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Bavaria Owners Association

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Welcome to the Bavaria Owners Association

The BOA is a membership-based association specifically for owners of Bavaria yachts, motorboats and catamarans.  It is a not-for-profit organisation, run on a voluntary basis by the members, for the members.

Not only is the BOA a great way to learn more about buying, running, maintaining, and upgrading your Bavaria, it’s also a hub for meeting other Bavaria owners, sharing ideas and stories, and getting help and advice when you need it, from someone who actually knows your boat.

As an RYA Affiliated association, the BOA is open to all who have an interest in sailing, chartering and using Bavaria Yachts and Motor Boats, and with membership at just £20 a year it’s incredibly affordable too.

If you have the time, we’d love you to get involved in the BOA and help in whatever way you can, whether that be helping on the committee, writing articles for the newsletters or yearbook, giving advice on the forum, or organising an event.

Come and join the assocation that’s here just for you.

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Bavaria 36 - any owners opinions?

  • Thread starter Longshanks
  • Start date 18 Apr 2010
  • 18 Apr 2010

After looking at so many tired boats from the 1980s and 90s, the wife is getting quite keen on a more recent Bavaria 36. I know all the "opinions" of non-owners on the YBW forums, but are there any current or past Bav 36 owners out there that would care to give me an honest view of +/- factors and anything in particular to look out for on this model? If you had one, why did you sell it? If you currently have one, is it living up to expectations? Send by PM if you wish. Many thanks.  

We have the Bav37 from 1999-2001 design - so a little older, but has the same hull as the post 2001 Bav36. We moored up next to a 36 in Beaulieu last year and had a quick preview ... Very tidy boat, slightly different deck design and down below was a different layout. The only overall negative (concluded with the owners) was that the high cupboard spaces were a little short on the 36 - whereas ours are tall enough to stand a bottle in. In sailing terms they are pretty much matched (I believe) and whilst definately isn't a hot hatch - it is a good cruising boat. I wouldn't want to besailing one in F8+ .. but then I wouldn't want to be there out of choice anyway ... being a high volume boat it would take quite a bit of attention to keep going - when I'd rather not be! All in all Bavs are good boats for the money - but you should only get one if it suits what you want to do with it (as with all boats!) - and if you're looking at a newer 36 I would also look at the 1999-2001 models ....  

photodog

Lord High Commander of Upper Broughton and Gunthor

I dont own one... though I have sailed on quite extensivley.... (I have a slightly older 31...) and have sailed the 34, 32, and 37 of around those years as well.... Here is my potted review for the post 2001 boat; A quick and fun boat if had with the deep keel and FB main... practical interior with good use of space let down by some light fittings, in particular the overhead grab rails feel a bit light weight and only tacked on. Excellent and practical heads, good sized galley, excellent chart table. A much better sailor than the Bene 361 or SO 37, quick to accelerate and rewards tweeking. Cockpit let down by slightly pooor angles on the coaming making it a bit uncomfortable over long periods, but good space and easy to reach controls and winchs make it easy to short hand.... (Though could use with mainsheet and traveller in cockpit instead of on coachroof... like virtually all contemporaries.) AVS of 112' would make me a bit nervous about extensive offshore long distance cruising. Excellent value, nice boat, fun to sail... would be near the top of my list and ahead of SO 37 and Bene 361. You should also look at the 1999-2001 34, and the 37... the 34 feels a bit more susbtantial and is not quite a sporty... but is very well screwed together and not far short of space... the 37 feels a bit bigger still and not as sharp to sail, but again a bit more substantial down below. IMHO I would choose a late (say 2001) 2 cabin 34 over the 36, ( but if you are going three cabins then the 36 would probably win) for its more sustantial build. If OTOH sportiness is top of your list then the 36 is gonna be more fun. Problems; There were issues with the holding tanks on the early boats, not draining properly at sea and getting bunged up... inparticular on the 3 cabin models.... though I have had a unpleasant experience on a 2 cabin boat as well... I suspect that poor user practice may have contributed to this.. The push buttons on the locker doors were downgraded post 2002 and tend to jam more often... Other than that I havent heard of or had any major issues... they are pretty conventional boats, with straightforward and reliable systems sourced from the big suppliers. Our 1999 31 has been very good.. with no real isssues... (Fridge replaced 2 years ago... ) I found the 36 a joy to sail... only eclipsed by the Elan 333 in my experience.. Try chartering Anodyne from Liberty Yachts in Plymouth for a weekend if in doubt!  

