Buying A 20 year old Bavaria 44...good idea?

[Norman_E]

Check it carefully. Like some other makes Bavaria made good boats and not so good ones and it seemed to change according to the model and year. I saw one big Bavaria where cleats were fitted on to the toe rail with woodscrews instead of being bolted because the accountants were in charge. Others are perfectly good. My own boat that size was a Jeanneau 45.2 from 1998. That boat was very well made and better than the 45 made from the early 2000s.

[Rjt]

The Bav 44’s are fitted with 300mm cleats bolted through the teak toe rail, hull/deck join & with a thick aluminium backing plate.

[Norman_E]

The one I saw was a 50 footer, and one of the cleats had been torn off. Build standards seem to have varied a lot, and not just at Bavaria. My Jeanneau had lovely matched teak veneers, but some of their boats a few years younger than mine suffered from having interior woodwork "veneered" with some kind of paper thin fake wood.

[Pete7]

Originally Posted by Norman_E

I saw one big Bavaria where cleats were fitted on to the toe rail with woodscrews instead of being bolted because the accountants were in charge.

Chartered a Bavaria 34 before buying our current yacht and wasn't impressed with some fitting out and it was nearly new. However, turns out the boat arrives in the UK on a truck and the UK dealers then fit them out and quite a bit of work there is too. This was the problem not the basic boat supplied by Bavaria.

Just wonder if that happens to other exported yachts from Southern Germany.

Pete

[goboatingnow]

Originally Posted by Pete7

Chartered a Bavaria 34 before buying our current yacht and wasn't impressed with some fitting out and it was nearly new. However, turns out the boat arrives in the UK on a truck and the UK dealers then fit them out and quite a bit of work there is too. This was the problem not the basic boat supplied by Bavaria.

Just wonder if that happens to other exported yachts from Southern Germany.

Pete

This is stuff that various builders did at times and it never worked out well. Dealers got substantial discounts and partly finished boats. Often with local tax advantages. As you say often the work was substantial.

The uk was particularly prominent in this regards as were exports to the USA. Often all like local market appliances, particular regulatory schemes etc had an impact.

Almost always it was eventually abandoned. All the major brands did so.

It was less common on mainland Europe as there’s was greater standardisation

[goboatingnow]

Some Bavs have weak cleat attachments , the 2009 39s suffered

But basically I find then a solid boat , easy to service etc.

[boatman61]

Bought a 2001 Bene 331 from Moorings in the BVI's back in '06.. sailed her to St Martin to kit her out.
Whilst there a Bavaria 33 of the same year anchored next to me, they had just bought her and asked if they could come over and have a look at my boat when they learnt I was also a new owner..
They were gutted, more so when they learnt I had paid $10K less than they had.. when I went aboard and saw the interior I understood why.
The layout was poor in comparison.. the small galley was in front of the aft cabin door making access impossible if the galley was in use.
Moral.. don't look at other boats till you've learnt to love yours..

[goboatingnow]

I have a bav36. I love it precisely because it’s the absolute classic traditional yacht layout below.

Two cabins , big head , huge locker in place of third cabin
Full size chart table port side forward facing , big enough for folded charts , lots of panel space for toys.

L shaped galley opposite , perfect under way , sink close to the centre line.

Two straight 6”4 compatible straight settees , folding table inbetween , great sea berths underway ,

Forward big V berth could sleep 3 if pushed , hanging lockers each side.

Very classic not “ modern” like useless linear galleys and curved settees in recent models.

Fashionable no , sturdy and sea going , absolutely.

Way better then then similar bennys , not as flash true. But better screwed together

I used to own a Beneteau 393 so I know the difference

[Mtbguy]

I’m in process of buying a very well maintained Bavaria 39 2006 model. Owner has already proactively dropped keel and replaced bolts, along with rudder bearings. Those seem to be the areas of concern I have heard about. They seem to be very well built boats.

[Bill_Giles]

Our Bav 36 of 2003 is still going strong. We have owned it since 2006. Your prospective purchase seems to have had some important recent maintenance replacements. Get a good survey and then make up your mind.

[Captain Abo]

Originally Posted by Bill_Giles

Our Bav 36 of 2003 is still going strong. We have owned it since 2006. Your prospective purchase seems to have had some important recent maintenance replacements. Get a good survey and then make up your mind.

Actually yes. The boat has had all the major stuff replaced in the last 5 years. And it feels like a solid boat. It has been "deep pocket" maintained, needs use and personal attention. It is no strangers boat as I have been able to look into the boat's history and talk to locals that have worked on it for years.

BUT>>>>> My Q was more directed as to it being a SHOAL DRAFT (5.4 ft - 1.65 m). This I just found out. Vessel documentation had lapsed and they are taking 3 months on renewals. Ours just came in. So up until now we could not move the boat. NOW we can do a sea trial.

[Tetepare]

I like shoal draft. Lets us sneak into places others can’t.

[JC Reefer]

Originally Posted by sinnerman

20 years is not old for a sailboat.



My boat is 1984 which makes it 38 years old this year.



If it was a woman, she is just hitting her prime...

I couldn’t disagree with you more…

For some vessels, 10 years is old. Just depends on the owner.

A vessel from 1984 would be 36 or 37 today, not 38. Fact.

And Women come into their prime around age 58. Thats about when my hearing started to go… [emoji13]