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Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Bavaria C46 review: Space and performance

• Theo Stocker
• January 30, 2024

Massive bow sections create a huge amounts of space on board, and in theory, a powerful hull to give lively sailing. Theo Stocker sails the Bavaria C46 to see if the reality matches up

Product Overview

Manufacturer:, price as reviewed:.

There’s no denying that the Bavaria C46 is a beast of a boat. Bluff bowed, big and powerful, she has more volume than almost any boat her size. In some ways, it’s no surprise as this is the direction boat design has been going for years, underlined by Bavaria’s motto of ‘Further and more’.

In the Bavaria C46, then, we’ve certainly got the ‘more’, but the question I was keen to answer when I headed down to Hamble one beautifully blustery autumn day was whether this boat also has the ‘further’. Has she sacrificed sailing ability for her size, or have Bavaria pulled off the trick of also making her a better sailing boat?

Alongside the continuing move to ever greater volume, there has been a more recent and more subtle shift in naval architecture – one that explains why bows are also getting fatter. It’s not just a grab for accommodation space, though they help of course, but a bluff bow also helps make a beamy boat more balanced to sail.

Much like the development of scow bows trickling down from development race classes such as Mini Transats and IMOCAs, ultra wide and flat-sectioned hulls offered steroid-boosted amounts of righting moment and power, allowing them to ditch a whole load of ballast. But if you don’t want your flying saucer to nose-dive, you need to inject some volume hormones up forward as well.

Twin composite wheels drive a single rudder. Photo: Paul Wyeth

As the hull heels, the canoe body remains more closely symmetrical, so requiring less rudder-power to keep the boat on the straight and narrow, where earlier designs became unbalanced wedges with a tendency to aerate their rudders and spin up into the wind. Funnily enough, the lines of Thames barges, Dutch skûtjes and Yankee catboats have long proven that powerful hulls don’t need to be narrow and pointy even for heavy displacements.

Best of both worlds

It is a convenient truth that the wide transoms and broad bow sections also lend themselves quite nicely to the high volumes demanded of cruising boats these days. D

Designers have found that you can, in many ways, have the best of both sailing performance and cruising comfort. The critical factor in a race boat is keeping the displacement light enough to let the boat get up on the plane. That’s not going to happen with an out-and-out cruiser, so I was keen to see if the hull concept still works on cruising boats.

The Bavaria C46 joins the Bavaria C38 and the Bavaria C42 as the second generation of C-line from Bavaria from Cossutti Yacht Design, distinguishable from the first generation (C45, C50, C57 and C65) by their bluff stems, beamier bows and hard hull chines up forward. The slick styling and angular coachroof and windows otherwise remain much the same.

There’s space for a table either side of the vast cockpit without taking away from the side decks. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Below decks, accommodation benefits from the extra space of the new hull shape. Remarkably, given many other builder’s rush to twin rudders, Bavaria have stuck with a single rudder, both for simplicity of construction (and with it, cost), as well as a more direct helming experience. One less visible element that has changed, however, is the ballast.

Our test Bavaria C46 had a ballast-displacement ratio of just 20%, compared to the C45’s 26%, losing half a tonne from the keel while adding almost a tonne to her displacement, all against an approximately similar sail area. Either Cossutti have got their sums very wrong, or this new hull shape really does makes a difference to the form stability of the boat.

I was pleased to find we would have a decent, if blustery breeze from the WNW blowing Force 4 to 5 for most of the day, as cumulus clouds scudded overhead, casting cool autumnal shadows amidst the stubbornly warm sunshine. It was hard to decide whether to wear a t-shirt and shorts, or full foulies.

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Clear of the shelter of Southampton Water and out in the Solent, we were hardening up onto the wind, beating in 15-21 knots of true wind (Force 4 to 5), with 18 to 25 knots across the deck. Under full canvas, we were soon sitting in the mid sixes, with 6.2-6.7 through the water at 30-35º to the apparent.

Steering from the twin composite wheels felt controlled and assured, even when deliberately overpressing the boat in the gusts. It was only under real duress that the boat began to round up to the wind, and slowly at that, giving plenty of warning that the mainsheet needed easing, which quickly returned the boat to a steady course.

In normal sailing, there was little weather helm, and the steering was precise and direct. My only gripe was that the rudder felt a little heavy, though whether this was due to the balance of the rudder, some other issue, or simply a fact of the boat’s 13 tonnes displacement, I wasn’t sure. She was otherwise without foible, responding obediently to the helm.

Tick the option and you’ll get a grill and a fridge under the aft helm seats. Photo: Paul Wyeth

With a bifurcated backstay and mechanical tensioner, it was pleasing to note that adjusting the backstay did make a difference to the feel on the helm, helping balance it and increasing forestay tension in the breeze – it’s a nice bit of control that you don’t get on backstayless rigs.

In the conditions we had, it felt like we had a good amount of power from the self-tacking jib and vertically battened Elvstrom furling main (slab reefing is standard). We even needed to tuck a furl into both sails as the wind crept up to a steady Force 5 true. Having tested the performance version of the C38 a couple of years ago, with its roached, fully battened slab-reef main, this furling main C46 actually felt like a better-balanced sail plan.

The larger performance main was just a bit too much for the deck gear on the C38, at least in windy conditions, and I found myself enjoying the ease of sailing on the C46 more. The 4:1 mainsheet purchase uses blocks either side of the companionway, and there’s no traveller, which makes it harder to centre the boom sailing upwind, costing a few degrees of pointing.

