If it works for you that is all that matters. The internet said my Catalina 42 would never be able to cross an ocean without sinking. It has made it around the world twice and is still afloat and in good shape. As a bonus it is nice to get there so much faster in a modern yacht then an old heavy slow one. I think most of the folks that talk trash about brands of boats never leave the marina themselves. Great job on all the videos, please keep them coming.
Thank you so much for watching, and for the kind words about the videos! I appreciate the feedback about Catalina 42, and I agree that if it works for you, it will work! I am also blown away by strong statements about my yacht, it's never about the real issues but rumors and repeating miss information. As a full-time sailor with a specific brand its quite fascinating to see. Wish you all the best for the next year!
This is what I have learned over the years of sailing: I have NEVER received bad comments about my boat from other sailors in real life. I sail a modern fat ass boat similar to Be Free, but manufactured here in Finland. Not once have anyone told I can’t go out in bad weather or cross an ocean. When I discuss sailing with other sailors, the only thing they are usually interested in is what is how fast the boat is or am I generally happy with my purchase. That’s it.
Everybody should use the boat he is happy with and feels safe on. I have certain expectation of my boat, but that doesn’t mean only my boat is the right one. For ocean crossing I would personally not go with a fin keel. Full keel might be slower, but sailors have happily for decades sailed with full keels. Sometimes I read comments of slow full keel sailboat, but aren’t all sailboats slow. The few knots speed difference isn’t really that substantial especially at bad weather the full keel will run rounds around the fin keel boats. Anyway each sailboat has it’s pros and it’s cons. And at the end the only thing that is important is to arrive safe at your destination and enjoy the journey.
Hi Thomas Thanks for the forensic assessment of your Bavaria. I was previously not enamoured with Bavaria, however this was mostly down to fit out and use of interior space on the 40-45 models - whereas I love your 55. While a cat may be optimal in many ways - if one’s budget stretches to the right build - for my money, your 55 ticks all the boxes. It has been great to watch its performance and attributes throughout your videos - and even better to get insights like this episode. The trade offs on maintenance for smaller hulls seem to be far outweighed by the utility and benefits of the 55 (subject to individual preferences). I’m very much leaning towards a larger hull now. Anyway, thanks again and Merry Christmas! Cheers Mike
From the Bruce Farr design line (which has much less beam aft) Bavaria discontinued the Cruiser 55 in 2014 and came up with the 56 (with dinghy garage) but gave up that design in 2016. The Farr Cruiser 50/51 was also discontinued which leaves the Cruiser line with the Farr design 46 only, still in production as of today (most popular charter yacht atm). Everything else changed into Cosutti design C-line with the hard chines and beamy stern. They gave the Cruiser 46 an interior and exterior new design in 2014 by switching from BMW Designworks to Design Unlimited from the UK. Those guys changed a lot of things to the better and that‘s why the 46 is still running so well as the largest remaining yacht of the Cruiser line. All Cosutti C models are a different ballgame when we talk about modern Bavarias. Just my 2 cents.
This was an excellent episode. Thanks, Thomas, for sharing your experience with us without glorifying the sailing lifestyle and only discussing the sunset and beautiful anchorages. Cheers.
Every boat is going to have its pros and cons. At the end of the day any boat that is going to allow you to live your dream safely is a good boat! Great to see an honest review and highlight some of the things to look out for when buying.
I wonder, what mass production item (yacht, car, plane) has no room for improvement. So, a honest review like this is very helpful, not only for a Bavaria-owner, but for all of us, to get the best and safest yacht possible. Thanks for the insight.
Great descriptive video. I do t watch a lot of YT sailors because of the points you mention about experience but appreciate your honesty & non click bait way of describing your experiences. Thanks Thomas.
Another honest show with just the facts keep up the good work I am so sick of the baloney on web sites . Some sound like the last time there were near a boat was the bath tub
Well done. I see some complaints in common with my Hanse 455. I have heard from many people the same stupid/uninformed comments about my production boat. Everything is a compromise when you buy a yacht, even complete custom yacht unless you have unlimited budget. I do wish I had bought a bigger yacht so I could have the tender garage but it was the best compromise buying second hand and this 455 had all the after market things already installed in a very professional way by a former submarine commander. (lots of solar and lots of battery so I can avoid using my Panda much, water maker, etcetera). Godt nytt år og trygge reiser.
2:27 I was expecting the theme to Gilligan's Island to play. Grin Thanks for this great video. I guess it's like houses and cars, there's always some things that we would do different with experience and that builders do because they are thinking of costs. It's great how you have such experience and expertise to be able to make Be Free a better yacht for your use. Merry Christmas Thomas, and hoping for a happy. Safe, and adventure filled New Year for you.
I know a lot of people are down on Hunters too but I see them everywhere and I have enjoyed sailing the ones I've been on. Every boat has their quirks and most all can be upgraded as needed to suit your needs. Just gotta start with a good base boat.
As someone who's trying to get into sailing, I really enjoy these kind of videos. Very informative and drawing from first hand experience is always important! Thanks a lot for what you do 😊
Some Folks spend their whole Life planning an Adventure. Some just Do It! Well done and thank you for your always Honest Views. Be well.
Місяць тому+2
I’ve had a Bavaria 44 for for 13 years and price/value was absolutely ok. I would have sailed with her across an ocean, but decided to upgrade to a Belize 43 now. Love your factual account.