Sans Bateau

Sans Bateau

Well-known member.

As with photodog, I dont own or have never owned a Bav 36, but I do get to sail one, and I think the views of us who sail on other peoples boats are of a very high value, we have no commitment as owners, and so we sail on them because we want to. I have no disagreement with what the other two have already said. the Bavaria model numbering is very confusing, I believe the Bav 36 is nearly 38 ft long. The boat I sail on is based in the South of France and is of 1999 vintage. Nearly every time we are down there, at some stage we experience winds at the top of the 30's knots, 35 - 38knts. Making to windward in this wind is a bit of a challenge, but that is mainly because of the very short sea that develops in the Med. The previous owner of this boat changed the original sails for some nice cruiser laminate tri radial sails, these set nicely and in moderate conditions she sails very well indeed. The only negative I would say is the light weight bow roller and what seems flimsy stanchions, pullpit and push pit. But all in all the Bav 36 is a good boat for the money.  

I have just changed to a B32 after having had three Moody's over the last 15 yrs. Tried to find a 4th Moody but all looking very tired. My B32 is a 2003 and so far apart from being much lighter am very pleased. Storage is excellent and all technical facilities are easily accesible.  

Thanks guys. I appreciate the views of those that sail on them as well as owners. To answer some of the points made, we're looking for a comfortable summer liveaboard cruiser for use around the UK, Ireland and maybe Brittany. Can be handled by two, have space for guests and entertaining, and probably won't be sailed in anything above F6 unless we get it badly wrong! Most nights in harbours, anchorages and marinas, with the occasional over-nighter at sea in settled weather. That's why in reality we don't need the likes of a Rival 38 (which I did consider last year!!) as much as I really love these older designs. Although, the ability of the Bavs and other AWBs to comfortably handle wind over tide conditions and short steep seas does raise a few concerns in my mind, it's all compromises at the end of the day, and living comfort / newness / value for money is beginning to take priority. The Bav 36 we've looked at has the deeper keel, which I assume is the better choice. I'd welcome any further comments by the way...  

With that description I would be more inclined to the 37... its just a bit more comfy in my experience... This looks a nice one..  

We have the shallow keel 37 - so not 1.8m ... this is the 1.4m version - with a bulb on the bottom. Like PD says - its not sharp to sail (I also race RS400's) - but it is good. Again - we specifically wanted a shallower keel having come from another boat with a 6' draft which we found a little restrictive around the solent and poole. Bav34 of this parish also has a shallow keel and gave us a test ride before we bought ours - which is what convinced us a shallow keel was acceptible - having sailed out in a F6 with cross sea with no dramas ....  

Other than the linear galley that looks pretty much identical to ours ... Ours has a U galley a bit further aft and 2 'captains' seats where this one has it's galley - thus we don't have the bench in the middle of the saloon either. The rest looks the same.  

I have the 3 cabin 37 shallow keel from 2001. Support all the previous comments. I have in mast furling and performs well with new, flatter sails. Layout not so good for lounging as 36 but cabins a bit more spacious and storage better. Everything has stood up well to 7 seasons chartering and 2 less hectic private use. Weakest points of gear are wobbly stanchions (only 2001), poor cabin lights and poor cooker. Everything else is at least as good as competitors and better in many respects. Fewer on the SH market in UK (plenty in the Med) compared with 34s and 36s and many were sailing school boats. If the volcano lets me escape, I shall be sailing mine back from Corfu to UK round the outside in a couple of weeks time. No concerns about her ability to do the passage.  

  • 19 Apr 2010

Monique

Active member

390 Lagoon Ive sailed a couple of thousand miles on B36 and B38SC. Im not sure on the second hand prices, but I would consider going slightly older (I know you are tired of looking at tired old boats), but bear with me. The Bav 390 lagoon should be considered, the ones I looked at were pristine. The first one I saw looked like it had just come off the production line. It was built very well, carried the Lloyds certificate, and and ouzed quality on all aspects. By the time I had done my research, someone else had paid the deposit. I then travelled quite a long way around Europe looking for one, and eventually bought an Oyster. I still get pangs when I see a Lagoon 390 though, and the feedback from other owners is 100% positive. There was a broker selling a Westerly that I looked at, he asked me what else I had looked at, when I told him about the 390, he said "snap their hands off, its a much better built boat than the Westerly or Moody it was competing against".  