A proper bridle here might be a better system, but at 35º to the apparent, few cruising sailors are going to lose any sleep over it.

A 106% genoa is an alternative to the self-tacking jib. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The deck layout benefits from the boat’s significant beam, with loads of space to move about and relax as well as sail. As with most twin-wheel boats, the helms are right aft and outboard, but still feel secure thanks to broad side decks taken all the way aft and generous transom seats, which house either more stowage, or a fridge and grill for use in harbour.

With no dinghy garage, I’d imagine the optional retractable dinghy davits will be popular, though fold down the bathing platform and you’ll find a cubby hole big enough for a folded up dinghy or paddleboard, and a built-in air compressor to blow it up. There’s further stowage in a plywood-lined lazarette between the helm seats, plus sole-depth lockers beneath the cockpit seats.

Simple sail handling

All lines, including sheets and halyards, are led aft to two powered winches outboard of the wheel, with push-button control next to the rope bins just aft of them (also home to a gas bottle locker either side). This makes singlehanding the boat extremely easy.

Lift-up foot chocks help the helm feel secure. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The only niggle is that it all gets rather busy for the helm if you’re steering, adjusting the main and the headsail at the same time, so it was easier for the helm to move to the other wheel while a crew member came behind the wheel to handle the lines. The only exception to this is the extra set of primary winches on the cockpit coamings if you opt for the 106% overlapping genoa.

All this leaves those in the cockpit to relax without having to lift so much as a finger, other than to sip their drinks. In fact, we didn’t pick up a winch handle for the whole test sail, and tacking with the self-tacking jib was effortless.

With L-shaped seats, there’s plenty of space to sit back, while split cockpit tables provide bracing for each side.

Aft of the rope bins is stowage for gas bottles on both sides. Photo: Paul Wyeth

The pedestals have been redesigned, giving space for 12in B&G plotters, as well as an electronic throttle, thruster controls and all the other modern gizmos like stereos and phone chargers. Best, though, was the side panel which housed an extra repeater and autopilot controls so you can still see the numbers when helming sitting down without needing to stand up. It’s clear Bavaria has worked hard to make the Bavaria C46 a more user-friendly boat.

Step over the low coamings and you’re onto the side decks inside deep moulded bulwarks. It wasn’t a rough edge exactly, as it was very neatly done, but I did wonder about the wide bonding join between deck and hull moulding atop the bulwarks – it would have been nice if this had been a little better hidden.

Otherwise, Selden deck gear was all of a decent size and spec, with coachroof-mounted genoa car tracks, grab rails from forward of the sprayhood to the shrouds, loads of opening hatches and a large single forepeak for fenders and offwind sails, through which you get access to the chain locker. The windlass is mounted on deck, with a control unit stowed inside the forepeak, and the anchor stows under the chunky moulded bowsprit with tack points for Code Zero and gennaker.

This level of space and comfort in a boat that is enjoyable to sail is a real achievement. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Construction is the tried-and-tested Bavaria method, with all laminates laid up by hand, a moulded keel grid bonded into the hull, and deck and hull bonded together. We didn’t have big seas, but things seemed quiet down below even when sailing hard, and it was also noticeable that the boat didn’t slam as it took on the wind-against-tide Solent chop.

Heading below, there is a ridiculous amount of space, allowing Bavaria to offer a large number of standard layout options of three, four or five cabins, sleeping up to 12 on board if you include the saloon.

Our test boat was the four-cabin version, each with its own ensuite heads, which will be popular with charter companies. The starboard aft heads can also be a Pullman bunk cabin for an extra two beds, or the port heads can become a utility space.

The large saloon is dominated by the C-shaped seating to starboard, a generous galley and the raised chart table. Photo: Paul Wyeth

In our layout, the forward cabin is split into two. They’re not huge cabins, but perfectly comfortable, especially as they are ensuite. Most owners will, however, probably go for the single cabin forwards, which gives a palatial amount of space with a massive island berth, and comes all the way aft to the mast support,with the option of split shower and toilet compartments.

Whatever you opt for, all berths are over 2m long and the narrowest is 147cm wide at the head end, even if they narrow towards the feet. Furthermore, there’s never less than 193cm of headroom throughout thanks to the high topsides. In the saloon, the C-shaped seating takes pride of place to starboard with a large single-piece dining table, around which you’ll easily fit eight or more for dinner. One neat touch was the sliding box seat which can be tucked under the table or pulled out, and can be secured for sea with a screw-knob at each end.

The galley is bestowed with a large drawer fridge as well as top-opening fridge/freezer. Overhead lockers provide lots of stowage and there’s an air filter above the hob. Photo: Paul Wyeth

Light and airy spaces

To port, Bavaria have gone back to a proper chart table (huzzah!), raised above the level of the galley for imperious views and loads of space, while the galley is a large L-shaped arrangement forwards. You’ll want a bum-strap if cooking underway as there’s nothing to brace against on port tack, but in harbour you’ve got all the creature comforts of massive fridges, lots of stowage, including a fiddled shelf outboard of the work surface, and even a cooking fumes filter (not a full extractor), which folds out above the hob.

With multiple opening hatches, big coachroof windows and four hull windows along each side of the boat, there’s no shortage of light or air below. Bavaria have worked hard to raise the level of finish on this boat, and while many of the features are on the options list, leather covers for stainless steel handrails, fabric bulkhead detailing, and proper hull and deckhead linings all make this boat feel more luxurious.

