Visit our Popular Forums

mstrebe · 09-03-2015, 00:07

I have just the SD20 sail drive and no bow thruster, and I slip in a typical San Diego marina, Harbor Island West (you can google earth it for a satellite view). My slip is just 12" wider than the boat's beam.

The boat is like a sled on rails. Extremely easy to direct, and the two rudders have quite a lot of bite at 1.5 knots and above. Before I owned it and because it would be my largest boat ever, I was quite worried about close quarters maneuverability. I needn't have been. A days worth of learning the throttle and I was turning her on her keel in her own length. Despite the snug fit, I reverse in routinely and have never so much as knocked against the fingers, even in cross winds and ebb tides.

I see no reason for either bow thrusters or the twisty rotate drive joystick thing. Unless you are fighting some kind of complex cross current at your marina, don't waste the money because the boat tracks like its on rails.

I do have the folding prop, which I recommend as it's worth a half-knot under sail when it folds back. Little to no effect on ability to reverse.

Sent from my iPad using Cruisers Sailing Forum

Fluer de Mer · 09-03-2015, 09:42

RK, My 2 cents: I never had bow thrusters on any of my past sailboats, but ordered it on the 38. I am surprised at how often I use it and am now very glad that I have it. Our slip in perpendicular to the very strong winds and San Francisco Bay currents. Because of the boat's high freeboard, the bow tends to act like a sail when turning into the slip. The thruster helps keep the boat straight and in control. Also, it has proven to be very helpful when anchoring in tight areas with other boats or rocks around (often in strong winds and currents). I did not get the joy stick docking option because I didn't want the complexity. I have a retired friend at my club who has a very large Oceanis 55 here in the Bay Area and he has it and finds it useful when docking has never had a problem with it.

mstrebe · 09-03-2015, 10:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fluer de Mer

RK, My 2 cents: I never had bow thrusters on any of my past sailboats, but ordered it on the 38. I am surprised at how often I use it and am now very glad that I have it. Our slip in perpendicular to the very strong winds and San Francisco Bay currents. Because of the boat's high freeboard, the bow tends to act like a sail when turning into the slip. The thruster helps keep the boat straight and in control. Also, it has proven to be very helpful when anchoring in tight areas with other boats or rocks around (often in strong winds and currents). I did not get the joy stick docking option because I didn't want the complexity. I have a retired friend at my club who has a very large Oceanis 55 here in the Bay Area and he has it and finds it useful when docking has never had a problem with it.

Great feedback. I think the bow-thruster question is laid out between my experience & FdM's: Do you have a strong wind or cross current to deal with? In San Diego, the answer is no, in San Francisco it's yes. If you know your sailing grounds, you'll know whether or not to bother.

I do wonder a bit about the pod drives. On a larger vessel I think they'd be a great addition, but I literally have never had any trouble docking the O38.

My boat does have the bow-thruster channel built in and sealed off underneath the forward berth; there's just no bow thruster in it. The dealer quoted $6000 to have a system installed.

I find the boat actually easier to bring stern-in in winds because then the bow is trailing and not leading the boat and because you can watch over the gunnel to see exactly how you're lining up to the dock. I dock both ways just depending on what's best for the situation.

aspenripper · 09-03-2015, 17:32

I did order folding prop as well. Being short crewed often and dealing with the Welland and Erie Canal things can get messy quickly so I opted for the thruster. My dealer sold it at cost. I wasn't passing that up. Our spec is the 30hp sail drive , did some get a 20 hp ?? . Finally in the high 30s here in the northeast, sprint can't come soon enough.

Finnsail · 09-03-2015, 19:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by aspenripper

Our spec is the 30hp sail drive , did some get a 20 hp ??

We took delivery of our 35 (hull #10) mid-February. It has the 30 hp Yanmar as well. I think the 30 hp is the standard engine for all 35s & 38s made in the U.S.. The U.S. factory options list didn't even mention 20 hp.

I believe the 20 hp is the base engine only if the boat is made in France. The 30 hp engine appears to be a 1,600 EUR upgrade there.

RKsailsolo · 09-03-2015, 20:13

Thanks to all of you guys for sharing your Oceanis 38/35 new boat experiences. Simply great documentation in this thread for all present and future owners.

My purpose is similar to the type of sailing Homero is doing, i.e., SE FL Atlantic with crossings to the Bahamas and coastal cruising from Port Everglades to Biscayne Bay through the Keys and up into the Gulf of Mexico.. Anchor outs, moorings and slips, all single handed.

homerobarros · 09-03-2015, 20:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKsailsolo

Thanks to all of you guys for sharing your Oceanis 38/35 new boat experiences. Simply great documentation in this thread for all present and future owners.