Hey Thomas, you get my vote and thanks for honesty. You can make any boat a bad boat without knowledge and skill, something you have both of. I've been at sea since I left school and did my captains ticket in 1998. I think what you try to put across is great and not even in your mother tounge!!!! Keep putting it out there. Best wishes. John
I have a 2002 Jeanneau Sun odyssey 40. People are surprised how stiff and how nice it sails when they get on board. But having a boat for almost 6 years now around the marina (including myself) The boats rarely move which is why I take comments with a pinch of salt and have become a custom with the "arm chair sailing expert". I do want to sail more but family commitments and wanting to upgrade the boat with solar arch, new radar lithium and so on. I have a couple of friends who have the Bavaria 36 and they are happy with them my marina is in the Bristol Channel :-)
Really enjoy the content, I’m a newbie and digging through all the biased tubers content when they have limited experience is difficult. Love your experience and sharing of information. Thanks
I own a Farr 32 cruiser from 2009 and I totally agree with your observations, from my point of view the hull and basics are well built for this series, heavier and stronger than other production boats of similar size and style, but there is a lot to do to bring the short cuts up to a decent standard. My swim platform is also too close to the water line and interior is basic, but I'm fine with that because she is strong but still sails well for a production fat cruiser. Also I agree with your point around most equipment failures being lewmar, jabsco etc ... I am having the same experience.
Hope you had a lovely Christmas, Thomas. That was a really good appraisal of your yacht, good and bad. She has, I think proven herself! Bavaria have nothing to complain about; the oposite is true.
Excellent unbiased review of not only the Be Free, but aspects of mass production Bavarias. They are more capable than their reputation, as long as you understand their limitations vs 3X pricier options. BR from J&J Bavaria40 in based in Finland, sailing in Baltic.
Excellent review. Sometimes on my BenOc40 I cannot believe the designer was ever on a boat. Lots of great innovation and then somethings which were never going to work.
Hy, very honest and open description of "problems" . I think that BAV deliverd normally a solid quality in the basic construction. What means that you are getting a solid value for the money you spend. We made the same expirience that mostly the technic in the boat is failing . We are sailing only the Baltic Sea, every year for 3 to 4 month and once we crossed the Atlantic with th ARC. Since 2012 we are sailing a MALÖ 40, and even this boat is not trouble free.... Best regards Bernd SY TRULLA
Great comprehensive review of Be Free. Thomas, as genius as you are, you could build a slotted drain platforn in your chain locker for a small amount of money. Maybe it's on the to do list? I hope you had a Merry Christmas. 🎅 Thanks for sharing.
I like it a LOT , Be Direct , Be Blunt , & Name Thou's who put out Faust Statements & lnfo....There's plenty to choose from...ln Australia we use them to show how NOT to do things , afternoon entertainment...sport if will....keep up the good work , cheers👍😊
What a beautiful boat you have! I appreciate your honesty and impartial overview of the good and bad. Merry Christmas! Maybe some day we will meet up in a beautiful exotic place and share a beer!😍
Takk!. for en herlig video Thomas 😊 den satt som ett skudd nå i romjula 👍 en sårt tiltrengt motvekt etter overdose bjellklang og ribbefett😅 Ønsker deg en fortsatt God Jul og godt nytt år 🎉🎉🎉
The fact that you’re still using a Mac to edit videos on a yacht in the middle of nowhere is next-level impressive. 🙌 Solar power, backup storage, and creativity-this is the life!
Thomas, i appreciate your episodes and your opinions even if some i may disagree with. Your a great guy and hope to meet some day in the future. Jim Rodgers
A good and honest critique based on first-hand experience, Thomas. Thank you. My mother is in Bali on her Bavaria 42 Cruiser btw! Happy 2025, my friend.
Nice topic, rarely visited by an independent yet very experienced sailor. Thanks every boat has its good points and point of improvements. It does not matter if your boat is custom build or production. I picked up a simple tip I liked that is magnet door stoppers. Chain and nylon anchor line i agree with supersizing the all. In my case mine are over speck once under heavy stressed by violent weather they don't seem overly strong. Thanks for your effort though I don' t have a production boat or a Bavaria, but a custom build aluminum mast head cutter. Still I found a number of tips and observations applicable to my boatl. SV Skoiern IV
Amazed you can sail a 55' sailing yacht solo. Be nice to learn about your rigging and of any automation that you use to manage. Thanks for all the videos
Great video...transparent and fair assessment. As you say, a lot of cost cutting on relatively minor stuff that can be sorted overtime with $'s and hard work. Though it's hard to believe marine grade ply/ engineered timber was not used for the cabin sole. Modern teak deck leaves you with few alternatives, but hatches can be replaced with stronger versions over time and important systems like the steering you have strengthened and the leaks have been sorted. Must be good to know you now understand all parts of Be Free.
I wouldn’t classify it as cost cutting. The shipbuilder designs and builds a vessel that will suit the demands of 90% of its prospective customers. The other 10% can upgrade if and when they should so wish. It wouldn’t make commercial sense for either the builder or the average customer to pay for these improvements if they are never going to use them. Of course their other option is to pay over a million to get something far above standard.
We have a 2013 33’ Azuree FC (fast cruiser) and the similarities are striking - from the design, keels/rudder, hatches, down to the finishes and hardware.