In the single forward cabin version, a huge island double takes pride of place and the door bulkhead goes aft to the mast support. Photo: Paul Wyeth

There are grab holds where you need them on the whole, including at the companionaway, on the inboard end of the galley, and a central grab rail along the deckhead to help traverse open spaces when underway. Solid wood edges and corners have been used on all the joinery, which will help protect veneers from knocks and bumps in years to come.

There’s oodles of stowage below the seating in the saloon, in the bench seat and in overhead lockers on either side. Tankage is reasonable too, with up to nearly 800 litres of water (554 litres is standard) and 245 litres of fuel – more than enough to keep the Yanmar 50hp (or optional 80hp) ticking along nicely for a while. Of course, if you run the generator or air-conditioning, which this boat is fitted with, you’ll get through it slightly quicker, but there’s plenty of water for showers for everyone.

Access to the engine is pretty good, though with the genset on this boat mounted on a steel frame above the engine, things in the engine compartment are fairly cosy.

Bavaria have done a good job with this boat. The concept of high-volume, extra comfortable cruising platform works well, and the C46 has the muscle to back up the volume. The finishing touches on our test boat made this feel like a place you’d enjoy spending time. When I was poking around on board I was impressed with the quality and level of finish to which this boat was put together. You’d hope so, given that you can easily spend well over half a million pounds by the time you’ve finished with the options list, though for a standard UK spec you’ll be about on par with a Dehler 46SQ and Hanse 460 for price.

The same but (very) different

The new Bavaria C38 follows hard on the heels of the multiple award-winning and super-successful C42... but the design of Bavaria’s new slightly smaller model was far from being an exercise in scaling

The Bavaria C42 was a storming success and a turning point for the brand. Launched early last year (and reviewed in our April 2020 edition), it convincingly won the European Yacht Of The Year Award and then beat some strong contenders from the big French builders to win a major award on their home turf, Voile Magazine’s Boat Of The Year. The judges of both awards were surprised to discover that this competitively priced, production-built family cruiser could be so fast, responsive and rewarding to sail, while also offering a huge amount of internal volume. Voile Magazine’s verdict speaks volumes about that boat, comparing the feel of the helm and general sailing sensations with those of a far more expensive Italian or Scandinavian performance cruiser. With all that to live up to the bar was set very high indeed for the next model in the range, the Bavaria C38, launched last month at Venice Boat Show.

The Bavaria C38 is unlikely to win those awards, for the best possible reason – it’s far too similar to the C42, and equally good on the water. But maybe she will win other awards. Once again the first test reports enthuse about the same excellent sailing qualities, ample living space and value for money, expressing surprise that a yacht can at the same time be so easy and yet rewarding to sail. ‘The concept is the same but it’s not just scaled down,’ says Maurizio Cossutti, whose studio designed both boats. ‘The parameters change, interior weight and GRP weight are not scaled down in the same manner but we kept for example the same sail area to displacement and sail area to wetted surface ratios.’

Bavaria Yachts and Cossutti have clearly hit on a winning formula. Far from suffering a sophomore slump like the proverbial rock band producing its ‘difficult’ second album, this second generation of Cossutti Bavarias has surpassed almost everyone’s expectations. So what’s the secret? The talents of Cossutti and his design partner Alessandro Ganz are beyond any doubt; Bavaria’s boats have always been astutely positioned in the market and well-engineered; but there’s more to it than that. Intensely close collaboration between Cossutti’s team and Bavaria’s production managers, not just in the design loop and prototyping phase but throughout the process of putting new models into production, is what made the difference.

The sailing performance and helm response of these second-generation C-Line boats are partly down to a Cossutti innovation that solves a problem at one end of the boat by addressing it at the other end. Rather than relying on twin rudders to control the unbalanced hull form that inevitably results from the highvolume aft quarters that production cruisers are expected to have, Cossutti rebalanced the hull shape by adding extra buoyancy to the bow with a deep-V forefoot and put hard chines on the aft quarters in exactly the right position. The bow doesn’t dig in when the boat heels, so a single rudder stays fully immersed and the hull remains directionally stable, sitting on its leeward chine. And a single rudder is very useful for a family cruiser, making it much easier to manoeuvre in marinas with the benefit of prop wash.

But that’s only part of it. The other key performance-enhancing features are invisible and stem from the deep collaboration between Cossutti, Ganz and Udo Erbe, product manager for sailing boats at Bavaria Yachts. All aspects of both designs were conceived and developed with the constraints of efficient mass production foremost in mind, and the C-Line hulls are remarkably stiff as a result. ‘You really can feel it when you sail the boat,’ Cossutti says.

How is that stiffness achieved? ’Lamination is a very important part of it,’ Erbe explains. ‘We do it completely in house for all the big parts, hull, deck and liners.’ The sides of all bulkheads are laminated strongly to the hull and they slot into deep receiving sockets in the hull liners, which are filled with a vinylester-based structural bonding paste rather than the usual mastic. But while the production expert embraced the designer’s drive to stiffen up the boats with more internal lamination– which inevitably takes more time on the production line – he found other ways to speed things up. ‘The first C-Line boats were vacuum-infused but we realised that for mass production we are able to do it to a very high quality level in the standard way of wet lamination,’ Erbe says. ‘And here we are really experienced in the yard. We have to accept that wet lamination is a bit heavier but in mass production we always have to find the best compromise of quality, weight and cost.’ As well as saving time, Bavaria’s wet lamination produces a hull that’s only 200-300kg heavier than a vacuum-infused equivalent – a problem for a raceboat but not for a cruiser with good load-carrying ability and moderate displacement. Aren’t there a lot more voids in the GRP? Not really. ‘It is more challenging,’ Erbe says, ‘but we have a lot of experience in the lamination shop so we can achieve this goal with wet lamination.’

