Beneteau Oceanis 38: One boat, three possible destinations

You could almost have guessed it: Beneteau hasn't presented anything new in the small and medium-sized yacht segment for a long time. The Oceanis 37 was launched in 2007, the Oceanis 34 in 2008 - that was years ago. It is therefore not unlikely that the world market leader would soon become active again in these particularly important market segments. Now Beneteau is dropping the bombshell.

Presented to dealers yesterday, Beneteau sent the first drawings and information on the new Oceanis 38 to the press today. The special feature: thanks to customisable modules for the interior, the boat can be built entirely according to the customer's wishes. Three different basic variants will be available:

Oceanis 38 as a daysailer

There is no separate forecastle. The main bulkhead is reduced to a strong frame. This creates an open, loft-like impression of space. The sofas are generously proportioned and can also be used as berths, but the galley and navigation are functionally reduced to an absolute minimum, and the wet room only just fulfils the most essential requirements. The aft deck remains empty. There are large lockers that can be accessed from the inside.

Océanis 38 as a weekender

The foredeck also remains open in this version. However, the kitchenette is now more spacious and is supplemented with a hob and oven. A saloon table is also provided. And a shower compartment can be added to the wet room on request. For the Weekender version, the aft storage compartments can also be converted into cabins.

Oceanis 38 as a cruiser

Continuing the Oceanis tradition, the 38 is of course also available in a conventional touring version. In this case, the foredeck is partitioned off with a continuous bulkhead. In this version, either two identical cabins or a larger cabin with a transverse berth can be installed aft. The galley, navigation and wet room are more spacious and a shower is standard.

What's more, thanks to the modular expansion stages, the ship areas can also be customised. For example, it is possible to order the cruiser version with an open foredeck or the daysailer version with an additional shower compartment and so on.

The exterior is also exciting. Like all the larger sisters in the Oceanis series, the 38 also has a tarpaulin bracket above the cockpit. The advantage of this is that the mainsheet is out of the way and there are good trimming options for the mainsail. In addition, there are the trends of the current cruising generation: large, folding bathing platform, two steering wheels, double rudder blades and large hull windows for plenty of light below deck. The chines (chine edges) that run almost all the way to the bow are striking. They ensure greater stability, stiff sailing characteristics and more space inside, especially in the aft cabins. What's more, the 38 can be equipped with the "Dock & Go" manoeuvring assistance system on request.

The Oceanis 38 will be presented as a world premiere at the trade fair in Cannes (10 to 15 September) and can also be seen later at the trade fairs in Hamburg and Düsseldorf. However, Beneteau has not yet finalised the base price and the package prices for the expansion stages.