Beneteau 38 Sailboat – A High-Performing Boat

Beneteau Oceanis 38 is a 38-foot performance cruiser that shares much of the good angular looks with the rest of the Oceanis series. But its interior design breaks new ground and presents a living space like no other. The Oceanis 38’s construction is simply one-of-a-kind. From the hard chines (flowing from well forward to aft) to the considerable beam and twin wheels through to the fiberglass arch laid over the companionway, the vessel’s physical appearance is adorable, to say the least.

Beneteau 38 Sailboat is the epitome of comfort, luxury, and unique cruising at sea. So any money spent on chartering the vessel would be worth it in the long run. But do you know what to expect in the boat in terms of exterior & exterior design, onboard amenities, and overall performance? Let’s find out!

Accommodation

The Beneteau 38 comes with 2 to 3 cabins that can house up to 6 guests, quite comfortably. There’s one head in the two cabin layout with the extra space from aft to board utilized as a stand-up shower. It’s a sizable room that can serve as a storage area or wet locker.

With the 3-cabin layout, the shower is in a small compartment, towards the port, otherwise appointed a hanging locker. There are Queen Size beds in these cabins, something that makes sleeping both comfortable and relaxing. All the cabins’ interior comes with a 6ft 5-inch headroom and includes a removable forward bulkhead.

Interior

Beneteau 38’s interior is not only appealing but also highly configurable, allowing you to organize the interior spaces and the woodwork ambiances to suit your needs. The boat simply offers three options when it comes to re-organizing life on board the boat: the Daysailer, the Weekender, and the Cruise.

The Daysailer does away with the interior bulkheads, leaving space for a single room. This arrangement also proffers more aft space for storage and an open cockpit. The weekender version, on the other hand, offers a sophisticated yet appealing choice of layout. It includes open or closed cabins, an in-line galley (with fridge, 2-burner stove, and oven), a separate shower, helmsman’s seats, an extra inside/outside table, and more.

The Cruiser option of the Oceanic 38 features a large galley facing the saloon plus a bathroom with a separate shower. You also have the option of choosing between 2 or 3 fitted cabins. In this layout, the bulkhead can be taken off from the fore cabin to restore that lost feeling.

Exterior

The boat comes with twin helms opening up in the middle of the cockpit. There’s also convenient access from the companionway going all the way aft, where the vessel’s hinged transom connects to the swim platform. Oceanis 38 comes with side decks that are fitted with handholds, making the process of maneuvering around safe and easy.

The Cruiser and Weekender versions usually come with a mainsheet arch placed over the cockpit together with a drop-leaf cockpit table. This sets up a perfect spot for entertainment, especially if you’re much into sundowners.

Ocean 38 boasts of a Z-Spars deck-stepped mast that lies aft and is placed right at the center of the keel. This creates a slightly larger fore-triangle which ensures more sailing power. A larger part of the deck hardware, including the primary and cabin top winches, is made of Harken. And when it comes to navigation equipment, it is an all-B&G affair.

Entertainment

There’s never a dull moment aboard the Oceanis 38, all thanks to the saloon Stereo and LCD TV, cockpit loudspeakers, CD and DVD players, and internet Wi-Fi. With all these entertainment equipment and facilities, you can enjoy listening to soothing music, watching your favorite movies on TV, or surfing the internet, after a rather exciting day at sea.


Performance

Under sail, Beneteau can hit up to 3.8 knots when the wind blows at a steady speed of 7 knots. And with a displacement of just under 15,000 lbs, picking up its skirts and moving forward isn’t a big deal. If you can be lucky enough to come across strong winds to blow through the jib and make the mainsail batten, powering the vessel will be quite effortless and the sailing experience joyous.

When cruising under power, you can enjoy both stability and swiftness as you move along. With a 30 hp Yanmar saildrive engine, Oceanis 38 can comfortably cruise at 7.1 knots or so at 2,700 rpm. The boat’s twin rudders are also well positioned, so backing straight and turning are both swift and precise.

