Bavaria 38 Ocean

[Alistairr]

Hi all,

What’s everyone’s views on a 2000 Bavaria 38 Ocean?

Like the layout and aft cabin, space on deck is good too, however cockpit seems a bit higher than a typical aft cockpit boat, does that affect how she sails?

We’re not looking for a racer, just a comfortable easy to sail cruiser with comfortable accommodation.

Yours views on the Bavaria 38 Ocean is much appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Tranona]

An excellent boat and very popular, particularly with the long term cruisers and liveaboards. In its day it was positioned alongside Moodys and Contests but cheaper than similar boats from Scandinavia. Although superficially similar to the much more numerous Bavaria cruiser range it actually was a different design with greater displacement, ballast and sail area than the equivalent size cruiser.

Worth looking here bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php as many members, including the person who runs it (yngmar) own Oceans. In fact his 40 is for sale if you are thinking of buying in Europe. The Breakdown Survey on the forum is particularly useful as it gives a good idea of the sorts of issues owners have encountered over the years. You will find very little out of the ordinary and despite many being heavily used there are few fundamental issues. Most of the running gear is from mainstream suppliers and readily available. I owned a 37 cruiser from the same era for 15 years, much of the time chartering and my experience is of reliability and robustness.

Not many 38s around, maybe more 40s and mostly in Europe or N America and tend to sell at a premium over the cruiser range.

Good luck with your search.

 

[Aja]

Missed out on one a few years ago - asking just too much for the state it was in.

Would look closely at one again.

Tell a lie - it was the 40' we looked at in Kip.

 

[Alistairr]

Thanks for the replies, hadn’t seen the 40 Ocean so looked it up, just looks exactly the same as the 38, where have they added the extra 2’ too?

Cheers.

 

[John_Silver]

One tied up ahead of Stargazer, in Camaret yesterday. Helped them with their lines: Turns out they’d just come in from a 37 day Atlantic crossing. West to East, the hard way. Returning from a two year circuit, out through the Canaries, over to the Caribbean and up the East Coast of the USA. Sounds like the 38 Oceans do what it says on the tin….

 

[Bobc]

Rare beasts and much sought-after. A good cruising boat with no common faults.

 

[Pasarell]

Can't speak for the Bavaria but I have a Moody 44 centre cockpit. The cockpit is a bit higher than aft cockpit boats but that has the advantage of visibility. Also gives a more comfortable ride as you're in the best part of the boat for pitching movement in rougher weather. Drier too.
We love the space below (as liveaboards for a few years) especially during the winter. Med mooring, if you go that way, takes a little more organisation but I've never had a problem even when single handed.
Obviously I'm biased towards Moodys but the Bav Oceans I've seen around look pretty good too - except when their keels fell off.....

 

[Tranona]

- except when their keels fell off.....

Except they don't. Nice big chunks of lead (unlike your Moody's iron -I think) and very firmly attached

The Ocean range is very under rated as it it came in at the tail end of the centre cockpit era and was really a step up from the previously dominant in the UK Westerlys and Moodys and closer to the HRs etc. Only ran from 1997 to 2002 and if it had come in 5 years earlier suspect it would have been the market leader, Bavaria changed tack to the mass market but then brought in the Vision range which is different from the standard range with raised deck saloon but more importantly more displacement, ballast and sail area. Another under rated boat but like the Ocean still sought after.

 

[Bobc]

Can't speak for the Bavaria but I have a Moody 44 centre cockpit. The cockpit is a bit higher than aft cockpit boats but that has the advantage of visibility. Also gives a more comfortable ride as you're in the best part of the boat for pitching movement in rougher weather. Drier too.
We love the space below (as liveaboards for a few years) especially during the winter. Med mooring, if you go that way, takes a little more organisation but I've never had a problem even when single handed.
Obviously I'm biased towards Moodys but the Bav Oceans I've seen around look pretty good too - except when their keels fell off.....