‘We also found that vacuum infusion produced so much more mess, and waste,’ says Bavaria’s Marcus Schlichting. ‘To save 300kg in a hull you produce a huge amount of pollution and when the boat’s in the water, two boxes of beer will kill the advantage of vacuum infusion.’

Another big efficiency gain was the decision to design both models concurrently, rather than one after the other, using as many of the same components and structures as possible. From a production point of view the Bavaria C38 and C42 are about 90 per cent exactly the same. ‘Everything is similar in production,’ Erbe says. ‘The way of routing the electrical harness and water pipes, the same positions for the tanks and so on – it makes sense to speed up production. The guys who work on the line, sometimes they really can’t tell if the boat they’re working on is a 38 or a 42 because the technical things are all so similar. That’s one of the main reasons why Bavaria is able to achieve such a good ratio of quality and price.’

The prototyping and pre-production processes have also speeded up significantly, so it now takes a lot less time to bring a new model to market. Previously, three prototypes would be made and then a lengthy process of optimising the build for the production line would commence. After that, a pre-series production run was needed to set goals and targets for quality, time and safety. ‘With the 42 and 38, people from the production line were invited to build the first prototype, then the second and third prototypes were actually built on the line,’ Schlichting says. ‘

Total build time for these boats is six to eight weeks, with six completed yachts (including two 42s and two 38s) coming off the C-Line production line every week. Demand is extremely strong at the time of writing and the order book is full for about the next ten months. Overall, the Bavaria factory is producing 16 motorboats and sailing yachts per week.

The key to all this efficiency is intense collaboration between Bavaria’s team and Cossutti’s. ‘The designer’s approach to a sailing boat often goes from outside to inside, looking first at the hull and getting it optimised for sailing, while our focus is from the inside first then going out,’ Erbe explains. ‘But with Maurizio we did both at once, working together on the integration of naval architecture, structural calculations, systems and interiors.’ Throughout this process the two boats were not just optimised for mass production but specifically designed to slot efficiently into Bavaria’s existing production line workflow.

‘When we presented the design of 42 for the first time we had already discussed and agreed basically half of the boat,’ Cossutti says. ‘And when we met in the yard for the first brainstorming session about the 38, after one week of focused work around the table we had checked everything from the design point of view to the routing of cables and pipes. By the end of the week we had a really precise definition of the boat. Then we just made the final drawings and sent them to production.’

It doesn’t usually work like that. ‘We normally have the yard or the customer asking to change things when we’re in the middle of the design stage so we have to go back and redo it,’ Cossuti says. ‘This time it was decided and settled – let’s go. It took a bit more time to design things but everything after that was much faster.’

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. ‘I sailed the 38 back in November,’ Schlichting says. It’s very easy to sail but if you’re an old racing guy like me you can sail it more than a knot faster. It’s not like stepping into a lorry when you know you can never drive fast, you can use it either as a Porsche or as an SUV. I’ve never had that on a sailing boat before.’

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• Sailboat Reviews

Bavaria 38 Ocean

This german-built production cruiser has first-class construction and is favorably priced. for serious cruising, however, she does have a few drawbacks such as a small galley and marginal sea berths..

In our travels to the boat shows, we’ve noticed an increased number of German and Scandinavian boats distributed in the U.S. by American dealerships. Part of the reason, certainly, is favorable exchange rates. To get a feel for how these boats stack up to their American and French counterparts, we decided to test sail the German-built Bavaria 38 Ocean. In a nutshell, it’s a well-built, comfortable cruiser with a small sailplan that may be well suited to offshore passage-making, but will not be exactly spirited in light air.

The Company Bavaria Yachts is a family-owned operation that began as the manufacturer of glass windows. Today, it produces boats in a new, modern plant in Giebelstadt, Germany. The firm evolved into the boatbuilding business in 1970’s, and currently produces approximately 450 boats per year, ranging in size from 29′ to 50′. Bavaria builds several distinct lines. Heavy emphasis is placed on the Holiday series, multi-cabin cruisers destined for the charter fleets in the Mediterranean. The Exclusive line consists of traditional aft cockpit sloops with fewer sleeping compartments, and a large master stateroom. The 38 Ocean features a center-cockpit intended for family cruising. The first boats imported to North America began arriving in 1995, and are in service in a charter fleet in the Pacific Northwest.

Though the company may not have the decades-old pedigree of some competitors, it enjoys among Europeans a reputation as the builder of sturdy, seaworthy boats. Bavaria funds the cost of two Lloyd’s inspectors who are permanently on site to inspect each boat as it works its way through the production line. Consequently, boats aren’t simply “built to Lloyd’s specifications,” but are issued a Germanischer Lloyd A5 certificate that covers hull, rig, engine, electrical system and locking devices.

Design Bavaria yachts are designed by the J and J design office, a relatively obscure firm founded by brothers Jernej and Japec Jakopin in 1983. Their first yacht, the Elan 31, was an immediate success, winning the 3/4 Ton world championships; more than 700 were produced. The firm subsequently formed a boat engineering company, Seaway, that offers marketing, design, tooling and prototyping services.

J and J works with more than 20 production yards in Europe, and has designed boats for Jeanneau, Bavaria, and Dufour, in collaboration with Bruce Farr, Doug Peterson and the Jeanneau design team. Three designs received Boat of the Year awards at the 1997 Dusseldorf boat show.