Nice review. Would really like to see you try a Dragonfly 40 Ultimate as your next boat. Not many UA-camr's have trimarans, Sailing La Vagabonde apart, and I seem them as the future just as cats have taken over now. The Dragonfly has the advantage of being handbuilt in Denmark by craftsman so non of those cabinetary woes and it's very quick whilst being safe with only around 10 degrees of heel. Top speed is said to be 24 knots, with 6 knots in 4 knots of wind, 15 knots in 15 knots of wind, 20 knots in 22 knots of wind. Even under motor it can do 12 knots with the 80hp version or 10 knots at cruising throttle. Looks like a super fun cruiser. Only downside is the cost of being hand crafted albeit the non carbon versions aren't too expensive. I take your point perviously that going fast can be tiring, but one thing with a fast boat, is you can always slow down by trimming the sails out or reefing. But you can't make a slow boat go faster. Plus the Dragonfly looks very stable and easy to handle with little risk of capsize or getting out of control even at speed. The manufacturer says you don't even need to reef until the wind speed is 20 knots! Just claims? Maybe. But the videos I've seen of the baot seem to back them up. Always hard to say without sailing one, but would be nice to see you try even if it was initially as a hire boat. UA-cam just needs 3 hulls and cruising needs more (safe) speed as that's the biggest achiles heel of sailing, the slow passage times.
excellent honest appraisal. Thank you Thmoas. Maybe a smart production yacht manufacturer will take note or maybe a smart catamaran maker will sponsor you a cat 😹🤣. Comment like yours together with other experienced offshore sailors will eventually make companies wake up. I hope you had a merry Christmas
Many people still live in the ‘70s’ of the 20th century in canoes and lead a miserable life, bathing when it rains and drinking rainwater! But they are experts! I hope you had a great Christmas and that your family did too. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Thomas I do appreciate a lot your analysis and the rough thought experience you share. You mentioned that with budget free you’ll appreciate catamarans, if I may ask what would be your brand and model choice? And what about monohull if you could pick some of the modern yacht around the same size range? Thanks for your time and effort to share so much knowledge.
You did good getting a Mantus. I tested a bunch of anchors and even though my favorite is a Bulwagga, Mantus is clearly better than the others. I have the same Mantus on my boat. It has done me well and I've ridden out hurricane Sandy on Mantus' very first anchor (Greg gave me a prototype when I left to go cruising in 2012). Like you, I am not sponsored by anybody.
I'm glad to hear your opinion about the Bulwagga - the anchor no one seems to know about. I have the 70# as a secondary anchor on my 52' and love it - especially in silty areas like the Chesapeake. It has never dragged with wind up to 55 knots there. (I do use a 90# Vulcan as my number one and it has been stellar too, except in the silt of the Chesapeake.)
Very interesting and informative. I came across your channel on Chasing Latitudes and enjoy the no bs observations same as there even though I have an old style wooden Pacific 38 I would after crewing on. 50’ aluminium cat from NZ to VaVa’u Northern Tonga prefer a cat of that size, design and construction if I could afford it
Hi Thomas what are your views on the Bavaria C57 the replacement for the 55? I have one and I do agree on many of your comments, especially the lewmar hatches, however I do believe they are moving in the right direction like much improved lockers and storage.
Thomas we LOVE your channel, the zero B£$£" it approach is refreshing. your boat comes with a double mainsheet german system, do you ever miss a Mainsheet traveller?, I dont think youve ever addressed that?. thank you for the content again
I just watched your video from three yrs ago about why you chose your yatch. I am curios about your opinion of the monohulls with twin keels? Do they help reduce the extreme leaning when sailing? What are the pros and cons to these types of boats? I am just getting into sailing so I am a complete novice at all of this. But, I have fallen in love with sailing and the idea of traveling via sailing.
Good vid. People contemplating trying out this lifestyle must understand that you need to be very mechanically inclined to fix things and/or have a large amount of disposable income. Indeed there are Utubers out there doing this on the cheap with smaller boats but it looks miserable. This is not for the faint of heart …. or purse.
"must understand that you need to be very mechanically inclined to fix things and/or have a large amount of disposable income" - You can say that, for sure!!! Crickey, it is a never ending battle to keep things in service.
Thanks Thomas, a great video and the one I was really interested in. I need to look back at some of your older videos to fill in some details. I did an east to west Atlantic last year in a 40’ 1988 Moody - so ‘classic’. I sold her in Trinidad and as I look forward to ‘one day’ circumnavigating I am quite torn between something like an Amel Sm and a yacht like Be Free. I value your opinion and the experience that underpins it. Two questions. Now that you are at NZ and I guess the wind now goes forward of the beam for the next passages (?) do you think some form of cutter rig will be needed or are you happy with you reefed upwind performance on be free? Second, you may not want to share this but I crossed the Atlantic two handed due to my insurance company. I fancy a solo circumnavigation but think I would have to do it on third party only insurance which makes a more expensive boat a higher risk for me. Any thoughts on insurance or not for single handers please.
wide open cockpit and wide open salon are uncomfortable and potentially dangerous when you sail for days upwind in stormy weather since you are thrown hopelessly around. Also, the steering position exposes you to the elements, especially if its freezing. Tween rudders are exposed to collisions and you are counting on good luck to avoid hitting debris in the night. Hull windows are a constant invitation to the ocean floor. I owned a big boat from a competitor German manufacturer and Im talking from my own experience, we actually lost one hull window and started taking water by the tons. Another problem with production boats is the selection of gear, like your anchor all hardware is the minimum recommended by the manufacturers, Lewmar in your case. Unless one is willing to upgrade winches, furlers, blocks, tracks etc I'm sure these boats are unfit to handle really bad weather conditions.
