next, there’s the huge bluff bow and vertical stem, again multiplying the volume in the forward cabin. Pretty it might not be, but there’s a certain purposeful muscularity to it.

Bavaria Yachts, the company, gained new owners in 2018, and they’ve been quick to make a fresh start, starting with a plan to update the entire range. Having moved from design house J&J to Cossutti Design, the C38 is the latest, smallest boat in the new lineup. The strongly chined hull shape makes a bold statement about that new direction. I was keen to see how this added up on the water.

TEST VERDICT

If you looked at this yacht and thought the vast volume would make her a poor sailer, you would be mistaken. I was very pleasantly surprised at how much fun we had sailing her. The feel on the helm was direct, responsive and engaging; this boat is fun to sail. She wasn’t twitchy even when overpressed and gave plenty of warning before the rudder started to lose grip. This boat reminds you of why a single rudder makes sense, and is deep enough that she has plenty of grip even when heeled, which is the main reason wide-sterned boats have twin rudders. The benefits when handling in harbour are huge, given that manoeuvring and mooring is the most stressful part of any cruise for most owners.

Granted, the mainsheet purchase needs a bit of improvement, but if I were buying this boat, I’d go for the more easily handled furling main and self-tacking jib, with the Code Zero for the extra sail area to keep the boat moving off the wind. This would seem to fit with the ethos of simple and fun sailing that this boat ascribes to.

WOULD SHE SUIT YOU AND YOUR CREW?

I’d imagine this boat will prove popular with sailing schools and charter companies, but if you’re after maximum boat for your buck for family coastal cruising, this is definitely worth a look too.

The idea of having three king-sized beds on what is really a 36-foot hull is staggering. You’d have to weigh up whether you want an ensuite owner’s head enough to sacrifice some of this bed space in the forward cabin, but given the layout options, there seems little reason to go for the two-cabin rather than three-cabin layout. If you’re not using the third you could still use it for the stowage you’d be missing out on.

Given the price point of this boat, the quality of finish was really very good, and the resurrected Bavaria has upped its game several notches. Arguably, the C38 could now be the boat to beat in this size sector and you’ll struggle to get more new boat for your money than this.

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11-02-2018, 00:43
	for cruisers, however, I was wondering if anyone had specifically on yachts? After 10 years of living and working in , my wife and I are giving up the hustle, bustle and stress of the city, and spending a year or so cruising. We've sailed on and off for the last 3-4 years, so nothing compaired to most of you, but we're not completely useless. We've been searching yachtworld and theyachtmarket for years, and both of us seem to like Mid-2000's Bavarias. Anyone here ever owned one? Should I steer clear? They seem reasonably priced, however, if has taught me anything, bargains are bargains for a reason. Anyway, thanks for the help in advance. It's great having such a wealth of experience all in the one place. Cheers

11-02-2018, 01:58
Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 50 (aka 49)	flexing when sailing them in larger seas but thats fine. Make sure you get a lightly used one though, not one that has already been around the world or the equivalent. Those are quite worn and exhausted.

11-02-2018, 02:00
Boat: Moody 31	a Moody to see if a yacht would suit our needs. It did, easy to drive and park even in a tight marina thanks to the fin and blade . Sailed very well even in light winds and was very well mannered yacht. We nearly bought it but the cost was just beyond our . To be honest I don't think you will go far wrong with any of the European yachts. Pete

11-02-2018, 02:09
	on the market, however, dropping half a million on a just isn't within our reach yet. The bavarias seemed like a good combination of livability/sturdiness/price.

11-02-2018, 02:15
	manager for a local busy sailing club with a few Bavarias between 36' and 45' I think. Says as is from the factory they're OK for coastal hopping but would need to be extensively retrofitted for any serious travel or even coastal travel for that matter. Such as larger tankage, beefier , etc. So unless the ones you'd be looking at have been beefed up I'd look for an older model of another more suitable brand in the same range. Also keep in mind that these entry level brands - , Hanse, etc. are the main staple of sailing clubs and companies and get constantly beaten up but the is far from constant or up to par.

11-02-2018, 03:47
	. As 2big2small says, capable of what the OP wants to do though not the ideal choice.

