Boat Test: New Bavaria C46
A Teutonic treat: German boatbuilder Bavaria has long had a firm grasp on what its public is after and its new C46 is no exception as Sam Jefferson discovers.
About Bavaria
Some years back I was invited by the West Sweden Tourist Board to take a press trip to that area which would involve cruising around the area in a Swedish built Maxi yacht, sampling raw herrings, sweltering in saunas, whacking other journalists with bits of birch, eating Ryvita and generally discovering what a wonderful country Sweden was – especially if you aren’t paying. On the eve of the trip, our hosts came to us with a look of extreme anguish and announced in funereal tones that, due to financial turmoil at the Najad factory, Najad Yachts could no longer supply a boat and it was to be substituted with – a Bavaria.
Yes, it was clear that the word Bavaria itself left a bad taste. But why? Perhaps because there seems little sense in the incontrovertible fact that Bavaria Yachts, a company based in a particularly landlocked corner of the Black Forest, has become one of the biggest yacht manufacturers in the world. Think of all those proud craftsmen in Sweden with centuries of tradition in boatbuilding being usurped by this upstart company? The same applies to the UK; not so long ago one of the biggest manufacturers in the world and now…
So what has been the secret to their success? Part of it has definitely their ability to give the public what they want at a reasonable price. Let’s not forget that the choppiest financial waters Bavaria navigated came about a decade ago when the company seemed to get distracted by the idea of building big, luxury yachts like the Bavaria C65 – many miles from its core values – and got its fingers burnt in the process. Since then, the company has gone back to its roots and examined what it does best.
Introducing the Bavaria C46
All of which brings me to the Bavaria C46; a boat that is designed to carry a family and friends on a comfortable cruise with minimum fuss. This is the successor to the Bavaria C45 and, like her predecessor she is designed by Cossutti, who knows a thing or two about designing a stylish yacht that performs well. This is just as well because the other side of Bavaria’s brief is to absolutely maximise volume.
The boat is not strikingly different in style to her predecessor, the C45, the boat has a tad more beam and slightly less ballast – something meted by the greater form stability of her hull. The C46 follows the recent trend of boosting interior volume by giving the boat much fuller forward sections above the waterline which narrow markedly at waterline level. This keeps wetted surface area low in light airs but provides power and extra buoyancy when the boat is hard pressed and also means that you benefit from a really big forward cabin.
The styling is distinctive and very much of a piece with other yachts in the Bavaria ‘C’ range. Given the boats have relatively high freeboard, this can make the boats appear quite boxy – particularly the shorter yachts in the range such as the C38. Thankfully the increased waterline length of the C46 metes this considerably. The test boat was also dark blue which further ameliorated things and gave the C46 a sporty, purposeful look. In fact, the rig really is quite sporty as the boat boasts a generous sail area married to a deep spade rudder and L shaped keel. Ease of handling is obviously hey but Bavaria clearly saw the value of a big rig to get this 13,000kg displacement boat moving. Price wise, the boat is available at a base price of 315,000 Euros exc VAT but this test boat had a number of upgrades which took the price to 546,000 Euros exc VAT.
On deck
Step aboard and you find yourself in a big cockpit with twin tables and a corridor down the middle this runs all the way from the bathing platform to the companionway and makes for good ease of movement through the boat. The Bavaria is one of the new generation that leads all running rigging aft to the helm via channels in the coaming, The coachroof is therefore uncluttered by lines and winches and there is a nice separation between the working area of the boat aft of the helm and the seating area forward.
This seating area on the Bavaria C46 is very comfortable – particularly with the cushions in place as there is a nice curvature to the coamings. Aft, there are two pairs of winches by the helms and third pair further forward which seemed a bit superfluous but can be used for the Code 0 if necessary.
There was storage under the cockpit seats plus under the cockpit sole, where there was also an excellent access point to the cables for the steering gear and autopilot. The storage for the liferaft valise is tucked into the transom behind a well proportioned bathing platform which is raised and lowered electrically.
The seats for the helm had a plancha to starboard and a sink to port. There were good rope bins by the helm which were very effective at keeping everything neat and tidy. One minor criticism was that the electronic throttle situated on the starboard binnacle was positioned in such a manner that it was easy to nudge it or even grab it as you exited the cockpit – with alarming consequences. This is hull number one so it’s highly possible this will be resolved on later models.
Out on the side decks of the Bavaria C46, there was plenty of width and you felt nicely enclosed by the raised toe rail. The coachroof extends well forward and was uncluttered aside from a bridle for the mainsheet set just in front of the sprayhood. Aside from that, there is the traveller for the self tacking jib and the tracks for the genoa which are recessed into the coachroof. This means that the rest of the space can be used for lounging and sunbathing at anchor and there is a decent space forward of the mast for this purpose. Ahead of that is a really generous lazarette which can swallow up numerous sails, fenders or even a deflated dinghy. You also access the anchor locker from here via a hatch leading forward. The anchor roller is integrated into the fixed sprit which is used for setting the Code 0.