Moodymike said: I have just changed to a B32 after having had three Moody's over the last 15 yrs. Tried to find a 4th Moody but all looking very tired. My B32 is a 2003 and so far apart from being much lighter am very pleased. Storage is excellent and all technical facilities are easily accesible. Click to expand...

Here is a nice one... http://www.yachtworld.com/boats/1991/Bavaria-390-Lagoon-2198743/Sint-Annaland/Netherlands  

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  • Bavaria Yacht Info

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Owner's Manuals (ordered by model year)

  • Bavaria 38 Holiday (1998): 🇪🇸ES
  • Bavaria 42 Ocean (1998): EN
  • Bavaria 46 Exclusive (1998): EN
  • Bavaria 31 (1999): EN
  • Bavaria 34 (1999): EN
  • Bavaria 38 Ocean (1999): EN
  • Bavaria 37 Cruiser (2000): EN
  • Bavaria 40 2-cabin (2000): EN
  • Bavaria 40 Ocean (2000): 🇩🇪DE
  • Bavaria 32 Cruiser (2001): EN
  • Bavaria 42 4-cabin (2001): EN
  • Bavaria 44 3-cabin (2001/2002) : EN
  • Bavaria 36 (2002/2003): EN
  • Bavaria 38 (2002/2003): EN
  • Bavaria 30 Cruiser (2006): EN
  • Bavaria 33 Cruiser (2006): EN
  • Bavaria 37 Cruiser (2006): EN
  • Bavaria 34 Cruiser (2008/2009): EN
  • Bavaria 40 Vision (2009): EN
  • Vision 42 (2012): Circuit Diagrams
  • Vision 46 (2012): EN
  • Cruiser 46 (2013): 🇫🇷FR
  • Bavaria 430 Atlantic (1991)
  • Bavaria 34 (1999)
  • Bavaria 40 Ocean (2000)
  • Bavaria 49 (2002)
  • Cruiser 34, Cruiser 35, Cruiser 38, Cruiser 40, Cruiser 47, Cruiser 51 (2010)
  • Vision 40, Vision 44, Vision 50 (2010)

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  • Saildrive 130, 150: Workshop Manual
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COMMENTS

  1. Bavaria Yacht Info

    Polls & Yacht Opinions. Use this forum to create polls, or to seek opinions on Bavaria yachts. 289 Posts 40 Topics Last post by jannickz in Re: Considering B32 - sp... on February 19 2024, 02:33 Motor Boats. Anything specific to Bavaria motoryachts . 53 Posts 21 Topics Last post by ...

  2. Bavaria Yachts Owners Forum

    Bavaria Yachts Owners Forum. A Place for Bavaria Owners and Aficionados. Skip to content. Quick links. FAQ; Logout; Register; Home. ... This board has no forums. Who is online. In total there are 16 users online :: 4 registered, 0 hidden and 12 guests (based on users active over the past 5 minutes) Most users ever online was 469 on Sun May 03 ...

  3. Bavaria Yacht Help!

    Cable identification, Bavaria 39C, 2007, Owners manual explanation. Started by marp. 5 Replies 999 Views July 23 2023, 17:59 by marp: Radio cassette . Started by tckearney. ... Member Forums » Bavaria Yacht Help! Normal Topic Hot Topic (More than 10 replies) Very Hot Topic (More than 20 replies) Locked Topic

  4. Bavaria

    Sell Your Boat Used Gear for Sale. Parts. General Marine Parts Hunter Beneteau Catalina MacGregor Oday. ... New Bavaria Cruiser 51 owner - suggestions for sail wardrobe etc. KiwiYachtie; Jan 3, 2024; 2. Replies 2 Views 366. Jan 8, 2024. KiwiYachtie. K. G. ... Brand-Specific Forums. Recent Forum Activity; Home; Terms and rules;

  5. Bavaria Yachts Owners Forum

    Bavaria Yachts Owners Forum. A Place for Bavaria Owners and Aficionados. Skip to content. Quick links. FAQ; Logout; Register; Home. Board index. Last visit was: Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:09 am. It is currently Thu Mar 07, 2024 3:09 am. This board has no forums. Who is online. In total there are 9 users online :: 1 registered, 0 hidden and 8 guests ...