 

[Bobc]

Except they don't. Nice big chunks of lead (unlike your Moody's iron -I think) and very firmly attached

The Ocean range is very under rated as it it came in at the tail end of the centre cockpit era and was really a step up from the previously dominant in the UK Westerlys and Moodys and closer to the HRs etc. Only ran from 1997 to 2002 and if it had come in 5 years earlier suspect it would have been the market leader, Bavaria changed tack to the mass market but then brought in the Vision range which is different from the standard range with raised deck saloon but more importantly more displacement, ballast and sail area. Another under rated boat but like the Ocean still sought after.

There's always one.

 

[Sticky Fingers]

There's always one.

Yup.

ex Vision owner here, it was a great boat. Keel firmly attached…

 

[Obi]

I tend to agree with Tranona on this one. I went to look at a Hylas and Oyster at Lymington. On route my accountant called to remind me about a tax bill I had conveniently forgotten about. I arrived at Leamington with a reduced budget and Alex at Berthon pointed me to the Bavaria Lagoon 390 they had. I was a little sceptical, but very pleasantly surprised by the quality of the yacht.

Lots of research later and I concluded that Bavaria from around this time were exceptionally good at their price point. Specifically the Ocean and the Lagoon, the latter certainly has a Lloyds A1 hull certificate.

Having missed out on the one at Lymington whilst I did my research, I then travelled around looking for a Lagoon 390. The ones I saw showed externals which weathered the years better than most other brands I looked at. Deck fittings were all well sized and of good quality, gel coat looked well. Layout was great. I never got to sail one.

I find the centre cockpit to be preferable to a rear, for me it feels safer and I get a better view of the boat whether sailing or berthing. Although I did not get the Bavaria I did get a centre cockpit 40' ketch.

 

[Obi]

P.S. I have just had a look at one on yachtworld. I'm tempted. ;-)

 

[Obi]

Obviously I'm biased towards Moodys but the Bav Oceans I've seen around look pretty good too - except when their keels fell off.....

Moodys and Oysters have been known to lose keels too. I walked away from a Moody 422 post survey in Cadiz because the keel was hanging off.

 

[Alistairr]

P.S. I have just had a look at one on yachtworld. I'm tempted. ;-)

Which one?

 

[Obi]

Which one?

This one is the only one I looked at. It got me thinking: 2000 Bavaria 38 Ocean Cruiser for sale - YachtWorld

The accommodation layout for a 38 is really good. A better layout than the aft cockpit Lagoon 390 which was a model that really held my interest for quite some time. I looked at a few, and I almost bought one that I went to view up past Keil, Germany. It was very nice and the overall condition of deck, gelcoat and fittings were impressive.

 

[Alistairr]

This one is the only one I looked at. It got me thinking: 2000 Bavaria 38 Ocean Cruiser for sale - YachtWorld

The accommodation layout for a 38 is really good. A better layout than the aft cockpit Lagoon 390 which was a model that really held my interest for quite some time. I looked at a few, and I almost bought one that I went to view up past Keil, Germany. It was very nice and the overall condition of deck, gelcoat and fittings were impressive.

That one is currently under offer…. to me.

Had the sea trial on her yesterday, just to get her surveyed and then hopefully she‘ll be ours.

 

[Tranona]

Well done. That looks a snip at the asking price. Just be wary of the teak deck as the method used to fasten it to the deck while the adhesive cured was not the best. Also the sealing of the hull/deck joint under the teak rubbing strake and capping can be a bit hit and miss. There is plenty of information about dealing with the teak on the forum I linked to earlier. Otherwise the boat looks well set up for your cruising area, although the new anchor is a bit OTT - a 20kg would be more than enough! Anyway the windlass will be able to handle it OK

Hope the survey goes well.

 

[ashtead]

If looking for things to check in addition to teak decks would be looking at the cooker /replacing maybe (we had a 2001 Bav and cooker looks much the same Bav branded version) and also the joins on domestic hot water (unless you want to wash out the bilges) as the connectors by Whale I think can be suspect . I saw a 42 version the other day and owner had her since 2002 and seemed happy enough. I guess they have extra cabin ? But another one to look out for along with the 40 . Clearly perhaps more moody stern cabin versions out there though .

 

[Kylora]

That one is currently under offer…. to me.

Had the sea trial on her yesterday, just to get her surveyed and then hopefully she‘ll be ours.

Looks good. Will she fit under Ballachulish Bridge?
Hope that survey goes well.
Ash