bavaria yacht c38 preis

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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Boat test: Bavaria C38

Bavaria Yachts has founded its reputation on comfortable cruisers and their new C38 is the cornerstone of a new generation of yachts which are roomier than ever, Sam Jefferson reports .

Bavaria Yachts has always had a talent for giving the public precisely what it wants. And, no, that is not a racing yacht capable of foiling in 12kn of breeze. For most of the yachting public, our aspirations are a bit more prosaic and involve a comfortable yacht that is easy to handle, feels safe and sails respectably. Bavaria has proven itself to be one of the masters of providing boats that blend these criteria into an appealing and affordable product. The German behemoth did seem to have briefly lost its touch when it launched the rather elegant C65 but this moment of excess was quickly forgotten and the company has gone back to its roots, producing more modest yachts that appeal to a much broader audience.

Which brings me to the Bavaria C38, their entry levely yacht that was actually launched in 2021 and has become the workhorse entry level yacht of the range. Despite being named the C 38, this Cossutti designed yacht is actually more like 36’ on deck, with the fixed sprit/anchor roller giving her the extra 2’ or so in overall length. While 36’ might sound small by today’s standards, this would be misleading as the boat is anything but; the key takeaway from this yacht is the simply astonishing amount of internal volume. How has this been achieved? Let me chine a light on this question. Not so very long ago the accepted philosophy was that a boat was pointy at the front with a bit of taper aft. A design revolution took place when designers penning the lines for IMOCA style downwind racing machines realised that broad aft sections with a chine could significantly boost volume. All was well for a while but then a chap by the name of Sam Manouard drew up the lines of a mini transat that strongly resembled a bathtub, featuring incredibly full bow sections. Designers tasked with penning the lines for cruising yachts collectively stroked their chins and realised that they could win even more volume by running a chine forward to give full forward sections by flaring the hull shape out heavily above the waterline. This meant fine waterlines providing low wetted surface area and decent performance in light airs married to more power in a blow and also, crucially, yet more volume forward. The results have been fascinating as, suddenly, you have relatively small yachts with huge staterooms forward.

The Bavaria C38 was at the forefront of this design revolution and marked a real step change for Bavaria, being one of their first ever yachts to feature a chined hull. The result is a dramatic looking yacht with no sheer, vertical stem and transom, decent freeboard, a low coachroof which blends into the cockpit coamings and that big chine that runs from stem to stern. Below the waterline there is a 2.05m keel – which seems a lot for a 36’ cruising yacht (a shallow draft option is available, however), plus a deep single spade rudder. It’s safe to say that this is a dramatic looking boat that bears a strong family resemblance to the new C46 and the c42. I would say that in the case of the c38, the shorter length overall gives the boat a slightly squat look compared to its bigger sisters but it’s also fair to say that this is a dramatic and muscular looking yacht that certainly draws the eye. Sail area is decent but not excessive and the boat weighs in at a little under 10,000kg lightship.

Step aboard and you find yourself in a decently dimensioned cockpit. The coachroof has been pulled further aft to give plenty of interior volume but the beam of the boat aft ensures that there is still ample room and the twin wheels are also pulled right aft to open up more space but there is still a comfortable helming position outboard and flip up seats inboard with storage underneath and excellent access to the rudder quadrant in between. You feel securely enclosed by the raised bathing platform. The helm position is good but strangely I felt too tall for it when standing up (I am not a tall man) but very much at ease sitting outboard. The instruments are also nicely placed in the end of the coamings, with the chartplotter set into the end of the table  The running rigging set up uses four winches with a pair of primaries for the headsail set forward of the helmsman and tantalisingly out of reach and a second pair of winches set on the coachroof for the mainsail. There is the option of a self tacking headsail which further simplifies an already relatively simple set up. The seating area in the cockpit is very comfortable and the backrests are nicely angled to ensure a good lounging position and the cockpit table is well dimensioned. There is further locker space under these cockpit seats.

The bow has the now pretty much standard sprit and bow roller set up and aft of this is a chain locker with a big storage locker just aft of this and integrated into the same space. You could easily fit six fenders in here. The toerail is moulded in and looks very neat. The foredeck is large and there is even space on the coachroof for a sunbathing pad just forward of the track for the self tacking jib. The side decks are wide with the shrouds set outboard while the boom is high and well clear of the cockpit. The mainsheet is set up on the coachroof to keep the cockpit uncluttered.

The C38 has a well protected companionway with hinged doors rather than washboards and you descend down into the saloon via well angled steps. Once beolow you find yourself in a very light space that has a great feeling of space thanks in part due to the fact that the boat has immense volume but also because the interior fit out has been made to maximise this feeling of light and space. It’s almost aggressively modern in feel and perhaps a touch on the stark end of things but this could doubtless easily be softened up. As it is, it felt clean, uncluttered and, above all, spacious. The layout is pretty standard with twin double cabins aft, an L-shaped galley to port and heads/shower to starboard. The saloon features a U shaped seating area to starboard and a bench seat to starboard. The table is large and folds out to double width to straddle the cabin so you can seat eight in comfort. with a chart table set at the end of this. There is perhaps a bit of a shortage of handholds heading forward if you were being picky. Forward is that palatial fore cabin. The boat felt like a good liveable space – particularly for coastal and particularly Med cruising where you are likely to be in port most nights or perhaps on the hook.