  6. Bavaria Yacht

    Welcome to the Bavaria Yacht Info forums. This FREE Bavaria Yacht web site and forum have been created for anyone with an interest in Bavaria Sailing Yachts: owners, sailors, charter clients etc. Registration for the FREE Bavaria Yacht Forum is simple, just click the Bavaria Yacht Forum link at the top of this page, and fill in the form.

  7. Forums Archive

    This is a place to find and share manuals and documentation including boat manuals, engine manuals, electronics manuals, servicing and repair instructions, and spare parts lists. Sell anything from a bit to a boat. This area of the forum is for all members with boats based in the Mediterranean.

  8. Cruisers & Sailing Forums

    Regional Forums and Groups. Crew Wanted: 10 Day Sail around Split Croatia 46ft Bavaria. Luckyrican. 20-06-2023 09:24 by Luckyrican. 0. 547. Crew Positions: Wanted & Available. Crew Wanted: Captain Bavaria C50 Sardinia 25-30 June. ArthurB0297.

  9. Bavaria Yachts Owners Forum

    ↳ Forum Rules; FORUMS; ↳ General Chat; ↳ Pics of your Vessel; ↳ Sailing Yatchs; ↳ Motor Boats; ↳ Catamarans; ↳ Modifications; ↳ Maintenance; ↳ Reference Library - Registered Users Only; ↳ The documents are only visible to registered members; ↳ Feedback or Suggestions to Bavaria Yachts; BOATING REGIONS; ↳ USA Northeast Region

  10. Bavaria Ocean owners forum

    This group was created in order to share experiences from maintaining out own Bavaria Ocean Yachts. A big "thank you" to everyone who shares their experience. Bavaria Ocean owners forum

  11. Pics of your Vessel

    ↳ Forum Rules; FORUMS; ↳ General Chat; ↳ Pics of your Vessel; ↳ Sailing Yatchs; ↳ Motor Boats; ↳ Catamarans; ↳ Modifications; ↳ Maintenance; ↳ Reference Library - Registered Users Only; ↳ The documents are only visible to registered members; ↳ Feedback or Suggestions to Bavaria Yachts; BOATING REGIONS; ↳ USA Northeast Region

  12. Bavaria 37 2006-8. Any first hand experience?

    Really if you have had an older 38 you will know what to expect - the later 37s from J&J are just developments of the same basic design so share the same characteristics. Worth joining the Bavaria Yacht Info forum www.bavariayacht.org There are owners of the 37 you are considering that post on there. 30 Sep 2018. #4. C.

  13. Opinions on Bavaria Yachts

    the Bavaria saga. I am one of those Bavaria owners, bought new in 2001 and agree with just about everything that John (swagman) wrote. One thing to look at are the changes in the Bavarias over the years. Most feel that BAV quality over the years is on the decline as prices dictate ever more what rolls out the front door.

  14. Home

    Welcome to the Bavaria Owners Association. The BOA is a membership-based association specifically for owners of Bavaria yachts, motorboats and catamarans. It is a not-for-profit organisation, run on a voluntary basis by the members, for the members. Not only is the BOA a great way to learn more about buying, running, maintaining, and upgrading ...

  15. Bavaria 36

    Longshanks. After looking at so many tired boats from the 1980s and 90s, the wife is getting quite keen on a more recent Bavaria 36. I know all the "opinions" of non-owners on the YBW forums, but are there any current or past Bav 36 owners out there that would care to give me an honest view of +/- factors and anything in particular to look out ...

  16. Bavaria Yachts Owners

    Bavaria Yachts Owners. 1,981 likes. A page dedicated to the owners of the Bavaria Yacts

  17. Bavaria Yacht Info

    Bavaria 31 (1999): EN; Bavaria 34 (1999): EN; Bavaria 38 Ocean (1999): EN; Bavaria 37 Cruiser (2000): EN; Bavaria 40 2-cabin (2000): EN; Bavaria 40 Ocean (2000): 🇩🇪DE; Bavaria 32 Cruiser (2001): EN; Bavaria 42 4-cabin (2001): EN; Bavaria 44 3-cabin (2001/2002) : EN; Bavaria 36 (2002/2003): EN; Bavaria 38 (2002/2003): EN; Bavaria 30 ...