Where Does Beneteau 38 Sail?

The 38 is fit to sail literally anywhere in the world. But for this specific vessel, you’ll find it in the Bahamas, Florida, and Cuba, both in winter and summer. The preferred pick-up point for the boat is Miami Beach.

Sailing in the Abacos

Why Charter Beneteau Oceanis 38?

The Oceanis 38 is, first and foremost, a sailboat which means you have the option of sailing the traditional way or cruising at relatively high speed in a modern fashion.

Another exciting feature about this boat is that its interior can be customized greatly to suit your travel needs i.e. erect bulkheads to partition the sleeping space for you and the kids or get rid of the bulkheads to create more space for you and your partner.

Just like any other modern sailboat out there, the 38 proffers numerous opportunities to explore the numerous dreamy coastlines, the seemingly endless waters, and the countless adventures that come with them. So chartering this vessel sets you up for a fun, relaxing, and memorable holiday to your coveted islands.


Conclusion

This is much there’s to know about Beneteau 38. As you’ve seen, its exterior is gorgeous, its interior highly changeable and engrossing while its performance is top-notch. So if you’ve been scouting for a good sailboat to charter for your upcoming holiday vacation, either solo or with family or friends, this would be a recommendation for you.

 


Specifications

  • Type: Sail
  • Beam: 13.1 Feet
  • Draft: 6.10 Feet
  • year built: 2017
  • Builder: Beneteau
 

 

Have you already sailed the Beneteau 38? If so, you are welcome to share your experience in the comments below.

18 thoughts on “Beneteau 38 Sailboat – A High-Performing Boat”

  1. this is a lovely post and i must commend your efforts for putting this insightful post together. I AM just getting to know about beneteau 38 saliboat but i must tell you this article makes me go wow. 

    The exterior and interior is just likr a six star hotel. i call this home away from home

    I will i can just step into this type of boat and cruise the sea someday

    Reply
  2. The Beneteau 38 seems perfect for me. I am a short drive from Miami beach, so perfect. I am wondering, do we bring our own food along and do our own cooking or is that part of the package? I don’t mind, just need to be prepared. Also, how long of trips do they go on?

    Reply
    • Hi Matts,
      The Beneteau 38 can be rented with or without a skipper. You will have to provision your boat and do your own cooking, and if you hire a skipper, you will have to pay for his meals and beverages. The trip starts on Saturday and ends the following Saturday unless you prolonge your trip.
      I hope it helped.
      Please, don’t hesitate to contact me with any question, I am always happy to assist!
      Thank you for the comment and wish you a lovely day!

      Reply
  3. Daniella

    The Beneteau looks absolutely wonderful, inside and out. I love the changeable interior. We like to go sailing by ourselves sometimes, not always with our usual group of 5. Heading out to the Bahamas for our anniversary soon. Thank you so much for your help on deciding what type of boat to take.

    Reply
    • Hi Kari,

      Awesome, I am glad you find a boat that you like:) I am sure you’ll enjoy your time on the water. Please, let me know if you need any help. I am always happy to assist.

      Thank you for the comment and wish you a nice day.

      Reply
  4. Awesome article Daniella. And, you have given a comprehensive yet insightful coverage of this wonderful Yacht. 

    I’m amazed to see it’s beautiful interior. It’s always been my dream to cruise in Yatch. Through your article, I’m virtually able to cruise the sea. Feeling awesome. Looking forward to sailing in real very soon:)

    You seem very much experienced. What is your opinion for making holiday plan, which city is best to head towards sailing in this Yacht?

    Thanks for sharing this refreshing article. Looking forward for more of such.

    Cheers:)

    Akshay

    Reply
    • Hi Akshay,

      Effectively, the Beneteau 38 is a great boat.

      As it is written in the article, this boat sails in the Bahamas, Florida, and Cuba.

      I hope it helped. Please, don’t hesitate to contact me with any question. I’ll be more than happy to assist.

      Thank you for the comment and wish you a lovely day.!