11-02-2018, 04:09
Boat: Bavaria Vision 46	: http://bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,20.0.html I own a very stiff Bavaria Vision 46. Your right: a lot of for the . Very impressed with performance and stability under rough conditions. If you like modern, bright, large living spaces then this is a great option. If you like , dark, tight living spaces, not so much. After 2 years we love ours. Holding up extremely well looking the same like its one month old. Dont be fooled that paying a lot more will get you a better boat when comparing a Bavaria.

11-02-2018, 04:16

Boat: Bavaria Vision 46

.
As 2big2small says, capable of what the OP wants to do though not the ideal choice.

11-02-2018, 08:24

Boat: Beneteau Oceanis 50 (aka 49)

:

I own a very stiff Bavaria Vision 46. Your right: a lot of boat for the . Very impressed with performance and stability under rough conditions.

If you like modern, bright, large living spaces then this is a great option. If you like , dark, tight living spaces, not so much.

After 2 years we love ours. Holding up extremely well looking the same like it’s one month old. Don’t be fooled that paying a lot more will get you a better boat when comparing a Bavaria.

11-02-2018, 08:30
	.

11-02-2018, 08:48

Boat: Tartan 40

I own a very stiff Bavaria Vision 46. Your right: a lot of boat for the money. Very impressed with performance and stability under rough conditions.

If you like modern, bright, large living spaces then this is a great option. If you like classic, dark, tight living spaces, not so much.

After 2 years we love ours. Holding up extremely well looking the same like its one month old. Dont be fooled that paying a lot more will get you a better boat when comparing a Bavaria.

11-02-2018, 08:51

Boat: Custom 41' Steel Pilothouse Cutter

travel or even coastal travel for that matter. Such as larger tankage, beefier , etc.

So unless the ones you'd be looking at have been beefed up I'd look for an older model of another more suitable brand in the same price range. Also keep in mind that these entry level brands - Bavaria, Hanse, etc. are the main staple of sailing clubs and charter companies and get constantly beaten up but the maintenance is far from constant or up to par.

11-02-2018, 08:57
Boat: Bavaria 34	finish not the (MFI look) If I was to go sailing for a year I would look for a Bavaria 42 CC they are a great cursing yacht but getting a good one is like finding hens teeth lol. Mike

11-02-2018, 09:16
Boat: Pearson 367	. This was an ex charter but well maintained. We a had a couple storms with 50kt winds and I felt very safe. The boat did tend to shudder when getting above 7kts. I did think the galley was too open with not many places to brace yourself while underway.

11-02-2018, 09:19

Boat: Moody 31

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Wer glaubt das eine schönes Produkt gleichbedeutend mit einem schönen Arbeitsplatz ist........

Gut am arbeitgeber finde ich.

Die Hoffnung stirbt zuletzt.

Schlecht am Arbeitgeber finde ich

Verbesserungsvorschläge.

Nicht nur leere Versprechungen und Geld an die gleiche Klientel verteilen sondern endlich auch mal Konsequenzen durchziehen und nicht mehr der Mannschaft permanent den Mist der Hautevolee aufräumen zu lassen.

Arbeitsatmosphäre

Hoffentlich jetzt auf dem Weg der Besserung

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Wenn man unter der Verbreitung von Tratsch und Klatsch Kommunikation versteht, dann 5 Sterne

Kollegenzusammenhalt

Unter den Werkern innerhalb einer Abteilung gut, je weiter man hoch blickt mit Lächeln im Gesicht aber hinterm Rücken das Messer.

Work-Life-Balance

Vorgesetztenverhalten.

Kommt darauf an, aber max. 3 Sterne

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Leider nicht viel passiert.

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Mann kann sich hocharbeiten, wenn man die richtigen Kontakte hat. Ob derjenige dann der Richtige ist, steht auf einem anderen Blatt.

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What sets us apart? Many would say it is our yachts that define BAVARIA. We think it is also the people who make this shipyard something special. It's the people who give everything every day to get a little closer to perfection. It is our employees who put all their experience, all their skills and all their passion into a product that deserves to bear our name.
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Bavaria Yachts....yay or nay?
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