The pleasing lines of the Holiday and Exclusive models are similar in appearance to many Baltic, Swan, Wauquiez and Swedish Yachts.

The Ocean 38 Ocean, because it is a center-cockpit design, presents a different look. Its beam is considerable (13′ 2″), which gives us some concern regarding inverse stability and upwind performance. On the other hand, it makes for a large interior and increases initial stability.

The displacement/length (D/L) ratio is 217, and the sail area/displacement (SA/D) ratio is 17.8, numbers that are reasonable for most coastal cruising conditions. The D/L is a bit low for what most people would consider suitable for blue-water cruising.

The whale’s tail fin keel and spade rudder represent current thinking to improve lift and control. The boat is available with either 5′ 1″ or 6′ 5″ draft.

We think that one of the major drawbacks of a center cockpit arrangement is the height above the water, which can translate to mal de mer in heavy seas when the boat pitches and rolls; the tradeoff is a drier ride, even when pounding to weather, as we learned on a trip from San Francisco to Hawaii.

Construction The firm boasts that most of its employees have been working for Bavaria for more than 10 years, most having come through its formal apprenticeship program. A video we reviewed showed the operation to be highly efficient. Wood is brought into the wood shop as logs and milled; workers in the lay-up process are presented with shopping carts filled with numbered sheets of fiberglass that have been precut to specific sizes by a computer, and premixed containers of resin, so there is no deviation in the lay-up.

The downside to this rigid approach is that no customizing is possible. As Henry Ford said, “You can have any color you want as long as it’s black.”

The lay-up methods are fairly straightforward. The outer skin is powder-bonded glass mat and isopthalic resins. The hull below the waterline is solid fiberglass laid up to a thickness of 32 mm with alternating layers of 15-ounce and 20-ounce Verotex woven roving. The forward section of the hull, from the bow aft to the first bulkhead, is reinforced with a 2-mm thick layer of Kevlar. Additional strength is provided by double layers of fiberglass extending 12″ to either side of the centerline from the bow to the rudderpost, and a double lamination on the keel flange, a Lloyd’s requirement.

The hull is additionally strengthened by solid fiberglass stringers, and beams running athwartships that are bonded to the hull with S-glass. The engine bed is also laminated to the hull, and an aluminum engine bracket is glassed to its timbers so that engine bolts are lagged through the metal piece to the bed.

All of the interior bulkheads, as well as cabinetry and closets, are bonded to the hull before the deck is laid on. Areas around hatches are reinforced with marine-grade plywood.

A company video shows the boat sailing at full speed into a seawall. After the third collision, the boat is hauled, revealing only scrape marks in the bottom paint.

The hull above the waterline as well as the deck are cored with 15-mm Divinycell to provide strength, warmth, and a noise barrier.

The method of attaching deck hardware is unique. Winches and cleats are mounted to 3/4″ thick aluminum backing plates bonded into the deck.

Deck Layout Because the boat is targeted for cruisers who are more likely to hoist a reacher or drifter than a spinnaker, the deck arrangement is rather simple. In fact, there are only four winches. The primary sheet winches are Harken 44 self-tailers, and on the coachroof, to handle halyards, reefing and furling lines there are two Harken 40’s aft of Rutgerson rope clutches. Track for the jib cars is located at the base of the deckhouse and is equipped with Rutgerson cars, as is the mainsheet, which is located at the aft end of the cockpit.

Though there’s adequate room in the cockpit to seat six passengers, and enough length for a 6-footer to stretch out for a nap, we discovered that the steering pedestal can inhibit crew work. The helmsman will find the mainsheet, which is located on the aft coaming of the cockpit, and both jib winches, to be within close reach from the normal steering position. However, because jib winches are well aft, crew will soon discover that moving from windward to leeward will require navigating forward around the front of the pedestal on tacks, or aft of the cockpit. Our test boat was equipped with a storm dodger that extended aft from the five-piece windshield. This arrangement kept us out of the wind on a cold winter day. When tacking, however, we found it difficult to make the trip across the boat in the space between the dodger and front of the pedestal.

With 16″ of pathway between the teak toerail and the cabin trunk, movement fore and aft is easy; additionally, boats are equipped with double lifelines, stainless steel stanchions, a bow pulpit and pulpits on each corner of the stern. So, with the addition of jacklines, a crew can operate in relative safety, even at night. The boat is a 9/10 fractional rig, which we think performs more like a typical masthead rig. The mast is a tapered, double spreader Selden spar supported by 3/8″ wire standing rigging. Standard equipment includes a Furlex headsail furler, hard vang, topping lift, and hand-cranked backstay adjuster. The sail inventory consists of a 5.7-ounce Dacron Elvstrom mainsail with car sliding system and two reef points. Buyers can opt for a conventional, fully-battened main, or an in-mast furling mainsail at no additional cost. Selection of the furling mainsail reduces the size of the mainsail by 75 square feet, and the ability to shape the sail.

Stowage on the deck is in several large areas. The bow area has a chain locker large enough for an electric winch, as well as 100′ of 3/8″ chain, and rope. The stainless steel double roller, which houses a 44-lb. CQR anchor, is designed to can’tilever downwards when the anchor is lowered. This simplifies the task while avoiding damage to the gelcoat. A second stowage area aft of the locker is large enough for dock lines and fenders, and the windlass motor.