I hope you someday do a video on how you pay for all of this. Finances are a major part of the sail cruising life. I think one should go with the biggest boat one can comfortably afford. This, of course, includes the cost of maintenance. If I were to go, I'd certainly go with something much smaller, upper 20's or lower 30's in length in feet. This way, everything is smaller and less expensive to maintain or replace, when the time comes. I did enjoy this video, especially the minor changes you made in your boat. . Most of the people I follow on UA-cam have much smaller and older boats. And almost all of them have modified their boats to some degree.
Off topic but I thought that this is worth noting. As I am going through the ICC information, it suddenly occurred to me that where you yourself have made note that a solo sailer is breaking the constant watch requirement, there are some provisions for the situation of getting rest while sailing. There is the allowance for a vessel to be “Not Under Command”, and there are indicators for this to warn other vessels. So while you are asleep during the day you should be displaying 2 round discs, one above the other. During the night we solo sailors while sleeping should be displaying two red lights, one above the other at the mast head, and have the side navigation lights on if still sailing. If hove to this is technically still moving so nav lights should be on but could be off depending on the drift speed. There you have it. From my reading of the Regs, solo sailors are covered if we conform to these requirements for boats “not under command”. Rule 18 (c) (i) Thinking how to comply with this, I am going to hang two discs one above the other from my lower spreader on each side on the flag halyard. At night I will do the same with two red lights hoisted to the lower spreader on each side. If I do this there is then there is a better chance that ships will look at me through their binoculars and comply with the Colregs as they apply to them.
I 2nd comments below. An excellent video, just the facts and real experience snuff out the armchair critics. AND you're doing it basically alone. Love to hear more, and see more videos. Thank you, Cheers, Dk.
Very informative. My takeaway would be that broad labels like "production yacht" and "bluewater yacht" aren't very useful. Bavaria have come from a lot of designers over a lot of years and probably a few management teams as well. I don't think there's any alternative to going into the details of design and construction of any boat you're considering. I have read that there was a period when Bavaria used chopper gun stock structurally, but I think that has changed. I also know that a couple of years ago a nice Bavaria Ocean 47 by J&J (quite a traditional design) skippered by a yacht club commodore flexed excessively in a storm off NZ north-east coast and the windows popped out and the boat sank (leading to new regs requiring shutters). That's a specific design and a specific construction. Maybe bulkhead tabbing was inadequate for those conditions. Maybe they were Lewmar windows. But those are things that could be identified by a buyer and made fit for purpose. As for shelves rather than cupboards on _Be Free_ - I quite like that on a moderate displacement boat. It discourages stowing a lot of weight high.
From a fellow Bavaria owner(Bavaria 330 Sport Motorboat)i agree with what you saying. Bavaria makes great boats. Its like i tell my friends that has Sunseeker, Fairline etc. Bavaria is like a Toyota Avensis, it works, but its not that revolutionary like other brands.
Hi Thomas, hope you enjoy Christmastime and all the best for the coming New year. This video is informative as always 😊. One question. What kind of software do you use for your graphic animations and map and route animations.
Whether you agree or disagree that is a proper review, considered, honest and unbiased - such a refreshing change - well done Thomas!!
If it works for you that is all that matters. The internet said my Catalina 42 would never be able to cross an ocean without sinking. It has made it around the world twice and is still afloat and in good shape. As a bonus it is nice to get there so much faster in a modern yacht then an old heavy slow one. I think most of the folks that talk trash about brands of boats never leave the marina themselves. Great job on all the videos, please keep them coming.
Thank you so much for watching, and for the kind words about the videos! I appreciate the feedback about Catalina 42, and I agree that if it works for you, it will work! I am also blown away by strong statements about my yacht, it's never about the real issues but rumors and repeating miss information. As a full-time sailor with a specific brand its quite fascinating to see. Wish you all the best for the next year!
This is what I have learned over the years of sailing: I have NEVER received bad comments about my boat from other sailors in real life. I sail a modern fat ass boat similar to Be Free, but manufactured here in Finland. Not once have anyone told I can’t go out in bad weather or cross an ocean. When I discuss sailing with other sailors, the only thing they are usually interested in is what is how fast the boat is or am I generally happy with my purchase. That’s it.
Lady K never leaves his basement.
Everybody should use the boat he is happy with and feels safe on. I have certain expectation of my boat, but that doesn’t mean only my boat is the right one. For ocean crossing I would personally not go with a fin keel. Full keel might be slower, but sailors have happily for decades sailed with full keels. Sometimes I read comments of slow full keel sailboat, but aren’t all sailboats slow. The few knots speed difference isn’t really that substantial especially at bad weather the full keel will run rounds around the fin keel boats. Anyway each sailboat has it’s pros and it’s cons. And at the end the only thing that is important is to arrive safe at your destination and enjoy the journey.
Outstanding walk thru and overview of the good and bad of Be Free Thomas. Merry Christmas my friend!🙂
Thank you so much my friend🙏🏻 Merry Christmas 🎄
Hi Thomas
Thanks for the forensic assessment of your Bavaria. I was previously not enamoured with Bavaria, however this was mostly down to fit out and use of interior space on the 40-45 models - whereas I love your 55. While a cat may be optimal in many ways - if one’s budget stretches to the right build - for my money, your 55 ticks all the boxes. It has been great to watch its performance and attributes throughout your videos - and even better to get insights like this episode.
