After the market for new boats has noticeably increased its price and the used boat in my top 5 is trending towards zero, I looked further and identified a few alternatives among the new boats.
I have lowered my standards a little, at least when it comes to performance. But both boats deliver over 13 knots of SOG with 25 knots of wind and the right sails.
Bavaria C38 & Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380
Ok, this are production boats and I am aware that I will have to improve some parts even when the boats are new. But that all will be minor parts like Hinges or Shutters. I have colected as many information as possible and so we will sail this two boats in the next months.
The Pros & Cons
The biggest Cons is also the price if we buy a new boat Both will be around 300K plus 15K to 25K for the electric engine and batteries. If Bavaria with a Saildrive I would go with
Water World 20.0s
I like the ease of implementing. Just remove the Diesel and add the 20 KW electric engine. It will only consumes 48V, that is realy low for 48V. The battery cables will be somehow thicker :-).
The only disadvantage is, they still keep the Saildrive gearbox. With an electric drive the gearbox isn´t realy required. But maybe I need to know more about, I will contact Water World or will check out at one of the next fairs. The COst of 10K for the engine is ok. Not cheap but this looks like a real professional solution.
The Jeanneau SO 380 comes with a Shaft Drive, which I definitely prefer. I can build in a DIY solution as I did it before.
There will be alternatives:
Mahle Electra
Pretty unknown but a professional engine with 15KW Power and 75Nm. Comes with a controller for € 3.300,-. Sold at Scherer Solarstrom. The good, at maximum Nm the RPM is around 1750. So no gearbox is required.
15 KW seem to be the minimum for the SO 380 with round about 7.2 tons (travel ready).
E-Drive Solution
Pretty Similar the offer from e-Drive solution.
18KW 48V with 80 Nm for € 3.500,- also with controller. But no further data availabel. I have asked for an RPM diagramm. A plus of € 300,- for the cabling and a Throttle to add.
Another alternative is the 12 KW Sailing Set from Thunderstruck.
The Con is, I will need a gearbox for the engine and 12 KW is pretty much at the low end. But Thunderstruck is very responsive and pretty good opinions within the DIY Sailing community. Anothe con would be the transport and customes from the US. So it will be around 5K at the end.
The Set would be:
Plus the gearbox it would be roundabout €4.100,- plus some USD´s for a different Throttle
This would be a all including set what makes it easy.
Talk about the boats
Both boats have a real spacious interior. Especially the forepeak with regular sized beds intead of V-Berths. It is so much easier tan crawling into a V-Berth.
Both cockpits have a good layout for single handed sailing. Always additional Winches are required but they are on the options list.
I am not a fan of having all ropes at the helm like the guys from Hanse do it. To much lines and possible woolings and if the conditions aren´t good, doublehanded reefing with the main halyard and the reefing line on one aftern winch or the reefing line on the other side. That seems not to be a comfortable setup. I like the classical setup with a winch at the coachroof. I also would prefer a traveller in the cockpit but thats not with the production boats.
The Heads
Both have spacious heads and this is what we like. The toilets are well placed so that you can hold on well in waves and heeling even if the general space is much bigger. Both 2-cabin versions with one head will suit our needs.
Bavaria 2-cabin layout. Good space in the “bedrooms”. The Galley is also spacious and I like the bright interieur of the Bavaria C38.
The Sun Odyssey from Jeanneau is a bit different but the separate Shower with wet locker is a real plus. The front cabin doesn´t waiste space. The slanted bed is perfect. If we put another Mattress on the left side of the bed we can sleep in any direction :-). The Galley isn´t the space of the Bavaria one and the “wood” is regular Jeanneau style.
So we have to sail both for a couple of days, sleep and cook on the boat and check them out in detail. The Bavaria is already chartered for late summer in the Netherlands, The SO 380 will need to wait till next year.
The Performance
There are You Tubes from both boats. And the impressions are completely mixed up.
Bavaria C38 most meaningful YT´s
Sailing in Force 7 Mistral wind to Marseille. Beneteau Oceanis 38.1 ORZU Sailing (youtube.com)
BAVARIA C38 – a field report after 1200 nautical miles (youtube.com)
The most boat for your money? Bavaria C38 yacht test by Yachting Monthly (youtube.com)
Le BAVARIA C38 Sport de Catherine & Olivier (youtube.com)
The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey YT´s:
There aren´t that much about te SO 380…. but some VPP´s
Jeanneau 380 Test Sail (youtube.com)
So we see in the videos, yes there are the typical possible disadvatages on production boats. But I would never take over a new boat with such flaws even if they where minor.
| Bavaria C38 | Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 380 | |
| Price | ++ | + |
| Electric Refit | ++ | +++ |
| Interiour | +++ | ++ |
| Head Layout | ++ | +++ |
| Beds | +++ | +++ |
| Cockpit Layout | +++ | +++ |
| Sailing Performance | ? | ? |
| Weight (empty) | 9.4 to. | 6.9 to. |
| Gut feeling | +(+) | ++ |
So it is pretty much draw today. Sailing will be the tip of the scale!
