[Anonymous]

The son of a friend of mine is thinking about buying an older (year 2000) B34.

What tips can anyone give regarding what to look out for when inspecting B34s? Also what good (and bad) points would you highlight to a potential buyer?

Thanks

Roger

[Anonymous]

First is there any water ingress thats what I would first check for. Check all equipment is there also any rudder play as a set of bearing is aroung 500 pounds, Is all equipment working!. engine hours and last service!, Has the saildrive rubber seal changed as this is a costly job if requiring new seal. I would hire a good surveyor. Also take it for a good test drive to see all is ok ie the shape of the sails they might need replacing the auto pilot is ok etc in the end it add’s up if you don’t check prior to purchase.
Hope this helps.

Rgds
Michael
(Artemis)

[Anonymous]

Thanks Michael, I’ll pass those helpful tips on straight away.

Does anyone else want to add their 5 pen’orth to the list?

Roger

[Anonymous]

We have a B34 which we bought new Christmas 2001. We do all our own work on the boat and know the B34 very well. It is probably one of the best boats Bavaria made and is the ideal size for single handed use, any bigger gets difficult to handle in and out of a berth. She is 10.8 metres so a lot bigger than the name suggests.
Two models were produced and the owners version with the heads aft and one aft cabin is a better boat than the twin aft cabin as this model does not have enough storage space in the cockpit lockers.
Our boat has sailed extensively in the Irish sea out from Liverpool and cruised Scotland, Ireland and south to the Channel Islands.
The faults we have had to date are as follows.
1. The bow roller lifted the deck whilst on our mooring in a NE force 7.
2. The Iron bulb keel was not a good casting and we get rusting every year due to the presence of slag within the casting.
3. We have just developed our first leak from the hull to deck joint area in the forward cabin to Port. ( We expect this to be a stanchion or cleat through bolt leaking.
4. Some of the fiberglass in the cockpit area, on the top of the combeings has discoloured as if the moulding was touched up after it was moulded with some sort of spray application.
5. We get a lot of creaking from the interior joinery during rough weather.
6. The interior lights in the deckhead are failing and on removal we find they have corroded. Not sure yet but we think this is due to condensation betwen the deck and the inner linning. (2 have failed so far.)

Other than the major work we had to do on the bowroller and the water blasting of the keel, none of the other problems can be listed as major. Both problems have been cured at low cost as we do all of our own engineering work and maintenance.

I can look at my boat now and see all the minor faults in how the interior has been fitted, but this is to be expected in such a low cost product.
The performance of the boat speaks volumes and the layout works both on passage and in harbour.

The level of equipment fitted can make a big difference to the crews ability to make the passages that the boat is capable of making and this should be considered when comparing prices as some equipment is difficult and expensive to retro-fit.

Look for a boat that has the following.

a. Second water tank in the bow (giving 300lts instead of standard 150)
b. Pressurised hot water system
c. Electric anchor windlass
d. Autopilot below decks direct to rudder stock ST5000 or equivalent
e. Additional domestic batteries
f. Built in battery charger 30amp min smart charger.
g. Alternator management system, Ardcec or similar
h. Good chartplotter/radar and if poss AIS.
i. Tender and outboard
j Liferaft

If you find a nice boat and need to discuss any worries then get in touch.

[Anonymous]

Many thanks, Alan, for your comprehensive response.

I will pass on verbatim to my friend.

Roger

[Author]

Posts