The trade offs on maintenance for smaller hulls seem to be far outweighed by the utility and benefits of the 55 (subject to individual preferences). I’m very much leaning towards a larger hull now.
Anyway, thanks again and Merry Christmas!
Cheers
Mike
🙏 Wow! This was quite a walkthrough and unusual frankly. Thnx m8! Very helpful 🙏
Thank you Miq, Im glad to know you enjoyed this one🙏🏻 Merry Christmas
From the Bruce Farr design line (which has much less beam aft) Bavaria discontinued the Cruiser 55 in 2014 and came up with the 56 (with dinghy garage) but gave up that design in 2016. The Farr Cruiser 50/51 was also discontinued which leaves the Cruiser line with the Farr design 46 only, still in production as of today (most popular charter yacht atm). Everything else changed into Cosutti design C-line with the hard chines and beamy stern. They gave the Cruiser 46 an interior and exterior new design in 2014 by switching from BMW Designworks to Design Unlimited from the UK. Those guys changed a lot of things to the better and that‘s why the 46 is still running so well as the largest remaining yacht of the Cruiser line. All Cosutti C models are a different ballgame when we talk about modern Bavarias. Just my 2 cents.
This was an excellent episode. Thanks, Thomas, for sharing your experience with us without glorifying the sailing lifestyle and only discussing the sunset and beautiful anchorages. Cheers.
Every boat is going to have its pros and cons. At the end of the day any boat that is going to allow you to live your dream safely is a good boat! Great to see an honest review and highlight some of the things to look out for when buying.
I wonder, what mass production item (yacht, car, plane) has no room for improvement. So, a honest review like this is very helpful, not only for a Bavaria-owner, but for all of us, to get the best and safest yacht possible. Thanks for the insight.
Nice and honest video always with respect to others. Thanks Thonas
Look forward to seeing Thomas and Bavaria working together on the next 55 ;)
Liked the first video and then again reccomended here by Chasing Latitudes! Well done both
Great descriptive video. I do t watch a lot of YT sailors because of the points you mention about experience but appreciate your honesty & non click bait way of describing your experiences. Thanks Thomas.
Another honest show with just the facts keep up the good work
I am so sick of the baloney on web sites .
Some sound like the last time there were near a boat was the bath tub
Merry Christmas Thomas!
Thank you so much, and wish you all the best for New Year as well as I hope your christmas celebration was a beautiful and blessed holiday.
@SailingwithThomas I am wishing you all the best in 2025 as well! The info you share with us definitely makes you worthy of some major blessings. 🙏
Nice work Thomas thank you - your real life knowledge is unsurpassed ~ Cheers
Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words 🙏🏻
Your clear and unqesionable honesty combined with extensive experience is very valuable. Thank you for sharing.
Great video. Thanks for sharing! Love the facts presented.
Well done. I see some complaints in common with my Hanse 455. I have heard from many people the same stupid/uninformed comments about my production boat. Everything is a compromise when you buy a yacht, even complete custom yacht unless you have unlimited budget. I do wish I had bought a bigger yacht so I could have the tender garage but it was the best compromise buying second hand and this 455 had all the after market things already installed in a very professional way by a former submarine commander. (lots of solar and lots of battery so I can avoid using my Panda much, water maker, etcetera). Godt nytt år og trygge reiser.
2:27 I was expecting the theme to Gilligan's Island to play. Grin
Thanks for this great video. I guess it's like houses and cars, there's always some things that we would do different with experience and that builders do because they are thinking of costs. It's great how you have such experience and expertise to be able to make Be Free a better yacht for your use.
Merry Christmas Thomas, and hoping for a happy. Safe, and adventure filled New Year for you.
Thomas, you've always been transparent about your boat. That being said, they really should send you a coffee mug!! Cheers from LA.
I know a lot of people are down on Hunters too but I see them everywhere and I have enjoyed sailing the ones I've been on. Every boat has their quirks and most all can be upgraded as needed to suit your needs. Just gotta start with a good base boat.
I can't stop looking at the dead unicorn in the background at 23:19 🤣 All jokes aside, another great video! You're an inspiration!
I appreciate the transparency with how you explain your statements.
Really fantastic video, Thomas. Awesome, thorough walkthrough.
As someone who's trying to get into sailing, I really enjoy these kind of videos. Very informative and drawing from first hand experience is always important!
Thanks a lot for what you do 😊
Some Folks spend their whole Life planning an Adventure. Some just Do It!
Well done and thank you for your always Honest Views.
Be well.
I’ve had a Bavaria 44 for for 13 years and price/value was absolutely ok. I would have sailed with her across an ocean, but decided to upgrade to a Belize 43 now. Love your factual account.
Hey Thomas, you get my vote and thanks for honesty. You can make any boat a bad boat without knowledge and skill, something you have both of. I've been at sea since I left school and did my captains ticket in 1998. I think what you try to put across is great and not even in your mother tounge!!!! Keep putting it out there. Best wishes. John
I have a 2002 Jeanneau Sun odyssey 40. People are surprised how stiff and how nice it sails when they get on board. But having a boat for almost 6 years now around the marina (including myself) The boats rarely move which is why I take comments with a pinch of salt and have become a custom with the "arm chair sailing expert". I do want to sail more but family commitments and wanting to upgrade the boat with solar arch, new radar lithium and so on. I have a couple of friends who have the Bavaria 36 and they are happy with them my marina is in the Bristol Channel :-)
Yay!! Merry Christmas Thomas!! Been waiting for you!!
