Design and Construction
The Cruiser 38 displaces 15,840 pounds and carries 4,629 pounds of iron ballast, giving her a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 0.29. Her moderate D/L of 206 and SA/D of 18.9 place her firmly in the cruising camp rather than among racer-cruisers.
Under the floorboards, a structural grid is laminated to the hull. The keel bolts pass through this grid and are secured with double nuts backed by stainless-steel washers. The hull has a flat bottom, which Cruising World noted could make it difficult to dry completely.
Above the waterline, a low bridgedeck with a low sill on top helps keep green water from getting below. Although the companionway door looks lightweight, it is made from veneer-topped Starboard. The deck is sufficiently reinforced to accept a double-ended mainsheet system, evidence of a structure designed to tolerate aftermarket rigging changes.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The Cruiser 38 is offered with an in-mast furling mainsail or a mainsail with conventional or full-length battens. Standard equipment includes a roller-furling jib, an adjustable backstay, and six winches.
On the test sail, the boat made roughly 2.7 knots closehauled when the wind gusted to about 4.5 knots—a modest return in very light air. Under power, the tested 40-horsepower Volvo with saildrive drove her to 7.8 knots at 2,800 rpm. At a quieter 2,000 rpm, she made just under 6.5 knots. With the wheel hard over, she turned within one boat length, and her behavior in reverse was commendable.
The shoal-draft option is Warwick Collins’s patented tandem keel. It reportedly gives greater controllability than conventional shoal keels.
Accommodations
Just half a step from the foot of the companionway, robust furniture is within easy reach. The port-side galley counter has sturdy fiddles, while the forward-facing nav desk to starboard is large enough for paper charts. It also provides several storage compartments, a dedicated instrument area, and a dished seat that gives a little extra grip when the boat heels. Corner cut-out handholds in the partial bulkheads beside the galley and nav desk help the crew move through the cabin.
The saloon settees run parallel to the centerline and are long enough to stretch out on. High-gloss varnished pale mahogany reflects the natural light coming through the numerous hatches and portlights.
In the two-stateroom layout, the forward cabin occupies all the space ahead of the mast. It has a large V-berth, good storage, and room to move around. The aft cabins in either layout offer generous standing room and a large berth. The two-cabin version places its single head aft, behind the nav station, while the three-cabin arrangement fits a smaller head into the forward cabin.
Galley, Systems, and Deck Details
The galley has a two-burner stove, stowage, a microwave, and twin sinks. Their bottoms slope toward inboard drains, but the sinks would be more practical if they were deeper, particularly when the boat heels.
The electrical panel uses touch-pad switches that illuminate when active, although the circuit breakers are located behind the panel.
In the cockpit, a table mounted on the steering console is convenient but restricts movement. Electric rams beneath the cockpit sole, aft of the wheel, open the center section of the transom to reveal a swim step and ladder.
Forward, a flush hatch opens into a deep anchor well, with the windlass mounted on a shelf. On the test boat, the anchor was snugged against the stem, with its shank four chain links from the wildcat.
Verdict
The Bavaria Cruiser 38 is a thoughtfully structured coastal cruiser for sailors who value predictable handling over maximum interior square footage. Her restrained beam favors that emphasis, while the reinforced deck can accept aftermarket rigging changes. Below, the accommodations are practical and well lit, while the structural grid and keel-bolt arrangement indicate a serious build. The flat-bottomed hull and shallow galley sinks are minor practical drawbacks.
Pros
- Structural grid laminated to the hull, with double-nutted keel bolts passing through it
- Low bridgedeck and sill help limit green water below
- Long centerline settees
- Proper paper-chart nav desk with a heel-friendly seat
- Tandem shoal-draft keel with a reported controllability advantage
Cons
- Flat bottom makes the hull difficult to dry completely
- Twin galley sinks are shallow and less practical when heeled
- Console-mounted cockpit table restricts movement
- Touch-pad electrical panel conceals the circuit breakers behind its face
