Bavaria Cruiser 38 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Under the floorboards a structural grid is laminated to the hull, and the keel bolts pass through that grid, secured with double nuts backed by stainless-steel washers anchor. The hull itself has a flat bottom, which Cruising World noted could make completely drying it a challenge anchor. Above the waterline, a low bridgedeck and a low sill atop it help keep green water from getting belowdecks, while the companionway door, though it looks lightweight, is made of veneer-topped Starboard. The deck is sufficiently reinforced to accept a double-ended mainsheet system, evidence of a structure built to tolerate aftermarket rigging changes.

Rig and Handling

The 38 is offered with an in-mast furling main or a main with conventional or full-length battens, and as standard she carries a roller-furling jib, an adjustable backstay, and six winches anchor. On the test sail, when the wind gusted to about 4.5 knots the boat made roughly 2.7 knots closehauled, a modest return in very light air. Under power the tested 40-horsepower Volvo with saildrive pushed her to 7.8 knots at 2,800 rpm and a quieter 2,000 rpm delivered just under 6.5 knots; with the wheel hard over she turned in one boat length, and her behavior when backing was commendable. The adopted tandem keel, patented by Warwick Collins, is the shoal-draft option and reportedly imparts greater controllability than conventional shoal keels.

Accommodations

Half a step from the companionway foot, robust furniture is close at hand, with sturdy fiddles on the port galley counter and a forward-facing nav desk to starboard large enough for paper charts. The nav desk adds several storage compartments, a dedicated area for instruments, and a dished seat that gives a little butt traction when the boat heels. Saloon settees run parallel to the centerline and are long enough to stretch out on, while corner cut-out grabs in the partial bulkheads at the galley and nav desk aid movement. The high-gloss varnished pale mahogany finish catches the natural light that pours through numerous hatches and portlights. In the two-stateroom layout the forward cabin occupies the entire space forward of the mast, with a large V-berth, good storage, and walkabout room; aft cabins in either layout have generous standing room and a large berth. The two-cabin version places its single head aft behind the nav station, whereas the three-cabin arrangement squeezes a smaller head into the forward cabin.

Equipment and Deck Details

The galley is fitted with a two-burner stove, stowage, a microwave, and twin sinks whose bottoms slope to inboard drains but which would be more practical if deeper. The electrical panel uses touch-pad switches that light when active, though the circuit breakers sit behind the panel. A table mounted on the steering console is convenient yet hampers movement, and electric rams under the cockpit sole aft of the wheel open the transom center to reveal a swim step and ladder. Forward, a flush hatch opens to a deep anchor well with a windlass on a shelf; on the test boat the anchor was snugged to the stem with its shank four chain links from the wildcat.

The Verdict

The Bavaria Cruiser 38 is a thoughtfully structured coastal cruiser whose restrained beam and reinforced deck reward the sailor who values predictable handling over maximal interior square footage. Her accommodations are practical and well lit, and the structural grid and keel-bolt arrangement speak to a serious build, though the flat bottom and shallow sinks are minor practical drawbacks.

Pros

Structural grid laminated to hull with double-nutted keel bolts through it
Low bridgedeck and sill to limit green water below
Long centerline settees and a proper paper-chart nav desk with heel-friendly seat
Tandem keel option with reported controllability advantage in shoal draft

Cons