Thank you so much🙏🏻 Merry Christmas
Probably the most informative and realistic video ...that said awesome absolutely loved your Yacht she is awesome....
Really enjoy the content, I’m a newbie and digging through all the biased tubers content when they have limited experience is difficult. Love your experience and sharing of information.
Thanks
I own a Farr 32 cruiser from 2009 and I totally agree with your observations, from my point of view the hull and basics are well built for this series, heavier and stronger than other production boats of similar size and style, but there is a lot to do to bring the short cuts up to a decent standard. My swim platform is also too close to the water line and interior is basic, but I'm fine with that because she is strong but still sails well for a production fat cruiser. Also I agree with your point around most equipment failures being lewmar, jabsco etc ... I am having the same experience.
Thanks again Thomas, you deserve a million likes and a billion views.
Super helpful video, great information as always!! Wide cockpits, twin rudders, dingy stowage!! Great stuff!!
Hope you had a lovely Christmas, Thomas. That was a really good appraisal of your yacht, good and bad. She has, I think proven herself! Bavaria have nothing to complain about; the oposite is true.
Excellent unbiased review of not only the Be Free, but aspects of mass production Bavarias. They are more capable than their reputation, as long as you understand their limitations vs 3X pricier options. BR from J&J Bavaria40 in based in Finland, sailing in Baltic.
Enjoyed it Thomas
Excellent review. Sometimes on my BenOc40 I cannot believe the designer was ever on a boat. Lots of great innovation and then somethings which were never going to work.
Love your take on specifics of your boat
Hy, very honest and open description of "problems" . I think that BAV deliverd normally a solid quality in the basic construction.
What means that you are getting a solid value for the money you spend. We made the same expirience that mostly the technic in the boat is failing .
We are sailing only the Baltic Sea, every year for 3 to 4 month and once we crossed the Atlantic with th ARC.
Since 2012 we are sailing a MALÖ 40, and even this boat is not trouble free....
Best regards Bernd SY TRULLA
Veldig bra gjennomgang av en båt - plusser og minuser.
Tusen takk 🙏🏻 Glad du likte dette.
Thank you for your honesty, prepping my Hans Christian 41T , good in sight , always look forward to seeing your videos 🇬🇧 👍👍
Merry Christmas! Enjoyed the frank well thought out information. Fair seas! All the best for 2025. Cheers from the Caribbean!
Great comprehensive review of Be Free. Thomas, as genius as you are, you could build a slotted drain platforn in your chain locker for a small amount of money. Maybe it's on the to do list?
I hope you had a Merry Christmas. 🎅
Thanks for sharing.
I like it a LOT , Be Direct , Be Blunt , & Name Thou's who put out Faust Statements & lnfo....There's plenty to choose from...ln Australia we use them to show how NOT to do things , afternoon entertainment...sport if will....keep up the good work , cheers👍😊
Thomas, are you okay?! Thinking about you from New Hampshire, USA.
What a beautiful boat you have! I appreciate your honesty and impartial overview of the good and bad. Merry Christmas! Maybe some day we will meet up in a beautiful exotic place and share a beer!😍
Good video Thomas!! Merry Christmas..👍👍 🇨🇦
Takk!. for en herlig video Thomas 😊 den satt som ett skudd nå i romjula 👍 en sårt tiltrengt motvekt etter overdose bjellklang og ribbefett😅
Ønsker deg en fortsatt God Jul og godt nytt år 🎉🎉🎉
Another interesting video Thomas,!
Hope you had a happy Christmas and a great new year!🥰👍🏴
The fact that you’re still using a Mac to edit videos on a yacht in the middle of nowhere is next-level impressive. 🙌 Solar power, backup storage, and creativity-this is the life!
Thomas, i appreciate your episodes and your opinions even if some i may disagree with. Your a great guy and hope to meet some day in the future. Jim Rodgers
29:58 you got that right Thomas, thanks for the great tips again!
A good and honest critique based on first-hand experience, Thomas. Thank you. My mother is in Bali on her Bavaria 42 Cruiser btw! Happy 2025, my friend.
Nice topic, rarely visited by an independent yet very experienced sailor. Thanks every boat has its good points and point of improvements. It does not matter if your boat is custom build or production.
I picked up a simple tip I liked that is magnet door stoppers.
Chain and nylon anchor line i agree with supersizing the all. In my case mine are over speck once under heavy stressed by violent weather they don't seem overly strong.
Thanks for your effort though I don' t have a production boat or a Bavaria, but a custom build aluminum mast head cutter. Still I found a number of tips and observations applicable to my boatl. SV Skoiern IV
Amazed you can sail a 55' sailing yacht solo. Be nice to learn about your rigging and of any automation that you use to manage. Thanks for all the videos
Great video...transparent and fair assessment. As you say, a lot of cost cutting on relatively minor stuff that can be sorted overtime with $'s and hard work. Though it's hard to believe marine grade ply/ engineered timber was not used for the cabin sole. Modern teak deck leaves you with few alternatives, but hatches can be replaced with stronger versions over time and important systems like the steering you have strengthened and the leaks have been sorted. Must be good to know you now understand all parts of Be Free.