      Reply
  5. What a beautiful boat, the interior is nicer than any hotel I’ve ever stayed in. I absolutely love the ocean but I live in Ohio. My husband and I have always taken our vacations at one type of beach or another. We’ve never been able to go out on the open water though. Mostly do to lack of funds, but I’ve always been quite content just breathing in that ocean air. 

    My husband has always wanted to go sailing. Maybe after he finishes college we will actually have the chance to do so. I’m going to bookmark your website, that way I will have it for then. Have a good day. 

    Reply
    • Hi Tfousle,

      Ohio is a beautiful place, it’s on my bucket list:)

      Thank you for comment and for the bookmark!

      I which you to sail very soon!

      Reply
  6. This is a great review about Beneteau 38 Sailboat. I am so impressing and very much interested. What a luxurious and comfortable it is. highly decorated accommodation, interior, exterior, and others. But my one query”How much guiding experience does your least experienced guide have?” I hope that Beneteau 38 Sailboat will my next trip boat. Thanks for the boat review.

    Reply
    • Hi Jafor,

      Indeed the Beneteau 38 is a beautiful and comfortable boat. If you want to know how easy is it to sail the Beneteau 38, then I can tell you that it is very simple and convenient. Let me know if you need any help. I’ll be more than happy to assist. Thank you for the comment and wish you all the best!

      Reply
  7. It is very much expected to take this experience but I have the interest to know this because of my experience, What are the advantages If some reason I get sick?  Privided internet maximum speed. Some boats have a slow internal vibration with speed velocity which is a boring Do you have such problems? Other facilities were good enough for me.

    Reply
    • Hi there,

      There are no advantages to getting sick, but if it happens, you can do something about it. For instance, you can use natural remedies, such as ginger, lemon to name a few. If you prefer, you can use pills or wear a wristband, it really helps. As for the internet connection, it depends on the boat, some provides excellent Wifi connection while others not so much.

      I hope it helped. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with any question. I’ll be more than happy to help.

      Thank you for the comment and wish you a lovely day.

      Reply
  8. Thank you for sharing The Beneteau 38. I would choose Cruise because I like the brightness of it, and you can config it to be a little spacey You said they can all be customizable. I thought all small vessels that size was custom made. Goes to show you how much I know about boats. it has been over 20 years the last time I was on the water. I have to look then, just for the fun. They put in a good entertainment system to keep the party going. and you took some great photo of the inside. You describe the Beneteau 38 just like a (sailormen).

    Reply
    • Hi Simmons,

      You are welcome!

      Yes, the Beneteau comes in three different versions, so you have the choice. I am glad you enjoyed the reading!

      Please, don’t hesitate to contact me with any question. I’ll be more than happy to assist.

      Thank you for the comment and wish you a nice day.

      Reply
  9. I have sailed many boats in the Oceanis line from 32′ to 42′. All have been easy to sail, well appointed and comfortable with many ergonomic features. They also have nice lines among the modern designs. Surprisingly, the performance among these cruisers has varied quite a bit, owing to a big difference in sail plan depending on the overall length and model year. A 40ft 2008 could barely get out of its own way under sail in any wind under 10kt. The SA/D for that boat was around 16 (under powered). By comparison, I just returned from the BVI where we chartered a late-model, 42ft Oceanis that had an SA/D of 20. She performed very well, hitting 8.8kt SOG in a squall. She pointed very well. For awhile, it seemed like Beneteau was targeting families and others who prioritized comfort over performance, as all the boats in this line had small sail area relative to displacement, but my recent, BVI experience caused me to reconsider that POV. The SA/D of 20 provided plenty of performance, which combined nicely with comfort and good looks.

    Reply
    • Hi Richard,

      Good to know, thank you for your kind and useful comment! It will certainly help a lot of sailors:)
      To be honest, I’ve chartered mainly catamarans so far and the crew was taking care of the navigation. I am not really into technical stuff:)

      Anyway, the BVI is beautiful, you must have had a good time there.

      Thank you again for the comment and wish you a lovely day!

      Reply

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