Recent posts

#51

Bavaria Yacht Help! / Gearbox cooling overhaul SL2A-...

Last post by blue-max - January 02 2026, 22:40

My gearbox has a simple water cooled manifold connected to  the sea water inlet before the strainer. Its mostly copper pipes with flanges. There has been some corrosion and there is now a leak which  persists after patching. Obviously it needs a proper repair/rebuild. Not had any  success in finding parts. Has anyone had experience of repairing this component?

#52

Modifications & Equipment / side boarding ladder B38 Ocean

Last post by jeffatoms2 - December 31 2025, 18:09

We've been busy addressing our list of improvements to Zephyrus, our Bavaria 38 Ocean this off season.

I'm sharing one project that turned out quite well.  We designed a collapsible boarding ladder that is unique in its fit and quality.  Made with heavy duty 1/4 inch 6061 aluminum Plate and diamond tread, it is a jiffy to set up and take apart and it is extremely sturdy.  Bonus, it stores flat!

It has five interlocking main pieces, plus quick connect fittings.  It has two sides, a step tread, a back/name plate and a toe rod.

We made it in plywood a few times, improving as we went.  We made one from 316 SS but it was heavy and relatively  expensive.  We have some teak and mahogany boards laying around that might be yachty??  We are currently changing the toe rod to 1 inch round UHMW to reduce chafing on round 2.

What do you think?  Is there a market for a custom step like this?  Any and all feedback is welcome.

#53

Modifications & Equipment / Re: Water maker control panel

Last post by jeffatoms2 - December 29 2025, 00:50

Thank you!  I have a 12 volt Parker Little Wonder.  It draws less that 25 amps. The windlass battery is a 200 amp hour agm.  Ideally it would operate when the battery system is charging off 120 amp Balmar or from 600 watt solar array.  I am a little concerned about the 12 volt timer handling the amperage so will probably use a relay.

#54

Modifications & Equipment / Re: Water maker control panel

Last post by sean c - December 28 2025, 00:09

Check the amps of your motor to see if the 50 amp breaker is suitable. My water maker has a 12 volt 80 amp motor.
Mine is set up the aft section of the boat and connected to the starter battery. Not ideal but installed by previous owner and I suspect cable size and length came in to consideration. I only run the water maker when the engine is running and also have a dedicated battery monitor which I switch to 'state of charge' display and stop when the battery gets to 80% charge.
I had a small manual timer for regular flushes but this was hard to get to or to check for leaks. I removed it and installed a manual flush at the control panel. Obviously, make sure it goes through a carbon filter to remove chlorides.
I only use the water maker on longer passages, about once per year. I pickle the membrane after each of these passages. I use Sodium Metabisulphite for the local home brew shop, which is quite cheap. 
sean

#55

Modifications & Equipment / Re: Water maker control panel

Last post by jeffatoms2 - December 27 2025, 17:59

Ive been busy improving Zephyrus, our B38 Ocean, this off season, especially with tge help of Santa's workshop. My latest project is adding a automatic flushing control panel to our Little Village watermaker.  The whole thing lives under the Vee berth.

The panel ties into the windlass battery for power that is in the bow locker and tgen into the actual watermaker.  It has a dedicated 50 amp breaker to the four dedicated breakers (boost pump, high pressure pump,rear tank transfer pump and the bonus, fresh water wash down pump which is also in the bow).  Also included is a power indicator light, an analog voltage gauge for fwd battery, auto-flush controller, hour meter, both digital and analog flow meters and source-input/destination-output control levers.

I see four fixes now that it's partially assembled.  Thoughts?

#56

Modifications & Equipment / Water maker control panel

Last post by jeffatoms2 - December 27 2025, 17:55

Ive been busy improving Zephyrus, our B38 Ocean, this off season, especially with tge help of Santa's workshop. My latest project is adding a automatic flushing control panel to our Little Village watermaker.  The whole thing lives under the Vee berth.

The panel ties into the windlass battery for power that is in the bow locker and tgen into the actual watermaker.  It has a dedicated 50 amp breaker to the four dedicated breakers (boost pump, high pressure pump,rear tank transfer pump and the bonus, fresh water wash down pump which is also in the bow).  Also included is a power indicator light, an analog voltage gauge for fwd battery, auto-flush controller, hour meter, both digital and analog flow meters and source-input/destination-output control levers.

I see four fixes now that it's partially assembled.  Thoughts?

#57

Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: 2007 Bavaria 37 - Haul out...

Last post by Yngmar - December 27 2025, 14:27

You can place the rear sling far behind the saildrive, lift it onto the hull, drop it back down no more than 15 cm and then slide it forward until it meets the leg. That way it goes above the propeller onto the hull, which apart from the risk of the sling slipping aft should be ok.

If you do lift the sling too far in the wrong place and end up lifting the boat by the saildrive leg or propeller, the saildrive and engine can tear out of the boat, flood it instantly and it will be totaled with the insurance rightly asking why it was done this way.

Someone here had this happen in 2018, although on a smaller boat where engine and saildrive merely got damaged: https://www.bavariayacht.org/forum/index.php/topic,2298.msg14814.html

#58

Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: 2007 Bavaria 37 - Haul out...

Last post by Canada37 - December 27 2025, 11:37

If the image in the manual is to scale then it looks like I need to place the aftmost strap at least 12'7" from the stern well inside of my 10'5" constraint. I'm guessing that the risk of being on the right side of the saildrive but too close to it is potential damage to that hardware during the lift. Every photo I can find of a 37 being lifted there is still a foot or two between the strap and saildrive... I guess my question is how close to it can I place the strap without damaging it.

#59

Bavaria Yacht Help! / Re: 2007 Bavaria 37 - Haul out...

Last post by Yngmar - December 26 2025, 17:56

You're risking a slip and damage to the rudder + shaft, but probably not a drop when it slips. I would find a boatyard that can properly lift your boat. You can measure the distance from stern to saildrive inside the boat, but it's very likely more than your 3.2m limit.

#60

Bavaria Yacht Help! / 2007 Bavaria 37 - Haul out, li...

Last post by Canada37 - December 26 2025, 15:16

Merry Christmas everyone. I'm planning to haul out a 2007 Bavaria 37 and need some guidance on lift points for the travel lift. The page in the manual (11 of 51) is rather blurry and my marina has a constraint of placing the aftmost strap 10.5 feet from the stern. I know the strap should be between the keel and saildrive so I'm not convinced I'll have enough room with this 10.5' constraint. Any guidance on this would be much appreciated.