the question you are asking is it worth it to the individual, but the question you need to ask is it worth it to you .
they will both do a job ,but it boils down to your own preference .
i bought a 37 ft bene new this year yes i could have got cheaper & more expensive but after long consideration it was the right boat for me but lots of people tried to tell me it was the wrong boat for all kind of reasons
pick the boat you prefer & run with it
good luck which ever you end up with
we are all lucky to have these hard decisions to make a lot of people would like this problem
regards alan hanson
You may as well just let the current Mrs G decide - she's going to anyway! BTW how are the names coming along, still thinking of naming her after the mother-in-law?
Had another thought about the extras cost comparison, we've noticed that everything we've put on the wish list since getting "Po" comes in units of £500. I'll bet Jeanneau is more like £1000.
Ah, but we picked those things when our minds were only full of desire to have a boat again. Skippy's list growith ever longer now he has thoughts for the ARC.
I'll be bloody luck to get a christmas pressie at this rate!
Current YM has a pic of a Bav that came off very badly in a battle with the Brambles Bank. Without knowing why it suffered so much, when there are probably 5 boats a day that bounce off the bank without damage, it's difficult to comment further, but the previous edition of YM described how Bavs are built and it seemed to be a bit tooth-sucking about one or two of the processes.
In the interest of fairness the current YM also mentioned a French boat ( I think a Beneteau, but I may be wrong) off Bembridge which sunk when its rudder, which had started misbehaving, punched a hole in it.
The fact that the hull moulding was floppy and needed a temporary metal skeleton to brace it, and the hull deck joint which is screwed through into plywood, rather than through bolted.
I can only recommend that you go visit the factories (yes they are factories, not yards) and ask the relevant questions yourself. Personally I have always been put off French boats by the light displacement and also their appearances after only a few seasons. I visited the Bavaria factory, got myself comfortable with the build process and bought a Bav40. We are delighted with her. This is the first season with her (500 miles logged so far) and she has fulfilled our expectations during some pretty frisky conditions and seas states. Maybe abit slow off the mark in light airs (but she displaces over 11 tons all-up and has roller main) and I am comparing her to a Moody 31 we had before at half the dpslacement. However in 15-18 knots she flies along (averaged 7.4 kts on her delivery over 105 Miles frequently keeping at 8.5 kts). Only problems so far have been with the 'fridge, the autopilot and the Volvo- all swiftly rectified. Bavarias all have top of the range gear.
I think you have to take the comment re-the Brambles with a pinch of salt. It was an unhelpful comment when the poster did not know the circumstances. If you have doubts about the hull integrity after hitting things, ask Bavaria for a copy of their video showing what were supposed to be destruction tests of a hull which was driven into oil drums, logs and then onto rocks - and still stayed afloat. That's a trick I certainly would not want to try on a lightweight French flyer (apologies to readers with French boats - Of course they are all built to a good standard - they are just not for me - it's a personal view).
I am interested in how a new Bavaria 38 lost its keel and became a total loss.
What YM was the picture in (August or September) ?
Does anyone know of any discussion elsewhere ?
I understand the pieces have been offered for sale by the Salvor in YM adverts, has anyone looked at the bits ?