New Beneteau 38

[cymeyer]

Just curious if anyone saw the new Beneteau 38 at the Annapolis Sailboat Show.

Interesting concept on the interior with an option for a removable bulkhead to open up the front V-berth.

Nice dual helms.

Liked the bridge (not sure what you call it) over the cockpit for the traveler and lights (similar to what Hunter has had for years).

Seemed very wide and much larger looking than the current 37.

Boat was made in France and the production will start soon in SC.

What did everyone think?

 

[TAK]

We saw the video of it at the Beneteau party Thursday evening. It looks like a nice design, but the wide camera lens tends to make the boats look bigger. Hope to get to the show Monday when the sun comes out.

PaulJ
S/V Summerhaven
B381 (1999)

 

[zoya]

I like it a lot, although the slew of options available when ordering a boat are mind boggling, it's nice to have these kind of layout choices beside the classic 2/3 cabins and/or 1/2 heads. I thought the sequence in the video with the cute lady walking in with her Beneteau Longchamps rolling suitcase (they designed special luggage for the B38, don't know if they come as standard equipment) and hanging it to the special hook on the day sailer version is a bit too much. I like the new interior and colors but that is more in line with Euro taste than classic American taste. Lastly, I own a B41 and the B38 at the show (daysailer version) felt as big if not bigger than my boat. There is much to say about the loft concept in the daysailer. I also like the thinner and manually operated transom, after less than a year, I am already having issues with the B41 motorized and heavier transom. A beneteau guy mentioned that a smaller brother of the B38 is on its way so, probably a 35 with twin helm to replace the Oceanis 34, such as Jeanneau with their upcoming Sun Odyssey 339. Twin helm it is....

 

[cymeyer]

I like it a lot, although the slew of options available when ordering a boat are mind boggling, it's nice to have these kind of layout choices beside the classic 2/3 cabins and/or 1/2 heads. I thought the sequence in the video with the cute lady walking in with her Beneteau Longchamps rolling suitcase (they designed special luggage for the B38, don't know if they come as standard equipment) and hanging it to the special hook on the day sailer version is a bit too much. I like the new interior and colors but that is more in line with Euro taste than classic American taste. Lastly, I own a B41 and the B38 at the show (daysailer version) felt as big if not bigger than my boat. There is much to say about the loft concept in the daysailer. I also like the thinner and manually operated transom, after less than a year, I am already having issues with the B41 motorized and heavier transom. A beneteau guy mentioned that a smaller brother of the B38 is on its way so, probably a 35 with twin helm to replace the Oceanis 34, such as Jeanneau with their upcoming Sun Odyssey 339. Twin helm it is....

Thanks for the update on new boats coming. Always hard to think about buying one of the new boats before some of the kinks are gone, but maybe that is not something to worry about.

I think the fancy luggage is an option from what one of the sales people told us at the show.

I also thought the boat at the show (the only one in America right now) is the fully equipped cruiser, not the day sailer. The day sailer does not have a galley but can be added later. Not sure why someone would want a 38 foot without a galley unless they are racing?