My purpose is similar to the type of sailing Homero is doing, i.e., SE FL Atlantic with crossings to the Bahamas and coastal cruising from Port Everglades to Biscayne Bay through the Keys and up into the Gulf of Mexico.. Anchor outs, moorings and slips, all single handed.

Rk, when are you getting yours? We live very close and could go together to the Bahamas...

homerobarros · 09-03-2015, 20:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Finnsail

We took delivery of our 35 (hull #10) mid-February. It has the 30 hp Yanmar as well. I think the 30 hp is the standard engine for all 35s & 38s made in the U.S.. The U.S. factory options list didn't even mention 20 hp.

I believe the 20 hp is the base engine only if the boat is made in France. The 30 hp engine appears to be a 1,600 EUR upgrade there.

Do not mix engine 30 HP with sailddrive SD20...
I have the Yanmar 30 HP but the sail drive is SD 20, which forces you to haul up to change the sail drive oil... I wish it was different.
Cheers
Homero

RKsailsolo · 09-03-2015, 20:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerobarros

Rk, when are you getting yours? We live very close and could go together to the Bahamas...

Unfortunately my dream won't be realized until late 2016 as I am working overdrive to earn it now. Probably slip the boat close to Dodge Island. To start though we will be in Delray area.

Have you found any issues with your shallow draft keel? And mast height in the ICW?

Thanks!

homerobarros · 09-03-2015, 20:37

Have a look on how narrow is the canal where my boat lies. The bow trust is very tempting, because I always have wind coming from the port side.../Users/homerobarros/Desktop/IMG_0211.PNG.
My boat is the second one from left to right, pointing south.

homerobarros · 09-03-2015, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by RKsailsolo

Unfortunately my dream won't be realized until late 2016 as I am working overdrive to earn it now. Probably slip the boat close to Dodge Island. To start though we will be in Delray area.

Have you found any issues with your shallow draft keel? And mast height in the ICW?

Thanks!

My only problem so far, was the Julia Tuttle causeway near Miami. We arrived there with high tide and had to drop anchor and wait 3.5 hours to pass it, as I need 56 ft clearance...

Other than that so far so good with the shallow draft. Will test it extensively in the Bahamas in may.
Cheers
Homero

homerobarros · 09-03-2015, 20:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by mstrebe

Fantastic day sailing in San Diego today. We had consistent 12 knot winds that gave me time to really get it trimmed. Sustained 8.5 knots in 13.2 knots of wind, and touched 9.0 knots, my fasted reading ever (though the boat has done 10.3 in 25 knot winds skippered by Barrett Canfield). 9 knots in 13 is pretty damned good for a 38' boat.

Close hauled she will do 75% of true wind speed consistently, 55 degrees off the true wind (reads about 35 degrees apparent). She will pinch to 35 degrees true and still get 33% of true wind speed.

On a beam reach and aft, she falls to 50% of true wind with the stock 105% genoa and roller reefing mainsail. You'll need a spinnaker to get her going downwind when the wide stern is flat in the water.

Reefing was easy--the wind picked up to 16 knots and she starts wanting to round up, so I furled the headsail and mainsail to the first reefpoints indicated on their foots and she calmed right down, easily sustaining 7 knots in a 16 knot wind. We were able to reef entirely from the cockpit with the sails under full pressure without slowing or making any adjustments to heading. Quite fantastic compared to reefing a traditional bolt-roped or slide mainsail. Reefing is now just another sail control, and much safer than reefing my previous boat in a blow.

She's such a fantastic sailing vessel, I'm constantly amazed. Compared to the work and effort of sailing my last boat, there's almost nothing to do to get peak performance out of her.

Matt, all these speed numbers are over water or over ground?
Cheers
Homero

Finnsail · 09-03-2015, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerobarros

I have the Yanmar 30 HP but the sail drive is SD 20, which forces you to haul up to change the sail drive oil... I wish it was different.
Cheers
Homero

Yes, learning about the haul-out requirement for the sail drive oil changes was definitely not welcomed news!

During the delivery, I also learned that Beneteau requires a haul-out (and dealer inspection) after 12 months of ownership to keep the boat warranty valid. I am unclear whether another haul-out is required at the 24 month point. I'm hoping to combine the first SD20 oil change with the warranty inspection haul-out.

RKsailsolo · 10-03-2015, 05:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by homerobarros

Have a look on how narrow is the canal where my boat lies. The bow trust is very tempting, because I always have wind coming from the port side.../Users/homerobarros/Desktop/IMG_0211.PNG.
My boat is the second one from left to right, pointing south.

Yes, it does look like tight quarters and at the end of a canal. How much time to get to Pt Everglades from there? Either way looks like a great location to enjoy the 38.