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Bavaria Holiday 38
Designer: J&J Design  ·  Builder: Bavaria  ·  First built: 1997
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About the Bavaria Holiday 38

Introduced in 1997, this German-built cruiser from J&J Design represents Bavaria's commitment to creating spacious, comfortable sailing yachts for coastal and moderate offshore adventures. At just under 40 feet overall, the Holiday 38 offers an appealing blend of performance and livability that has made it popular among European cruising sailors. The boat's fin keel and spade rudder configuration provides responsive handling, while the fractional sloop rig delivers versatile sailing characteristics suitable for both relaxed coastal cruising and more spirited passages. With a moderate displacement of 16,094 pounds and healthy ballast ratio, the Holiday 38 strikes a good balance between stability and performance. The comfort ratio of 24.21 indicates a motion that's quite comfortable for extended cruising, while the capsize screening value of 1.99 suggests reasonable offshore capability for experienced crews. Bavaria's reputation for maximizing interior volume is evident in this design, with the 12.53-foot beam providing generous accommodations below. The fiberglass construction follows Bavaria's established standards for durability and value. While not a speed demon, the Holiday 38's hull speed of 7.79 knots and moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio make it a capable passage-maker for crews prioritizing comfort and seaworthiness over racing performance.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 39.30 ft / 11.98 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 33.79 ft / 10.30 m
Beam 12.53 ft / 3.82 m
Max Draft 6.07 ft / 1.85 m
Displacement 16,094.00 lb / 7,300 kg
Ballast 5,512.00 lb / 2,500 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 661.00 ft² / 61.41 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer J&J Design
Builder Bavaria
First Built 1997
Related Sailboats ["Oceanis 390 Beneteau" · "Dufour 39 Cc" · "Bavaria 390" · "Oceanis 393 Beneteau" · "First 407 Beneteau"]
Owner Reviews

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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 16.65
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 34.25
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 186.23
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 24.21
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.99
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.79 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 2.83
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 1,512.81 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 16.65
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 43.50 ft / 13.26 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 14.67 ft / 4.47 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 45.82 ft / 13.97 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.92 ft / 4.55 m
SA Fore 319.07 ft² / 29.64 m²
SA Main 341.82 ft² / 31.76 m²
SA Total (100%) 660.89 ft² / 61.40 m²
Est. Forestay Length 45.91 ft / 13.99 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Make Volvo
Engine Model MD2030
Engine Type Diesel
Fuel Capacity 40 gals / 151 L
Water Capacity 40 gals / 151 L
How It Compares

vs. Bavaria 390, Dufour 39 Cc, Oceanis 393 Beneteau

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
39.3 ft
Bavaria 390
39.4 ft
Dufour 39 Cc
39.3 ft
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
39.4 ft
LWL
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
33.8 ft
Bavaria 390
34.1 ft
Dufour 39 Cc
31.8 ft
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
33.1 ft
Beam
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
12.5 ft
Bavaria 390
13.1 ft
Dufour 39 Cc
12.6 ft
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
13.1 ft
Displacement
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
16 lbs
Bavaria 390
17 lbs
Dufour 39 Cc
15 lbs
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
17 lbs
Ballast
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
5 lbs
Bavaria 390
6 lbs
Dufour 39 Cc
4 lbs
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
6 lbs
Sail Area
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
661 sq ft
Bavaria 390
720 sq ft
Dufour 39 Cc
—
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
720 sq ft
Performance
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
16.7
Bavaria 390
17.0
Dufour 39 Cc
—
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
17.3
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
34.3 %
Bavaria 390
36.3 %
Dufour 39 Cc
29.0 %
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
35.3 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
24.2
Bavaria 390
24.6
Dufour 39 Cc
—
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
—
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
1.99
Bavaria 390
2.02
Dufour 39 Cc
—
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
—
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
186
Bavaria 390
198
Dufour 39 Cc
217
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
210
Hull Speed
Bavaria Holiday 38 ★
7.8 kts
Bavaria 390
7.8 kts
Dufour 39 Cc
—
Oceanis 393 Beneteau
—
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