Design and Construction
Below the waterline the hull is solid glass-reinforced plastic, while above the line and on deck the structure shifts to a foam core that keeps weight down and stiffens the topsides solid GRP below the waterline. A laminated grid in the bilges carries structural strength, and the cast-iron fin-and-bulb keel draws 1.95 metres in the standard deep version, with a 1.5-metre shoal draft offered for thinner water. The deep-fin profile is credited with good manoeuvrability in harbour. Chainplates are mounted externally just beneath a solid aluminium toe-rail, a straightforward production approach rather than a hidden structure.
The interior was styled by BMW, and the result is a saloon and cabin plan that feels unusually bright and open for the length. That lightness comes partly from the foam-cored upper hull, but the finish itself is thin plastic panelling beside the bunks and in the saloon — material that on first glance reads as wood but is not. Lift a cushion and the plywood joinery edges show as sanded but unsealed, with a few spots finished in visible sealant rather than traditional joinery. It is a practical, modern production interior rather than a hand-finished one.
Rig and Handling
Getting her sailing is supremely easy thanks to standard in-mast furling, and the main is sheeted directly onto the cockpit table with no traveller at all — a deliberate simplification for casual cruising. Swept-back spreaders and an outboard chainplate arrangement suit the small non-overlapping jib, though the lower shrouds cut straight across the sidedeck and are a little awkward underfoot going forward. Under power the sail drive gives little prop kick, and the review boat's 30hp option produced a 5-knot cruise at 2,000rpm, stretching to 5.8 knots at 2,500rpm; the standard engine is rated at 18hp. Under sail she proved genuinely quick upwind, skimming at 4 knots on 35 degrees apparent in a mere 5–6 knots of breeze.
Accommodations
The two-cabin layout places a v-berth forward and an enormous double aft that reaches under the cockpit sole, lit by hull and cockpit portlights with a useful shelf along the bunk. The saloon seats six with nearly six feet of headroom, built around an enormous table with cutlery drawers and a central glasses locker. A small chart table works from the port settee, and instead of a washboard the companionway wears a handsome pair of saloon doors that admit light when closed. The galley is small but functional, with sink and hob covers to extend the counter, while the heads is a proper wet room with independent shower that would shame many 40-footers. A waist-height holding-tank locker and an easily reached outlet seacock under the sink keep sanitation practical, and a generous wet locker suits northern-European sailing.
Above decks the cockpit is secure behind a high forward coaming whose gentle slope doubles as a backrest, and the cockpit table is large enough for six at sundowners with its own stowage. A deep, wide locker swallows a dinghy or paddleboards, though its access hatch is small for the space. The helm seat folds down drawbridge-style into a swimming platform with steps, and hull colour is offered in distinctive pale grey or white.
Known Issues
The rigging layout leaves a couple of real-world gaps. The jackstays on the test boat did not extend to the bow, so a furler problem forward could put a crew member in an exposed spot. The engine bay is roomy, but the seacock located behind the engine becomes difficult to operate once it has warmed up. Below, the unsealed plywood edges and thin panelling are vulnerable to damp over time, and the sidedeck lowers remain a minor trip hazard.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 32 Cruiser is a Farr-shaped small cruiser that punches above its 10 metres for space and light, with a genuinely sociable cockpit and a remarkably roomy heads. Easy handling via in-mast furling and travellerless sheeting makes her a confident couple's or family boat, while the deep-fin keel and upwind turn of speed are real assets. The trade-offs are production-interior finish that needs damp vigilance, a few deck safety and access niggles, and a standard engine that suits fair-weather motoring more than fighting tide.
Pros
- Bright, spacious two-cabin interior with near-6ft headroom and a 40-footer-grade wet-room heads
- Easy short-handed sailing from in-mast furling and cockpit-table mainsheet
- Lively upwind performance and good manoeuvrability from the deep-fin keel
- Practical sanitation layout with accessible holding-tank seacock and waist-height locker
Cons
- Jackstays not reaching the bow on surveyed boats
- Engine seacock awkward to reach when hot; standard 18hp modest against current
- Unsealed plywood edges and thin plastic panelling need dampness discipline
- Sidedeck lower shrouds awkward; cockpit locker hatch small for the space