Stowage to starboard in the stern is designated for fire extinguishers; to port is a locker for propane tanks. European boats are typically plumbed for butane, so the aft compartment of boats headed for North America must be modified to provide space for propane tanks, since sizes and shapes are dramatically different. The compartment is properly vented overboard.

The stern is clearly designed for the casual cruiser. It houses a two-step swim platform equipped with a stainless steel ladder hinged to go in the water, and a freshwater shower. The emergency rudder mounts outboard on the platform. Long-distance cruisers will be challenged by the engineering necessary to mount a mechanical wind vane.

Belowdecks The generous beam of the Bavaria 38 Ocean provides large, comfortable spaces in which to lounge and sleep. The workmanship is of a quality found in boats costing considerably more.

The layout of the saloon is fairly typical, with the galley and the engine compartment beneath the companionway. A folding dining table and 6′ 6″ settee are located to port. A similarly sized settee is to starboard, forward of the nav station. The head, with doors from the saloon or the skipper’s stateroom, is to starboard.

The boat is particularly well ventilated by four deck hatches, three forward and one in the aft stateroom, and four opening ports on each side of the deckhouse. We found the boat to be well lighted, even on a cloudy, rainy day.

The master stateroom spans the stern and has a 6′ long, 5′ 6″ wide berth in the center of a compartment having 6′ feet of headroom that is surrounded by finely finished mahogany closets and cabinetry, and heavy, 3″ cushions. Because boats seem to shrink in size in proportion to the number of people aboard, we liked the fact that both staterooms have sitting areas that, albeit small, provide some private space.

The head, which is subdivided by a plastic curtain, is equipped with a single stainless sink, hot and cold water, and a medicine cabinet. The shower area has 6′ of headroom and 30″ of elbow room.

The V-berth measures 6′ 4″ on the centerline, and is 6′ wide at the head, tapering to 18″ at the bow. Cabinetry includes a 43″ tall hanging locker to starboard and a similarly sized cabinet with three shelves to port.

About the only drawbacks we noted were the lack of a good, tight sea berth or two, and the size of working space available in the navigation station and galley, which oppose each other amidships near the companionway. But while one might wish them larger, the space would have to be subtracted from the dining area and head. One must remember that despite its great beam, this boat is still just 38′ LOA. The working surface on the nav station is only 22″ deep and 38″ wide. The galley runs fore and aft, and is equipped with a double stainless steel sink, two burner stove, and an L-shaped countertop. There’s adequate working space on the 24″ x 66″ countertop when the stove is covered. However, when the stove is in use, 24″ of countertop are lost, so the cook may have to use the dining table for preparations.

The boat’s mechanical systems are well-conceived and executed.

The engine compartment is accessible by removing the companionway steps, and via a removable panel in the galley. This permits one to work on all four sides of the engine. The Whitlock cable steering system is directly overhead and easy to inspect or service.

Wiring and plumbing are accessible by removing wooden panels in the back of stowage compartments. We found all wiring to be bundled and wrapped every 6″, which reduces the possibility of chafe. Through-hulls are bronze with stainless steel ball valves, and all hoses and manifolds are accessible and double clamped. Though the headliner is not removable, deck hardware fasteners can be inspected by removing mahogany covers attached to the overhead.

Performance We tested the boat on a rainy day on flat water in wind speeds ranging from 15-22 knots. Whether you like the looks of the five-section permanent windshield is a personal matter, but it certainly affords superior protection from the weather and is easy to see through. The center section opens to provide ventilation. There certainly is a trend amongst cruisers toward hard dodgers or at least hard-top dodgers, and a permanent windscreen is a good foundation from which to design an all-weather enclosure.

Under power, the 50-hp. Volvo Penta, equipped with a fixed, 3-blade prop, powered the boat into 10 knots of wind at 7 knots at 2,500 rpm. We noticed that at 2,100 rpm the noise level belowdecks allowed conversation at normal voice levels; at 2,500 rpm engine noise was more noticeable.

The saildrive has pros and cons. Its horizontal thrust is efficient, but the aluminum housing is vulnerable to corrosion, particularly from stray AC currents in marinas. Owners should monitor the unit carefully. The Wauquiez Pretorien 35 reviewed last month also has a saildrive, and owners were cautioned to regularly replace the zincs and to dive on it for a visual inspection every 90 days.

The boat proved responsive to the helm, and easily turned a tight 360°. She also tracked well in reverse, even in gusty conditions.

Our test boat had both furling main and jib, which will simplify sailhandling for cruising couples. The furling main looked disproportionately small for this size boat. We also learned rather quickly the importance of fully hoisting the main; if there’s a scallop at the tack, the sail will not furl into the mast.

We began the test sail with a full main and 150% genoa and discovered very quickly that we were overcanvassed. We shortened the jib to about 90% and in this configuration we sailed comfortably to within 40° of the apparent wind at just less than 6 knots. The boat tracked well. Because the jib sheeting angle is 16°, it is unlikely the boat will sail closer to the wind. Speed increased to 7.5 knots when we footed off and sailed at 85°, but she became less stable so we further reduced the headsail. She proved more manageable at 120°.

We suspect that owners will be motoring until wind speed reaches 6-8 knots, and using the 150% genoa until wind speed reaches 10 knots. In stiffer breezes, she’ll need a shortened headsail or reef in the main. However, with a properly balanced sailplan, we think most cruisers will find the boat manageable and comfortable.

Sailors in gusty conditions, such as San Francisco Bay, will find a sail inventory consisting of main and genoa to be adequate; the need for a light air drifter or reacher will become apparent where winds are lighter.