I wouldn’t classify it as cost cutting. The shipbuilder designs and builds a vessel that will suit the demands of 90% of its prospective customers. The other 10% can upgrade if and when they should so wish. It wouldn’t make commercial sense for either the builder or the average customer to pay for these improvements if they are never going to use them. Of course their other option is to pay over a million to get something far above standard.
We have a 2013 33’ Azuree FC (fast cruiser) and the similarities are striking - from the design, keels/rudder, hatches, down to the finishes and hardware.
Nice review. Would really like to see you try a Dragonfly 40 Ultimate as your next boat. Not many UA-camr's have trimarans, Sailing La Vagabonde apart, and I seem them as the future just as cats have taken over now. The Dragonfly has the advantage of being handbuilt in Denmark by craftsman so non of those cabinetary woes and it's very quick whilst being safe with only around 10 degrees of heel. Top speed is said to be 24 knots, with 6 knots in 4 knots of wind, 15 knots in 15 knots of wind, 20 knots in 22 knots of wind. Even under motor it can do 12 knots with the 80hp version or 10 knots at cruising throttle. Looks like a super fun cruiser. Only downside is the cost of being hand crafted albeit the non carbon versions aren't too expensive. I take your point perviously that going fast can be tiring, but one thing with a fast boat, is you can always slow down by trimming the sails out or reefing. But you can't make a slow boat go faster. Plus the Dragonfly looks very stable and easy to handle with little risk of capsize or getting out of control even at speed. The manufacturer says you don't even need to reef until the wind speed is 20 knots! Just claims? Maybe. But the videos I've seen of the baot seem to back them up. Always hard to say without sailing one, but would be nice to see you try even if it was initially as a hire boat. UA-cam just needs 3 hulls and cruising needs more (safe) speed as that's the biggest achiles heel of sailing, the slow passage times.
excellent honest appraisal. Thank you Thmoas. Maybe a smart production yacht manufacturer will take note or maybe a smart catamaran maker will sponsor you a cat 😹🤣. Comment like yours together with other experienced offshore sailors will eventually make companies wake up. I hope you had a merry Christmas
Thank you for watching and for your kind words! I am thankful for your support. Merry Christmas
Bavaria will be offering you a job soon. Great insight and I like your boat
She's a lovely boat. Thanks for the video.
Many people still live in the ‘70s’ of the 20th century in canoes and lead a miserable life, bathing when it rains and drinking rainwater! But they are experts! I hope you had a great Christmas and that your family did too. Thanks for sharing.
As always great job solid info happy to see your channel grow over time 🐝♾️🌏☮️🔥🦉🌱💯✅
Great video and insights!!
Hi Thomas I do appreciate a lot your analysis and the rough thought experience you share. You mentioned that with budget free you’ll appreciate catamarans, if I may ask what would be your brand and model choice? And what about monohull if you could pick some of the modern yacht around the same size range? Thanks for your time and effort to share so much knowledge.
Great video
Thanks for sharing
Happy Holidays 😊
Great vid Thomas merry Christmas and a happy new year.
Always worth watching. Thanks Thomas. God jul og godt nytt år. Mvh Jarle
You did good getting a Mantus. I tested a bunch of anchors and even though my favorite is a Bulwagga, Mantus is clearly better than the others. I have the same Mantus on my boat. It has done me well and I've ridden out hurricane Sandy on Mantus' very first anchor (Greg gave me a prototype when I left to go cruising in 2012). Like you, I am not sponsored by anybody.
I'm glad to hear your opinion about the Bulwagga - the anchor no one seems to know about. I have the 70# as a secondary anchor on my 52' and love it - especially in silty areas like the Chesapeake. It has never dragged with wind up to 55 knots there. (I do use a 90# Vulcan as my number one and it has been stellar too, except in the silt of the Chesapeake.)
Very interesting and informative. I came across your channel on Chasing Latitudes and enjoy the no bs observations same as there even though I have an old style wooden Pacific 38 I would after crewing on. 50’ aluminium cat from NZ to VaVa’u Northern Tonga prefer a cat of that size, design and construction if I could afford it
Hi Thomas what are your views on the Bavaria C57 the replacement for the 55? I have one and I do agree on many of your comments, especially the lewmar hatches, however I do believe they are moving in the right direction like much improved lockers and storage.
Thomas we LOVE your channel, the zero B£$£" it approach is refreshing. your boat comes with a double mainsheet german system, do you ever miss a Mainsheet traveller?, I dont think youve ever addressed that?. thank you for the content again
I just watched your video from three yrs ago about why you chose your yatch. I am curios about your opinion of the monohulls with twin keels? Do they help reduce the extreme leaning when sailing? What are the pros and cons to these types of boats? I am just getting into sailing so I am a complete novice at all of this. But, I have fallen in love with sailing and the idea of traveling via sailing.
Good vid. People contemplating trying out this lifestyle must understand that you need to be very mechanically inclined to fix things and/or have a large amount of disposable income. Indeed there are Utubers out there doing this on the cheap with smaller boats but it looks miserable. This is not for the faint of heart …. or purse.
"must understand that you need to be very mechanically inclined to fix things and/or have a large amount of disposable income" - You can say that, for sure!!! Crickey, it is a never ending battle to keep things in service.
Very good and informative video again, Thomas !
Thanks Thomas, a great video and the one I was really interested in. I need to look back at some of your older videos to fill in some details. I did an east to west Atlantic last year in a 40’ 1988 Moody - so ‘classic’. I sold her in Trinidad and as I look forward to ‘one day’ circumnavigating I am quite torn between something like an Amel Sm and a yacht like Be Free. I value your opinion and the experience that underpins it.
