Bavaria Yachts Match 38

BoatsBavaria Yachts Match 38

See her sail

The Bavaria Yachts Match 38, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 22 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 22

CoastalBluewater

2.02 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.02

LightHeavy

165 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 165

EasygoingPowered-up

19.8 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.8

TenderStiff

31% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 31%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

Draws more than ~89% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2917 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Bavaria Yachts Match 38, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Bavaria Yachts MATCH 38 is a fractional sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by Doug Peterson and J&J Yacht Design, built by Bavaria Yachts from 2003 to 2006. It measures 11.4 meters LOA with a 3.7-meter beam and a 2.2-meter draft, displacing 6386 kg.2:56 The MATCH series, including the MATCH 42, departed from Bavaria's typical cruising designs, featuring lead keels and rod rigging. The MATCH 42, for example, achieved speeds of 11.5 knots in 21 knots of wind without a spinnaker.6:30 Deck layouts prioritize sail handling, with cockpit-mounted travelers and primary winches on the coamings.4:25 Below deck, the MATCH 42 offered a three-cabin layout with a full galley.8:00 A critical safety concern for the MATCH series involved keel structure; a 2005 failure on a MATCH 42 in Croatia led to a mandatory reinforcement retrofit.10:00 Buyers of any MATCH model should verify this structural upgrade was completed and have the keel support and hull laminate professionally inspected.10:23

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

31.3%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Fractional Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

19.8

Displacement / length

164.7

Comfort ratio

22.4

Capsize screening

2.02

Hull speed

7.8 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1464

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/spade rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Lead

Production

Years built

2003–2006

Designer

Doug Peterson, J&J Yacht Design

Builder

Bavaria Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Beneteau 3711.48 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1.4-metre draught cruiser built for shoal water, featuring a balanced 30% ballast ratio and a 3.91-metre beam

Annapolis Sailboat Show 2026 FULL Tour7:24 from Adventureman Dan

Salona 3711.29 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA triple-award-winning performance cruiser from J&J Yacht Design featuring a high ballast ratio for stiff, fast sailing

Salona 37 from SVN solovelanet

Elan Yachts 38011.34 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Rob Humphreys-designed fractional sloop built for performance with a deep 2.35m draft and a stiff, light hull

Elan 3800:47 from SVN solovelanet

X Yachts X-3711.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Niels Jeppesen-designed performance cruiser featuring a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited sailing

Winners Class C Halvor Schøyen and Rune Tønnesen – ORC Doublehanded World Championship1:32 from SEILmagasinet

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 3711.41 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA versatile charter-proven hull from 1998 that served as the foundation for multiple Jeanneau model variations

Buying a used Jeannea 37 monohull sailboat!from Sailing Doodles

Hunter Marine 37611.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA spacious cruiser featuring a B&R rig and wing keel, sharing a proven hull design with the later 380 and 386 models

Hunter 376 - The Aegean Tragedy: What Really Happened in the Newport–Ensenada Race0:47 from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Bavaria Yachts Match 42A 12.55-metre IMS competition racer with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and a deep 2.15-metre bulb keel Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 38A 12.3-metre fractional sloop with a 1.7-metre draft, offering a balanced 19.48 sail area-to-displacement ratio Bavaria Yachts Match 35A World Match Racing Tour veteran featuring a high 26.21 sail area-to-displacement ratio for competitive speed Bavaria Yachts C38A modern Cossutti-designed fractional sloop with a wide beam and high-volume hull optimized for contemporary cruising Bavaria Yachts 38 Cruiser (2008-2010)A J&J-designed fractional sloop balancing a 1.97m draft with a spacious 3.9m beam for stable coastal cruising Bavaria Yachts 39A 12-metre fractional sloop with a 2.0-metre draft and a 37.8% ballast ratio, built for stability and cruising speed

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