Design and Construction
Cossutti Yacht Design, working with Bavaria Yachts, gave the C38 a strongly chined hull with a pronounced full-length chine and a fat, bluff vertical bow reminiscent of scow-type offshore racers. That vertical stem and the chines are not styling exercises: they multiply interior volume forward and carry the beam aft, while a deeper, rounder forefoot was introduced to reduce slamming and a single deepened rudder preserves grip when heeled anchor. For production, Bavaria stayed with wet hand-laid cored sandwich laminates for both hull and deck rather than vacuum infusion, and bulkheads are fully laminated to the hull sides with ends bedded into liner slots. Ballast is iron in L-shaped bulb keels, and the keel bolts are backed by heavy metal plates set into a glass laminate grid. The standard keel draws about 6 feet 6 inches, with a shoal option near 5 feet 5 inches; displacement sits at roughly 19,996 pounds with a 24 percent ballast ratio and a displacement-length ratio of 232, figures that place her firmly in the moderate-displacement cruiser camp.
Rig and Handling
The C38 can be ordered with either a sport mast for a classically slab-reefed main or a furling mast for convenience, and the standard sail plan pairs a 46-square-metre mainsail with a 35-square-metre genoa for about 79 square metres of working area. A conventional overlapping 103 percent jib can also be specified, and downwind options run to a 70-square-metre Code 0 and a 130-square-metre gennaker. A self-tacking blade jib is standard, led by a single-line sheet to twin Lewmar 40 winches at the companionway, and the boat carries a backstay with tensioner as standard. Writing in SAIL Magazine, testers noted the test boat carried Elvstrøm sails with an in-mast furling main and the small self-tacking jib, and Yachting Monthly found the helm direct, responsive and engaging, with the deep rudder giving plenty of grip even when overpressed and no twitchiness before the rudder lost hold anchor.
Accommodations
Despite a true hull length of only about 36 feet, the C38 packs in a phenomenal amount of interior space thanks to beam pushed well aft. Four layouts were offered, varying the aft cabins — one can be a simple storage zone — with two- or three-cabin and one- or two-head permutations. The three-cabin version uniquely supports three king-size double berths, and the twin aft cabins are remarkable for headroom and clearance over the berths; a single midships head with a semi-separate shower stall is the more sensible arrangement. The saloon is bright from large portlights and side windows, with a starboard dinette around a large fold-out table and a shortened port settee forward bearing a small vestigial nav station. The galley to port at the companionway base has a three-burner Eno stove, a big front-loading fridge and fair storage, while a forepeak locker behind the sprit gives useful storage over a somewhat undersized rode bin.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The wide cockpit places twin wheels hard against a fold-down transom, with a sturdy fixed centerline table with folding leaves that doubles as a brace and storage bin. Forward, a long coachroof handrail, aggressive nonskid and medium gunwales help the crew stay inboard, and at the bow a short sprit on a solid bobstay carries an integral anchor roller. The standard ground tackle is a 10-kilogram anchor with 75 meters of galvanized or stainless chain, and a Sail Ready package adds railing access amidships, extra battery capacity and an electric windlass.
Known Issues
Testers flagged that the mainsheet purchase needs a bit of improvement, and the three-cabin version shows limited stowage with some exposed systems in lockers. These are minor and typical of production cruisers rather than structural concerns.
The Verdict
The Bavaria C38 is a cleverly packaged modern cruiser that trades a little traditional overhang for enormous usable volume and sails with more verve than her boxy profile suggests. She is an easy boat to live aboard and handle short-handed, though buyers wanting pristine systems concealment or max sail-control leverage should budget small upgrades.
Pros
- Three king-size doubles in a 36-foot hull is a genuine accommodation achievement
- Engaging, stable helm with deep rudder grip when heeled
- Standard self-tacking jib and furling options ease short-handed sailing
- Chined hull and bluff bow deliver volume without nervous handling
Cons
- Mainsheet purchase could be better from the factory
- Three-cabin layout leaves limited stowage
- Some systems are left exposed in lockers
