Practical Boat Owner - January 2016

NEXT MONTHFrom Westerlys to superyachts: the designs of Ed Dubois

one of our ultimate aims. We saw the new Farr-designedand were very impressed, so we switched again and have not 46 Vision
been disappointed.has made a vast improvement to the overall performance of the ‘The difference in the hull design
boat. She has zero weather helm, and the configuration of the sheets back to the cockpit makes single-handed sailing simple. The
layout down below is great for two people and gives good additional accommodation for guests. The water tanks are placed in the bilges
next to the keel, so give additional ballast in the right place!’logged 13.9 knots reaching up Chris recalled one sail when he
Black Deep, eventually beating into Harwich at 8.5 knots.the additional strengthening in the ‘The boat is solid as a rock, and
new Farr design is really noticeable. There have been no structural issues with any of the boats, just the normal small ones with bolt-on
stuff which are easily rectified.’Sails like a witchWhich brings us onto the era when
Farr took over designing in 2009. Sailboat, testing it in the Caribbean, saying; ‘We had ideal conditions magazine grabbed an early
outside Grenada’s True Blue Bay – a strong 20-knot trade wind and a commensurate lumpy sea. The Cruiser, to put it bluntly, sails like 45

a witch and revelled in this environment. Certainly it is one of the better-performing mass-production cruisers I’ve ever been

aboard. We made 7.8 knots sailing at a 35° apparent wind angle, which increased to over 8 knots at a 40° angle and as high as 9.3

knots when we bore away to 60°.which are situated well outboard, you can easily maintain control of ‘Thanks to the twin rudders,

this super-wide craft even when it’s heeled over on its ear. The Cruiser 45 is comparable to most other mass-production cruising

boats as far as its cockpit, deck and interior layouts are concerned. Its sailing performance, however, at least in moderate to strong

wind, is exceptional.Great value‘The boat represents great value

for cruisers looking for both charter-boat comfort and performance-boat speed.’Despite Sail magazine’s

reservations on the BMW Group Designworks USA’s styling, that’s a rave review!Bavaria was not slow to rectify

the styling, employing Mark Tucker’s British firm Design Unlimited to work on new models.Mark told me: ‘Our first

commission was the exterior and interior styling for the Vision series. This led to us doing the styling for the current Bavaria sailing boats,

The new Bavaria 46 Vision

A Bavaria 45 Cruiser competing in the 2014 Round the Island Race

Bavaria Yachts

Sailing Scenes

Sailing Scenes

with all their exteriors styled by us and the interiors by us and Bavaria’s in-house team. On the exterior we worked hard to get

more light into the interiors, and we introduced clean lines to enhance the heritage of the earlier Bavarias.‘The interiors had very hard

edges so we made them more comfortable for use at sea. It is our aim to make Bavaria a leader in this sector of the market through

intelligent design and engineering. We own a Vision 42 and are constantly testing and thinking of new ideas.’

Design Unlimited clearly works. Andrew Thompson of Horizon Yacht Charters said: ‘The The dual move to Farr and

makeovers between 2013 and 2015 rectified the coachroof aesthetics, and I think Bavaria again has a very good-looking

range with performance to match.’was elected European Yacht of the Year in 2015 in the Family Cruiser Proving the point, the Cruiser 46

category – a singular honour that bodes well for the new range of seven cruisers from the 33 to the 56, two Visions, the economy Easy

9.7 and racing B/One. And of course the powerboat range gets ever bigger.

Second-hand marketIf you want to buy an older Bavaria, you have a huge choice. As with any yacht, a survey is essential.

Bavaria 42 – available second-hand from £50,000me: ‘They’re much of a muchness An experienced surveyor told

with other main production boats. However, over the last 15 years the bulkheads and inner tray liner mouldings have been bonded to

the hull with GRP, in addition to the bonding paste used by some builders, which is no bad thing.’He advised checking the keel

attachment on earlier models with lead keels, these having a smaller ‘footprint’ than iron keels; aluminium rudder stocks and

trunkings; watertightness around rig tie rods and stanchion bases; and the condition of old skin fittings and seacocks. He concluded: ‘A Bavaria

is a great value-for-money boat. I would have no qualms owning one, for the right money, but get a surveyor who knows Bavarias –

then you’ll be fine.’wrong. Bavarias stand up to the rigours of chartering, give sailing Thousands of buyers can’t be

families fun afloat and voyage across oceans. The Bavaria Owners’ Association is an added bonus, organising events and

giving help and advice.Bavaria appeals, find a model that suits your needs at a price that As my surveyor friend says, if a

makes sense and get her surveyed – then go sailing!

Boats – The Bavaria story