Dehler Survey Guide

Dehler was founded in Germany in 1963 by Willi Dehler and is known to sailors who look for the balance between performance and cruising.

1. Getting to Know Dehler

It now builds within the Hanse group, and the line is unchanged: boats that use the wind well, are easy to handle short-handed and still work for a family cruise.

In Turkey it is less common than Beneteau or Bavaria, so a used Dehler here has usually been chosen deliberately and looked after by its owner.

2. Performance cruising: why we look differently

Dehler models carry higher rig loads and more efficient underwater shapes than pure cruisers. On survey that means extra time on the rig, the keel attachment and the steering: if the boat was raced or sailed hard, the load marks show there.

On vacuum-infused hulls, moisture readings are judged against a dry reference area rather than a single number.

3. Points We Pay Attention To

These are not claims of defects. They are the places we spend extra time on boats of this make; every boat is judged on its own use and maintenance history.⁠⁠‍​‌‌⁠‌⁠⁠⁠‍​‍⁠‍‌​​⁠‌⁠​

Dehler 30 od, 34 and 38 (performance cruising)

• Keel bolts and keel-to-hull joint; more closely with a grounding record.
• Rig: terminals, chainplates, mast step.
• Rudder bearings and rudder stock.
• If raced, wear on winches, clutches and running rigging.

Dehler 42, 46 and older cruising models

• Sealing at deck hardware and windows.
• Internal grid bonds.
• Machinery: engine hours, service record, saildrive or shaft.

4. Owning One in Turkey

Dehler parts come through the Hanse group network. Because the brand is less common in Turkey, it is worth asking about model-specific parts and lead times before buying.

Ask for the service records, invoices and any earlier survey report before the survey; work without records is noted as "could not be verified".

Frequently Asked Questions

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