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Old 27-01-2018, 13:09   #1
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intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Hello community.
After lots of time reading and dreaming i decided to pull the trigger and get my first boat.
I am actually living in Greece and it's where i will mostly navigate and spend lot of time live aboard with wife and 12 yo kid.
Made lot of research to shortlist the boat that would fit my needs and my pocketand actually came down to these 2 options:
- Bavaria 38 (1997) 1997 Bavaria 38 Holiday Vela Barca in vendita - www.yachtworld.it
- Dufour 35 1996 Dufour 35 Classic Vela Barca in vendita - www.yachtworld.it

I know pictures don't tell much, but maybe an experienced eye might be able to suggest something. What do you think about these 2 vessels? Which one you would suggest and why?
I like both of them but saw only a Bavaria live (not the one of the ad) but never a dufour: how would they compare in terms of quality and finish?
Thanx for reading and answering.
Cheers
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Old 27-01-2018, 14:45   #2
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Howdy and Welcome Aboard CF!

I took a quick look at both boats.

What follows is a brief opinion, so take it with a splash of salt water. I have not been on either boat.

For a live-aboard cruising boat I would choose a boat with more storage, and less berths. So I would not select a boat with two aft cabins, not with two heads, in this size, given a couple with one child will be the crew.

I would prefer one head, one aft cabin, two six foot or longer settees in saloon, and a large lazarette storage, cockpit lockers, and more galley storage.
_______

Good luck on your decision.
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Old 27-01-2018, 15:16   #3
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Can't see much wrong from the photos or description, but I would query why the Bav 38 has a new fake deck. Did the owner have the original teak deck removed because it was worn out? if so okay but if they recently just added it I would be suspicious if it was covering something.

Both yachts look clean but be aware they are probably both ex charter boats.

Pete
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Old 27-01-2018, 15:25   #4
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

This is the type of layout I wood prefer for liveaboard, couple with one child.

This boat is in Spain and comparable in price to your two boats.

1991 Feeling 10,90 Sail Boat For Sale - www.yachtworld.com
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Old 27-01-2018, 17:00   #5
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

You may want to have a look at a boat that I am selling in Greece, at a price that has just been reduced further:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ce-196084.html

Somewhat shorter and somewhat older than your candidates, but internally very roomy with a good layout, and in very good condition.

Lower marina fees too, and never chartered!
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Old 28-01-2018, 00:39   #6
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Quote:
Originally Posted by Steady Hand View Post
Howdy and Welcome Aboard CF!

I took a quick look at both boats.

What follows is a brief opinion, so take it with a splash of salt water. I have not been on either boat.

For a live-aboard cruising boat I would choose a boat with more storage, and less berths. So I would not select a boat with two aft cabins, not with two heads, in this size, given a couple with one child will be the crew.

I would prefer one head, one aft cabin, two six foot or longer settees in saloon, and a large lazarette storage, cockpit lockers, and more galley storage.
_______

Good luck on your decision.
Hi Steady and thanx for the suggestion (and the tips ).
I will have a look for boats as you described, but looks like the great majority are 3 berths.
As for my live-aboard, in my description there is an "a lot" that should not be there: our live-aboard would only be during the summer time, so consider 3/4 months, so that might facilitate things with the layout of the linked boats? From another point of view i like to have a "spare" berth eventually for friends or parents......have to think about this one.
Cheers
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Old 28-01-2018, 00:42   #7
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete7 View Post
Can't see much wrong from the photos or description, but I would query why the Bav 38 has a new fake deck. Did the owner have the original teak deck removed because it was worn out? if so okay but if they recently just added it I would be suspicious if it was covering something.

Both yachts look clean but be aware they are probably both ex charter boats.

Pete
Hi Pete, thank you for chiming in. I am waiting for an answer by the bav broker, meanwhile received answer from the one of the dufour and the boat actually belongs since years to the same owner and do not charter it.
Will ask about the fake deck.
Cheers
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Old 28-01-2018, 00:44   #8
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yowieboy View Post
You may want to have a look at a boat that I am selling in Greece, at a price that has just been reduced further:

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ce-196084.html

Somewhat shorter and somewhat older than your candidates, but internally very roomy with a good layout, and in very good condition.

