Bavaria V Jeanneau

Our last boat was a jeanneau , loved it on moving on found hardcact to follow7 , but I when found right bavaria 9 years old at same price as 20 year old jeanneau , was a no brainer 4 seasons on no regrets , stupid anti bav feelings did us a favour in keeping price down !
 
We've had our 1999 Bav 38 for two and a half years now.

To praise it, creak free, comfortable and solid feeling enough in most conditions you'd choose to go out in and some you wouldn't. Sprightly enough to keep up with a similar sized (but admittedly heavier and draggier) Najad which was under full sail while we were well reefed in light conditions in an earlier and subsequent effort to sail deliberately slowly. Decent standard of interior fit out with hardwood mouldings and joinery abounding and barely any dents or marks at 16 years old. The same quailty of deck and steering gear as you get anywhere else. For a 40 foot boat with no bow thruster, superbly easy to manoeuvre and handle for two people. A galley which can be used at sea on either tack thanks to the furniture layout. Good access to all systems, seacocks and the engine/gearbox. Massive accomodation and storage below. A heck of a lot of boat for the buck.

To be critical, when making a dash from Brest to the Solent in a forecast lull which didn't lull for as long as expected and turned into F7/8 sleigh ride with the wind quickly kicking back up the residual sea state from the earlier gales, it took me quite a while to assure myself that the autopilot could be trusted while broad reaching and even then I couldn't help but click the course up 10 or 20 degrees before leaving the helm out of reach. So perhaps a bit surf prone and squirrely in those conditions for some but acceptable to me as the compromise in course at which I trusted the pilot when I wanted it wasn't a big deal and we could have reduced sail further still if we'd favoured stability over speed, but we just wanted to get home so having the choice as we did, speed it was. The mast has developed a bit of a pump when beating due to wear in the clevis pin holes in the lower spreader brackets, but then Selden made the rig, not Bavaria, a couple of sleeves or redrilling to the next size pin will sort it a rig out time, and to be fair even to Selden we do use the boat pretty hard. No mechanical problems bar the need to replace the exhaust manifold and elbow, but that's an engine engine issue rather than a fault of the boat itself, and mostly a product of age and inadequate servicing/winterising in the boat's previous ownership. The cockpit lockers are perhaps a little shallower than I'd like as someone who keeps a 6 person liferaftraft, 1.9 metre dinghy, kite sheets and tackline, spare diesel, storm jib, offshore flare pack, large grab bag, fire extinguishers, kedge and chain, warps, most fenders, hosepipe, cleaning gea... hang on, the lockers are fine actually. The anchor locker lid is a bit flexy feeling under foot.

Overall, it's delivered more than we expected for the money, so represents good value to us.
 
I enjoyed the post.

Nice to read a piece with a focus on the plus and minus points of a type you know well, rather than trying to prove it is better than someone else's boat. Whilst keeping to the subject in hand.
 
We have 2011 36C (farr design). Like many others we drew the same conclusion when looking some 3 years ago at equivalent offerings, Bang for buck, Bav provided the best package. Same kit and fitments as everyone else had, plenty of room, sails and handles fine (even if not that quickly - I now know this after joining a J109 race crew to learn how to sail properly!). Robust and solid. Looked after us without drama when we messed up at first as total sailing novices. In short she does what she claims and more. Other marques probably do as good a job, but VFM-wise Bav is up there.
 
SWMBO and I are just beginning a search for a replacement for our SO 29.2, like most posters we're taking our time and have narrowed our choices down to 3. They are Dufour 310GL,Bavaria Cruiser 33/32 and SO 349. We certainly won't be buying new so pre-owned prices feature quite large in our deliberations.
 
Interesting I started this thread last May.

Well I decided on the Bav bought it in June last year and love it.

I got a lot for my money and bought a under used Bav 30 had a few issues but mostly general maintenance. What I love is the space I get for what is only a 31 ft boat.
All in all. A happy bunny...
 
derekgillard said:
Interesting I started this thread last May.

