Bayfield 36 vs Krogen 38

[ggromack]

Comments welcome!Looking at both boats and find to be similiar in appearance. I do like the look and the interior layouts. As a cruising boat for a couple they both appear to beabout the right fit. I am curious about sailing ability. I hear the bayfied is very slow and have no info on the krogen. Would either be consider safe for blue water?Expect to be in Caribbean most of the time and up down east coast but want capability to go across the pond.

[Vasco]

Neither will win races but for cruising they're fine. Watch out for the black iron fuel tanks in the Krogen.

[Inamorata]

Originally Posted by Vasco

Neither will win races but for cruising they're fine. Watch out for the black iron fuel tanks in the Krogen.

I'm not sure about the iron fuel tanks. I've heard that early Krogens had fiberglass tanks, but most of them have stainless steel tanks. We have a 1985 model and it's a perfect cruising boat for the US east coast and the Bahamas. Two versions were made, the shoal draft with tandem centerboards and a draft of 3'2" / 6'8" and the fixed keel at 5ft.

Here are a couple of websites with information about Krogen 38's:
Kadey Krogen 38 cutter rigged sailing yacht - A site about Elsa of Carrick Castle, Argyll, Scotland
Kadey-Krogen Yachts*******At Home On Any Sea™


Jeff

[Cheechako]

Both should be good boats. My impression is that the Krogen is heavier built. Arent they rather differnt boats though? As I remember the Krogen has high free board, flush deck style and is a voluminous big tank of a boat, the Bayfield being more of a low slung close to the water aft cockpit style.... ?

[Boberuska]

Hello all

I may be a little behind on this thread. But here's my two cents...

I went through the same process and sailed on both boats (as well as many others) before I bought my Krogen 5 years ago. The Krogen is simply a much faster boat on all points. Off the wind, it is faster still-- with the boards up, the almost "dingy" shaped hull lets the Krogen really fly, even in lighter winds.

Obviously, neither one are racers, but I keep up with a lot of boats that are. In fact, the relatively low PHRF on the Krogen really costs us in any racing we do up in New England.

Our 82 Krogen also has stainless steel tanks -- I've never seen any with iron tanks.

I agree with the Cheechako -- they are very different boats. In fact I would say there is no comparison. Nothing against the Bayfield, they are good boats compared to the whole field, but I think the fit and finish on the Krogen is in another league. The boat is HUGE below, and the athwartships berth makes it more of a home.

But the 2 main joys of the Krogen are:


1) The shallow draft. Not many (any?) boats this size can say they draw 3 feet. That opens up a lot of cruising grounds -- especially in the Bahamas. It also makes me very comfortable going into a strange harbor on a crowded weekend knowing I can always find someplace to anchor.

2) It sails FLAT. The dingy shape (similar to Josh Slocum's Spray) gives very little heel. In fact, one time on a hot summer day on Narragansett Bay I was closed hauled in 18 knots when I noticed I was being slowly being passed by a Benateau 43 that was WAY over -- 4 big gorillas were holding on for dear life, and the boat's mast was angled perilously closed to mine. OK, he was passing me, but just as he was, my young tanned female companion came out of the companionway in her bikini -- holding two frozen margaritas for us -- one in each hand. She handed me mine before waving to the gorillas, who had a hard time just letting go of the lifelines to wave back.

They made about 80 Krogens – until 1990. They are a unique boat and I think Jim Krogen would have made more of them had his partner Kadey not been killed during a botched holdup attempt outside a grocery store in 1989. The company is now known for some of the best large long distance power cruisers on the market. I still get advice from them, and they do have some drawings for a 45 foot motorsailer they would love to have me try – that’s the only way I would sell this one.

Bob

[ggromack]

Hi Bob,

Thanks very much for your comments. My wife and I love the look of the Krogen and the Bayfield but the Krogen definately has more room and a better layout. I was concerned about the displacement/ ballast ratio and how tender the boat would be but it seems not an issue. I was suprised to see that there is no Nav. center. Other than that looks like a great Caribbean cruising boat for us.

Cheers,
Greg

[Boberuska]

Greg --

Hope you find a Krogen. They really are great boats. By the way, they do actually HAVE a great nav center -- the large mirror in the aft port stateroom vanity actually folds down -- see photo -- and makes a chart table big enough for an admiralty chart. I found I never used a regular chart table in my other boats for charts because they were too small for anything but holding a laptop. You actually sit on the berth to use ours. Most people don't use the athwartships birth when at sea anyway, though I did modify mine with an extension so I have a single fore/aft sea berth next to the chart table when it is down.

Here's a couple of photos from a sister ship showing how the table operates. It's pretty cool.

[dkirby_jwa]

Newbie here, just following along. That's Nav table/ vanity mirror is way cool and BIG!