The galley was a really good size with a large single sink, three burner cooker and oven plus a big front opening fridge. There are a number of layout options, with the most notable being a two cabin version as opposed to three and also the option of an extra heads/shower in the forecabin. I tested it in the standard format and I’m sure that 90% or owners will go for this layout. One minor oddity was the heads/shower which had a vanity basin with lots of room as you stepped in and a shower stall at the back of the compartment with the heads in the shower stall. It seemed a bit odd but it opened up the space and sort of makes sense. The big feature, however, was the palatial front cabin which really did feel like it belonged on a much bigger boat. There was access to the bed from either side and big cupboard space aft of the bed. The level of comfort was superb. The overall level of fit out was also excellent. Access to the engine was under the steps as you’d expect and was very good.

We set out from the Hamble River on a grey day that at least delivered a pleasant 12kn breeze. We didn’t venture out of Southampton Water so enjoyed flat water and the usual endless procession of ferries calling for vigilance. The boat was equipped with in mast reefing and a self tacking jib and this made getting underway incredibly sinple. The boat was surprisingly lithe and nimble for a big cruiser and the single rudder had vary good feel. It’s also worth noting that this single rudder was also something of a boon under power, making manoeuvring very simple. Anyway, under sail, the self tacking jib really made things a breeze and we were bowling along at 6kn and spinning through the tacks with ease. I suppose the only slight grouse would be the fact that the primary winches are just out of reach of the helm. Not a big deal with a self tacker but something that nonetheless struck me as a strange oversight. Other than that, the boat was well behaved, manageable and good fun. Off the wind, we were definitely a bit underpowered thanks to the self tacker and lack of a Code Zero. This was a shame as, given the level of grip and control that rudder provides, combined with that powerful hull shape would make for really decent performance with a bit of extra power.

Sam’s verdict

Bavaria were not trying to reinvent the wheel with the C38; they wanted a high volume pocket cruiser that took maximum advantage of the latest trends towards fuller bow sections to boost volume. They have certainly achieved that and the C38 delivers very good performance to boot given that it has few pretensions of being anything other than a comfortable cruiser. The interior fit out was excellent and the amount of space inside suggested mission accomplished as far as Bavaria are concerned.

• Blue water: 3/5
• Comfort: 5/5

Specifications

Length overall  11.38 m (37’4″)

Beam overall  3.98 m (13’1″)

Cabins  2/3

Draught (Standard keel)  2.05 m (6’9″)

Draught (Shallow Keel)  1.65 m (5’5″)

Mainsail  46.0 m² (495 sq.ft)

Displacement: 9.386 kg

Engine Power  21.3 kW (29.3 hp)

Contact: clippermarine.co.uk

Alternative boats

Jeanneau sun odyssey 380.

A stylish Marc Lombard design that mixes dramatic styling with, you guessed it, lots of interior volume thanks to full forward sections. This boat is a lively performer which has an interesting forward berth which is offset to starboard.

jeanneau.com

Beneteau Oceanis 37.1

Another Marc Lombard design from the French masters of mass production. The 37.1 is a sprightly performer that is easy on the eye and shares a fair amount with the Sun Odyssey 380.

beneteau.com

This Judel/Vrolijk design has bee around for a few years now and, as such, boasts more classical styling than some of her rivals. The boat features finer forward sections and no chines. This is a proven performer that is well respected for its performance and ease of handling.

Inspirationmarine.co.uk

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BAVARIA C38

Joy of sailing., best sailing characteristics meet maximum comfort.

The BAVARIA C38 combines perfect sailing characteristics, easy handling and maximum use of the interior space. Distinctive design features, such as the BAVARIA V-bow and Chines at the stern, guarantee safe and fast sailing characteristics and an incredible amount of space below deck. In the owner’s cabin in the bow, the double bed measures a sensational 1.73 x 2 metres. The berths in the stern cabins measure 1.50 x 2 metres, which must also be close to a record for this size of boat.

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE C38

On the official bavaria yachts website.

• Preislisten

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Bavaria yachts.

C38 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

C50 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

CRUISER 34 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

C42 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

C57 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

CRUISER 37 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

C46  - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

CRUISER 46 - Aktuelle Preisliste und weitere Informationen

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BAVARIA C38

Joy of sailing., best sailing characteristics meet maximum comfort.

The BAVARIA C38 combines perfect sailing characteristics, easy handling and maximum use of the interior space. Distinctive design features, such as the BAVARIA V-bow and Chines at the stern, guarantee safe and fast sailing characteristics and an incredible amount of space below deck. In the owner’s cabin in the bow, the double bed measures a sensational 1.73 x 2 metres. The berths in the stern cabins measure 1.50 x 2 metres, which must also be close to a record for this size of boat.

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MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE C38

On the official bavaria yachts website.

• Data and Options

BAVARIA C38 - Interior

A new sense of space.

Foredeck and side decks offer you plenty of freedom of movement and thanks to the innovative hull design, new dimensions open up below deck as well. There is a choice of individual cabin layouts, from the luxurious 2-cabin version with one spacious bathroom to the comfortable 3-cabin version with two bathrooms. As the owner, you can dream in a real king-size bed in the forward cabin - comfortable headroom and plenty of daylight included.

In the U-shaped seating area to starboard and on the lounge bench to port you can enjoy a cozy dinner with eight people. The L-shaped galley is classically located to port.

Plenty of daylight in the spacious salon.

Breakfast, lunch or dinner – The large saloon table offers comfortable space for up to 8 people.

Lounge sofa, chart tabel and home office in one.

The lowerable salon table turns the salon into a chillout area.

The bright and luxurious owner's cabin

Plenty of space in the cupboards for all your belongings.

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