Conclusion We think the Bavaria is an exceptionally well-built boat. She’s finely finished; gelcoat surfaces are smooth; and joinerwork is of the highest quality. Crew and guests will find accommodations below to be spacious and well-appointed.

The Bavaria 38 Ocean comes well-equipped with brand-name hardware, Par head, Espar forced-air heater, and a Coolmatic 12-volt refrigeration system that fared poorly in our December 1, 1996 test. Though securing foreign replacement parts can be a headache, the North American distributor maintains a modest inventory of post-1992 parts for all Bavaria yachts.

The boat comes with an extensive list of standard equipment such as teak cockpit seating and sole, ICOM VHF radio, Autohelm ST 50 instruments, dodger, windlass and anchor with 165′ of chain.

Given current exchange rates and a sailaway price of $189,900 (US), fob Seattle, or $182,990 (US), fob Annapolis, we think the boat is a very good value. For comparison, the somewhat larger Jeanneau 40 Deck Saloon 40 lists at $190,000 and the superb but somewhat smaller Halberg Rassy 36 at a bit under $200,000. A more run-of-the-mill production boat, such as the Beneteau Oceanis 381, starts at $138,000.

Contact- Yacht Sales West, Unit B, 2144 Westlake Ave. N, Seattle, WA, 98109; 206/378-0081. In Canada, Yacht Sales West, 1523 Foreshore Walk, Vancouver, BC, Canada; 604/488-1202.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

Bavaria Vision 46 review: from the archive

• Toby Hodges
• June 1, 2021

After a mixed reaction to their Cruiser range, Bavaria turned to superyacht specialists to vamp up the new Bavaria Vision 46. Toby Hodges finds out if a star has been born

This is the first Bavaria with an underdeck furler (Selden Furlex), a retractable bow thruster and an electric windlass in the sizeable chain locker. Credit: Paul Wyeth

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

Bringing in a big name to put their design stamp on a new range is an established way for a production builder to boost marketing potential – much like a Hollywood star being drafted into a movie to up box office appeal. But would the new Bavaria Vision 46 benefit from some start quality?

For the revamp of their Cruiser line, Bavaria contracted Farr Yacht Design for the naval architecture and BMW designworks USA for the styling. However, just as a Michael Fassbender or Naomi Watts on a billboard will not necessarily ensure a film’s success, the result was no crowd pleaser.

They produced a stiffer, more balanced and rewarding yacht than Bavaria cruisers of old, but the overall look was not pretty – the ports looked as if they were borrowed from an armoured van.

Faced with strong competition from Bénéteau’s Sense range, Elan’s Impression and Jeanneau’s Sun Odyssey, which were offering clients light, volume and comfort, Bavaria were forced to rethink for the new Vision line.

CEO Dr Jens Ludmann was brought in two years ago from the automotive industry and the Bavaria Vision 46 is the first launch under his watch.

His decision to commission superyacht specialists Design Unlimited for the deck and interior styling proved a shrewd one and, with Farr proving reliable with the hull design, the Bavaria Vision 46 made quite a splash last January.

The teardrop coachroof windows give her a modern look and the sheer level of fresh thinking that has helped make this Vision so light, comfortable and easy to spend time on is immediately obvious once you step aboard.

In fact, the quality throughout this boat shines. It’s the first time Bavaria have used a split mould, and the build has obviously been meticulous.

Then there’s the glitz of push-button gadgets to help promote the ease of sailing short-handed.

There have already been four sales of the Bavaria Vision 46 in the UK and we went to test the first with Clipper Marine.

Director Richard Hewett sees the Cruiser line more for those staying in the UK, while Vision clients head further afield. The test boat was going to a Scottish client who plans to cruise her in the Mediterranean.

Sailing the Bavaria Vision 46

Although styled by some of the best design brains in the business, the Bavaria Vision 46 is still a slab-sided lump to confront on the pontoon. But needs must; volume has to be conjured from somewhere.

The designers have clearly put a premium on cockpit comfort. Bavaria had an exclusivity deal with Lewmar to stock their new self-tacking Revo winches, which allow you to tack the boat at the push of a button.

Mounting the main and primary winches close to the twin wheels leaves the cockpit benches clear of lines, with one coachroof winch for halyards.

In perfect South Coast conditions – Force 4-5 and warm sun – we found the boat comfortable to sail.

• Although the side decks are narrow aft, the high coachroof and integrated rail makes it safe to go forward when heeled.

A single-point backstay leaves those beamy aft quarters unimpeded and, with cushioned backrests – which should surely double as lifebuoys – this area proved very comfortable for the helmsman.

Although from behind the wheel this seems a big boat, the Bavaria Vision 46 always felt manageable.

Beside the wheel an area has been sculpted out to allow the helmsman to straddle the wheel, rest a foot on the pedestal and reach the primaries.

Foot chocks on the sole are well-positioned for helmsman and crew, and it’s easy to move between wheels. Visibility forward (with the sprayhood down) is good.

In 15-18 knots boat speed was adequate – and this was backed up by the polars – thanks to a long waterline that’s just a foot shorter than LOA, although it was hard to ascertain precisely with a roaring spring ebb and no working paddlewheel log.

Push-button tacking

Winches that tack the sheets across automatically at the push of a button are a strange new phenomenon to get your head around: hold a button down and the active winch begins to backwind. Then after a pause to allow the bow to swing, the other winch winds in automatically.

The system certainly worked, but Bavaria’s control panel needs rethinking as it is not intuitive. I have since sailed a Hallberg-Rassy with a similar system which had a much clearer control panel.