Well I decided on the Bav bought it in June last year and love it.

I got a lot for my money and bought a under used Bav 30 had a few issues but mostly general maintenance. What I love is the space I get for what is only a 31 ft boat.
All in all. A happy bunny...
Click to expand...

Told you so!
 
derekgillard said:
Interesting I started this thread last May.

Well I decided on the Bav bought it in June last year and love it.

I got a lot for my money and bought a under used Bav 30 had a few issues but mostly general maintenance. What I love is the space I get for what is only a 31 ft boat.
All in all. A happy bunny...
Click to expand...

Good choice. You just need to join the BOA now (if you haven't elready).
 
Surely every Bavaria owner recommends a Bavaria and every Jeanneau owner recommends a Jeanneau!! Each boat suits that particular owners preferences/compromises/prejudices
 
Sailfree said:
Surely every Bavaria owner recommends a Bavaria and every Jeanneau owner recommends a Jeanneau!! Each boat suits that particular owners preferences/compromises/prejudices
Click to expand...

Not necessarily, otherwise nobody would ever change their boats. There is a difference between explaining why one made a particular choice and saying your choice is best for others - although some on here don't always make that distinction.
 
Sailfree said:
Surely every Bavaria owner recommends a Bavaria and every Jeanneau owner recommends a Jeanneau!! Each boat suits that particular owners preferences/compromises/prejudices
Click to expand...

Doesn't that just tell you that both brands are well built and thet their owners are happy with them?
 
Interesting thread. I have owned a Bav 32 (2002) and currently have a 2007 Jeanneau 39. Nothing (that was not my fault....) went wrong on the Bavaria in the 5 years I owned it except that the deck gelcoat deteriorated badly despite regular waxing and could not be brought back to a half reasonable finish, this might be regarded as a cosmetic issue but it put me off buying Bavaria again. Maybe the more recent Bavs do not have this problem but I would check out a few 5 year old Bavs before buying one. The Jeanneau is comfortable and sails well, I like the solid, non cored topsides. Comparing a 32 foot Bav with a 39 foot Jeanneau on sailing ability is rather unfair but the Jeanneau rarely slams and has never broached. I would dismiss the keel detachment comments made about both marques, they both have a very good track record considering the numbers that are afloat. (The Jeanneau which lost its keel had its keel jammed into a crevice in rocks). I compared the finish on the current models of both at the Excel show and think they are equally well finished. Good luck and i am sure you will be pleased whichever you choose.
 
Last year my final short list was down to a Sun Odyssey 379 or a Bavaria 37. I went down the Jeanneau route as, quite simply, it sailed fantastically compared to the Bavaria, and it was a sailing boat I wanted, not a caravan. To be fair the Bavaria was not bad, it was just that the Jeanneau was noticeably better! Plus the fact I had a great part-exchange deal from Sea Ventures, from whom I have bought boats previously (Jeanneau and non_Jeanneau) and who have always given me excellent back up service. I am sure both products will tick the box, it just comes down to personal preference, dealer relationship, and what you actually want out of a boat.
 
Honeymonster said:
Last year my final short list was down to a Sun Odyssey 379 or a Bavaria 37. I went down the Jeanneau route as, quite simply, it sailed fantastically compared to the Bavaria, and it was a sailing boat I wanted, not a caravan. To be fair the Bavaria was not bad, it was just that the Jeanneau was noticeably better! Plus the fact I had a great part-exchange deal from Sea Ventures, from whom I have bought boats previously (Jeanneau and non_Jeanneau) and who have always given me excellent back up service. I am sure both products will tick the box, it just comes down to personal preference, dealer relationship, and what you actually want out of a boat.
Click to expand...

I think dealer quality is extremely important. I have a Hanse & might not consider a new hanse, but bearing in mind it would be from Inspiration Marine it would sway my decision in favour of the Hanse
 
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