Two questions. Now that you are at NZ and I guess the wind now goes forward of the beam for the next passages (?) do you think some form of cutter rig will be needed or are you happy with you reefed upwind performance on be free? Second, you may not want to share this but I crossed the Atlantic two handed due to my insurance company. I fancy a solo circumnavigation but think I would have to do it on third party only insurance which makes a more expensive boat a higher risk for me. Any thoughts on insurance or not for single handers please.
Thanks Thomas for your insight ……..😊
An great breakdown video about your Bavaria.
cheers 🍻
Tomas you are soo right
Love your details on this!
❤ from 🇨🇦 BC
wide open cockpit and wide open salon are uncomfortable and potentially dangerous when you sail for days upwind in stormy weather since you are thrown hopelessly around. Also, the steering position exposes you to the elements, especially if its freezing. Tween rudders are exposed to collisions and you are counting on good luck to avoid hitting debris in the night. Hull windows are a constant invitation to the ocean floor. I owned a big boat from a competitor German manufacturer and Im talking from my own experience, we actually lost one hull window and started taking water by the tons. Another problem with production boats is the selection of gear, like your anchor all hardware is the minimum recommended by the manufacturers, Lewmar in your case. Unless one is willing to upgrade winches, furlers, blocks, tracks etc I'm sure these boats are unfit to handle really bad weather conditions.
I hope you someday do a video on how you pay for all of this. Finances are a major part of the sail cruising life.
I think one should go with the biggest boat one can comfortably afford. This, of course, includes the cost of maintenance.
If I were to go, I'd certainly go with something much smaller, upper 20's or lower 30's in length in feet. This way, everything is smaller and less expensive to maintain or replace, when the time comes.
I did enjoy this video, especially the minor changes you made in your boat.
.
Most of the people I follow on UA-cam have much smaller and older boats. And almost all of them have modified their boats to some degree.
Pimping girls and dealing drugs.
Hi Thomas, no news or comments for a while, are you OK? Need anything?
Off topic but I thought that this is worth noting. As I am going through the ICC information, it suddenly occurred to me that where you yourself have made note that a solo sailer is breaking the constant watch requirement, there are some provisions for the situation of getting rest while sailing. There is the allowance for a vessel to be “Not Under Command”, and there are indicators for this to warn other vessels. So while you are asleep during the day you should be displaying 2 round discs, one above the other. During the night we solo sailors while sleeping should be displaying two red lights, one above the other at the mast head, and have the side navigation lights on if still sailing. If hove to this is technically still moving so nav lights should be on but could be off depending on the drift speed. There you have it. From my reading of the Regs, solo sailors are covered if we conform to these requirements for boats “not under command”. Rule 18 (c) (i)
Thinking how to comply with this, I am going to hang two discs one above the other from my lower spreader on each side on the flag halyard. At night I will do the same with two red lights hoisted to the lower spreader on each side. If I do this there is then there is a better chance that ships will look at me through their binoculars and comply with the Colregs as they apply to them.
Excellent informative video!
I 2nd comments below. An excellent video, just the facts and real experience snuff out the armchair critics. AND you're doing it basically alone. Love to hear more, and see more videos. Thank you, Cheers, Dk.
If you have swing room, being on your Mantus anchor is much safer than most moorings.
Very informative.
My takeaway would be that broad labels like "production yacht" and "bluewater yacht" aren't very useful. Bavaria have come from a lot of designers over a lot of years and probably a few management teams as well. I don't think there's any alternative to going into the details of design and construction of any boat you're considering. I have read that there was a period when Bavaria used chopper gun stock structurally, but I think that has changed. I also know that a couple of years ago a nice Bavaria Ocean 47 by J&J (quite a traditional design) skippered by a yacht club commodore flexed excessively in a storm off NZ north-east coast and the windows popped out and the boat sank (leading to new regs requiring shutters). That's a specific design and a specific construction. Maybe bulkhead tabbing was inadequate for those conditions. Maybe they were Lewmar windows. But those are things that could be identified by a buyer and made fit for purpose.
As for shelves rather than cupboards on _Be Free_ - I quite like that on a moderate displacement boat. It discourages stowing a lot of weight high.
Gracias por tan completo y detallado informe de tu barco.
Un video excelente ⛵️⛵️⛵️⛵️
Desde Chile 🇨🇱;Muy feliz navidad 🎄 y un increíble nuevo año.🎉
Great video with lots of interesting ideas and problem solving!⛵😊
Hey Thomas. Are you OK? Haven't heard from you in a while
Tack för bra och intressant information. Har själv en Bavaria 37 Cruiser. Hur stor är den dinghy?
What would be your dream catamaran as a solo sailor. As usual another great video.
Well done Sir
From a fellow Bavaria owner(Bavaria 330 Sport Motorboat)i agree with what you saying. Bavaria makes great boats. Its like i tell my friends that has Sunseeker, Fairline etc. Bavaria is like a Toyota Avensis, it works, but its not that revolutionary like other brands.
Thank you. From Canada
Hi Thomas, hope you enjoy Christmastime and all the best for the coming New year. This video is informative as always 😊. One question. What kind of software do you use for your graphic animations and map and route animations.
replace lifting arms with pneumatic struts and use a rope and small winch to close. wave impacts be absorbed.