Beneteau Oceanis 38.1 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both two- and three-cabin versions are available. The three-cabin configuration berths six adults with dual aft cabins, while the two-cabin arrangement substitutes a single athwartship aft cabin and a separate shower compartment on the port side. Below decks, the salon carries a single port settee and an L-shaped seat; the forward cabin's double doors open to more than double the visual interior space. A U-shaped port galley with opposing settees or a long starboard galley with single settee were both original options, and the head compartment is on the small side where it incorporates a shower.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, biminis, chartplotters, swim platforms, autopilots, furling mains, dodgers, cockpit showers, and electric winches are commonly fitted. Often-seen additions include air conditioning, AIS, heating, inverter, teak decks, hot water, radar, asymmetric spinnaker, and bow thruster. Solar and a code zero are less common, appearing mostly as owner upgrades. The standard mini bowsprit integrated into the hull allows for code 0 halyard systems, and the optional Code 0 itself adds roughly 700 square feet of sail.

What to Inspect

Documented review findings point to specific items worth checking. When seated behind the wheels there is no forward visibility over the coach roof, and important chartplotter data sits at almost knee level, below line-of-sight for critical viewing. With twin rudders there is no direct prop wash on the rudder for directional control in tight quarters, so confirm the standard bow thruster operates. Sailing to windward under genoa alone, the track did not reach back far enough to flatten the foot. Handling the main at the cabin-top winches under a one-piece bimini blocks any view of the sails. The cockpit locker lid floats free without hinges, and the L-shaped single-person salon seat cannot be removed without a saw.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats typically appear in the United States, Croatia, France, Italy, United Kingdom, and British Virgin Islands. For a used purchase, verify the helm visibility limitations, test the bow thruster, confirm the genoa track travel, and check the free-floating locker lid and non-removable L-shaped single-person salon seat. Choose layout by berth need, and treat solar or code zero as owner-fitted rather than standard.