Lower marina fees too, and never chartered!
Thank you Yowieboy, will take into consideration your boat.
All the best.
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Old 28-01-2018, 02:15   #9
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Riki.
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Old 28-01-2018, 10:20   #10
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Bavaria, pluses 15,000 displacement, windlass, minuses - unknown quality of replacement deck, 1500 engine hrs

Dufour, 9,000 displacement, 09 electronics, replacement fuel tank( how much havoc did this cause and has capacity been reduced?) vat not paid, don't know about the B38.

LOA is mostly meaningless in boat size. Its the mass, weight that is the true size.
The Bavaria is 50% larger than the D35.

Happy sailing
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Old 28-01-2018, 13:57   #11
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

We have owned a 1998 Dufour 35 Classic in Sydney Australia for more than 10 years. Mostly used around Sydney with occasional trips up the coast.
Ours is the 2 cabin version, with a huge lazzarette starboard side.
The boat was ex charter, with holding tanks and additional safety gear and we are very happy with it. Easy to sail, all lines back to the cockpit, does not have the tall rig or deeper keel which were options.
We have had few issues with the boat and are very happy with it.
As always, a few extra feet of length would be appreciated, the forward berth is just big enough for my 180cm, but too small for two persons - and the after berth has severely limited headroom, the best place to sleep is in the saloon.
Overall we are VERY happy with our little Dufour, and most owners whom we have met share our views.
RW
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Old 30-01-2018, 09:16   #12
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Great thanx to all these useful suggestions and info.
That said, big confusion here, hope to have a better idea when next weekend will see the bavaria and start sorting out......
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Old 30-01-2018, 10:04   #13
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

We have a year 2000 Bavaria 38 Holiday, and would highly recommend.

Lots of space, 3 double cabins, 2 heads and a nice sit around saloon table with linear galley. Sailing performance is also good, and much better than most non Bavaria owners claim. We also have a Jeaneau Sun Odyssey 32 in UK, and Bavaria sails a bit faster! We did South of France to Corsica last May, 140 miles and averaged over 7 knots, including overnight where we had to motor for some hours at 6 knots.

Our Bavaria is in Sardinia
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Old 08-02-2018, 03:11   #14
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

I'm seriously looking at a Bavaria 37 at the moment. It has the 3 cabin layout which I prefer for my purposes - I'll be living on board full time and want the extra cabin for storage of items that I know I'll want on a daily basis but want to be more secure and dry than might be the case in a lazarette accessed from the cockpit. I decided I can live with the smaller head - and decided that unless you would be regularly cruising with multiple families on board, a second head was really unnecessary.

I'm very pleasantly surprised by the clear headroom throughout the main saloon (mind you, I'm only 5ft 7!) but my son (who's almost 6ft) said that it didn't feel claustrophobic.

For what it's worth, I think the 3 cabin layout offers far more options for having friends along and/or storage than a 2 cabin version of the same boat.
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Old 25-04-2018, 04:08   #15
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Re: intro and suggestion request bavaria 38 vs dufour 35

Riki, Did not see outcome of your search and was curious. If you are still searching, following offered.
VAT is a non-trivial issue. Most charter boats avoid this on a business technicality. You can't. Make sure to understand this up front.
For a more valid comparison, maybe have a look at Dufour 385 Grand Large. We bought one (in Greece) last July and are super-pleased with it.
If the boat is ex-charter, do not even hesitate to have a surveyor look at it. If it is in the water, pay to have it hauled out. Seriously. Charter boats make no money being fixed. So when something breaks, urgency overcomes safety or reliability. You can find some real electrical rat nests, for example.
Flagging is a mess. Broker may be able to guide you, but there are lots of choices. We thought we could do UK Small Ship Register, but failed the residency requirement. Also, see if your insurer has a preference.
Luck!
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