Down below on the Bavaria C46
The standard layout on the Bavaria C46 features a large u galley set to well forward and to port The galley was roomy and well laid out featuring all the luxuries you’d expect including a large drawer fridge – freezer plus a dishwasher and an extractor fan which I thought was a nice detail on a boat of this size – particularly with the galley set forward away from the ventilation of the companionway.
Set just aft of the galley on the same side was a decent sized chart table which was raised up somewhat and overlooked the galley. It was an arrangement that worked well and placed the galley at the heart of both this ‘office’ space and also the lounge area and dining table which was just to starboard. This is a huge seating area with a table that can be raised and lowered electrically so that it can be converted into a very large double berth if required.
Aft and to port is a storage cupboard which can accommodate a washing machine if you wish. To starboard is a large heads with separate shower stall. This is very spacious and has two doors to enable it to be a private ensuite for the starboard aft berth which on this boat was a spacious twin. With a decent amount of storage plus good extra access to the motor the port aft berth was a large double.
Up forward is a huge master cabin with equally huge heads compartment to starboard and separate shower to port. There was plentiful storage and also the possibility to walk around both sides of the bed in order to get into it. The overall feel down below on the Bavaria C46 was very pleasant with a good feeling of light and space. As with so many of these recent launches that utilise fuller lines forward to boost internal volume, this boat felt far larger than 46’. It’s worth mentioning that there are a number of other layout options available – all retain the basic saloon layout but offer more cabins with the option of splitting the huge fore cabin into two more modest doubles- both with their own en suites.
Meanwhile aft, you can convert the large heads area to starboard into a bunk room while the storage room to port then becomes the day heads. More cabins obviously works best for charter but I felt the standard set up of three cabins was probably the most sane.
Under sail
The weather on test day was unusual. The test was carried out in Marseille and the Rade de Marseille dished up conditions that varied from 5kn to 15kn max. The breeze was shifty and unreliable making for a good measure of performance although the sea was flat. We motored out of Marseille Vieux Port and then floored the throttle as the as the broker understandably wanted to let the engine breath. The test boat had the upgraded 85hp motor as opposed to the 55hp standard and the result of flooring the throttle was intriguing as the boat rapidly hit hull speed and there was still power to spare. Setting the sails was genuinely a breeze thanks to the in mast furling main and we unrolled the 100% overlapping genoa to give us more power in the initially fickle breezes. The boat responded well and in a manner that belied its 13,000kg displacement. On the wind we were able to pinch up to 32 degrees apparent but the boat was in a happier groove at around 38 degrees. At all times the steering was light and poised. As the wind built, the boat started to show an impressive pace.
Hard on the wind we were hitting 7.5-8.5kn and bearing away we peaked at 9kn which I felt was good going for a well equipped cruising yacht in about 12kn of breeze. Flat water always helps but even so, it was impressive and we rapidly overhauled an older yacht of similar size.
Sam’s verdict on the Bavaria C46
The Bavaria C46 is typical of the new wave of high volume cruisers that have taken full advantage of fuller lines forward to boost volume. There seems to be little trade off in terms of performance, which was impressive throughout although I would love to give the boat a go in a short, steep chop to see how it behaves. In terms of the interior volume, this was most impressive and I was also impressed by the style and feel of the boat inside. The quality felt good and the boat felt a cut above your standard cruising yacht. When it comes to mass production yachts, there are often only fine margins that make one boat better than another but this Bavaria seemed to have very few faults that I could pinpoint.
Bavaria C46 Specifications
LOA: 14.50m (47’6”)
Hull length: 13.95m (45’8”)
LWL: 13.32m (43’7”)
Beam: 4.70m (15’4”)
Draught: 2.30m (7’2”)
Draught (shoal): 1.75m (5’7”)
Sail area: 115m2
Ballast: 2,575kg (5,677 lbs)
Displacement: 12,730kg (28,065 lbs)
Price: Base: 315,000 Euros exc VAT, as tested: 546,000 Euros exc VAT
Builder: bavariayachts.com
UK Broker: Clippermarine.co.uk
Alternative boats:
Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490
The Sun Odyssey 490 has been around for a few years now but this Philippe Briand design remains a stalwart and flagship of the French manufacturer’s Sun Odyssey range. Despite being a 490, this boat is actually a shade shorter than the Bavaria.
Beneteau Oceanis 46.1
The Beneteau Oceanis was one of the trailblazers of the full forward section models, boasting a chine at the bow. The 46.1 scooped European Yacht of the Year back in 2019. The boat remains strikingly modern inside and out.
Dufour 470
Launched in 2021 and probably the yacht that shares the most with the Bavaria in terms of styling and interior volume. The Dufour 470 is designed by Umberto Felci and boasts very full forward sections which absolutely maximise volume.
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