Bavaria’s Trim Control system can be linked into a Garmin plotter and autopilot, allowing the helmsman to press ‘tack’ and the whole thing will happen automatically. It’s still a lot to keep an eye on if you are sailing single-handed.

It was certainly necessary to monitor the active winch to make sure it was releasing correctly as the backwinding winch sometimes didn’t release, which could cause a pickle in a tack.

You can also control the mainsheet in and out from the panel if you have the sheet rigged to the coachroof winch.

The test boat had the mainsheet split-sheeted and led aft, which I preferred, as we could take up the windward winch to coax the boom over and invoke some twist in the sail.

Once I got the hang of it, auto-tacking was very easy, though the Bavaria Vision 46 is set up well for short-handed sailing anyway.

Despite 24 knots over the deck and full sail, the cable-linked helms didn’t loaded up too much, and maintained admirable control when heeled.

The 105 per cent jib is a manageable size, even without electronic aid, and with chainplates outboard and sheets led to a track on the coachroof, the Bavaria Vision 46 points well, tacking in just over 80°.

Smart solutions

As you descend the offset companionway, the Bavaria Vision 46 feels stable, with solid grabrails leading down into a large inviting living area.

Thanks to the huge coachroof and hull windows, as well as overhead hatches and 7ft headroom, there is abundant natural light and a pleasant feeling of space.

The accommodation is offered in two or three-cabin formats – the latter has a second heads forward – but the standard layout with a twin aft cabin that converts to a double makes a practical option.

This provides a useful work/locker space accessed through the heads. The offset companion creates room for a central island.

Rather than simply creating extra galley space, it provides something to lean against when working in the galley, making it a practical place at sea.

All sole panels have lifting latches – a big plus to make bilge checking and stowage accessible – and the plumbing and hot water tank are neatly contained beside the galley.

However, it’s a pity all the ply edges and end-grain is left untreated. Bavaria have also chosen an impractical white material for some vertical panels, which was already getting grubby.

But nitpicking aside, there’s so much smart thinking throughout, including superb stowage solutions and dual-role tables and chairs that swivel and lift, combined with a good level of finish, that this makes for a very impressive, game-changing interior.

On deck details

• Vast stowage in the cockpit quarter lockers, aft lazarette and (in this format) the workshop.
• The cockpit table is a piece of engineering, lowering telescopically on support legs that meet lugs on the sole. The tabletop swivels to form a sunbed.
• The central aft bench lifts on struts for access to the drop-down swim platform, and includes a bracket to hold the shower head, providing a proper shower on the aft platform. Nice.
• This is the first Bavaria with an underdeck furler (Selden Furlex), a retractable bow thruster and an electric windlass in the sizeable chain locker.
• When raised, the sprayhood is, unfortunately, at perfect height to smack foreheads (1.7m).

Below deck on the Bavaria Vision 46

A light and comfortable area, but there is no navstation.

Instead the central part of the portside sofa can be raised and locked in place, the cushion removed to convert it to a coffee table cum makeshift chart table with lifting lid.

The saloon is a light and comfortable area, but doesn’t have a navstsaion.

It’s a clever idea, as long as you don’t mind reducing your navigation area to such a paltry minimum.

The saloon table is a clever jigsaw puzzle, which swivels and lowers, using sole boards raised vertically each end to act as supports. There’s practical, accessible stowage below soles and berth.

A good area to work in at sea. Above and abaft the twin sinks in the central island is an alcove for optional coffee machine or beer tap (it is German!), although I reckon this space would prove ideal as a draining rack.

Left: the central part of the portside sofa can be raised and locked in place and convert to a makeshift chart table. Right: there’s plenty of work surfaces in the galley.

Good stowage and a bin under the sinks.

There’s plenty of worksurface and the stowage space is first class: deep drawers, raised lockers, deep bilge for tins/bottles, pan stowage beneath the stove, plus a huge fridge.

Forward cabin

You step down into the forward cabin, so the 7ft headroom continues forward as far as the berth.

In this layout (no en-suite) this master cabin has a lavish amount of space and a vanity table with stool that is larger than the ‘chart table’.

This master cabin has a lavish amount of space.

There’s good stowage in two huge wardrobes and shelved cupboards to each side, and shoe slots in the bilge.

Alcoves in the forward bulkhead for books and cupholders are a neat touch.

A clever, versatile cabin, with twin berths that join to form a large double.

Good stowage and light, but headroom is constricted above the starboard berth.

Ventilation boards beneath berths lock into place.

The Bavaria Vision 46 is a highly innovative design, with a strict attention to detail, a premium regard for comfort and impressive build quality and styling throughout.

As such, the Vision 46 is a distinct step up in both quality and style, which was certainly needed to keep Bavaria up to speed with their French rivals.

Farr showed their influence in the Cruiser line and the Vision too demonstrates admirable seakeeping and is sturdier and quieter below at sea than any Bavaria I’ve sailed.

The German company have a good team in place now which, as well as Farr and Design Unlimited, includes Peter Meyer and Daniel Kohl to oversee the roll-out of the new lines.

With a Cruiser 33 and a 56 to come using the same fresh thinking and styling, it can only mean good things.

I’m glad all the gadgetry aboard is offered as an optional extra, as it’s easy to overcomplicate this simple, relaxing pastime.

But all the mod-cons aside, it’s the build quality and sailing ability that counts – and both impressed me. For a couple or family this new Vision looks a smart choice.

First published in the December 2012 issue of YW.

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