Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the keel is iron — a straightforward, traditional arrangement for a production cruiser of the period. With a length overall of 35 ft 3 in and a waterline of 29 ft 11 in, the 350 carries a beam of 11 ft 10 in and a stated displacement that sources differ on, with one quoted at 11,000 lb. The ballast ratio sits at 33 percent, which is higher than 15 percent of comparable designs, and the length-to-beam ratio of 2.99 describes a relatively broad boat. Her wetted surface runs about 376 sq ft, and the immersion rate is 1,212 lb per inch, meaning she settles meaningfully under cruising load. The draft is commonly around 5 ft 5 in but varies with load between roughly 5.4 and 5.7 ft, which keeps her into most marina berths.
Rig and Performance
The 350 is a masthead sloop, and the rig itself is one of her defining oddities: she carries more rig than 90 percent of similar sailboats, which places her firmly in overrigged territory. The reference sail plan yields a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.5, rising to 19.3 with a 135 percent genoa, and that figure puts her faster than 46 percent of similar designs in light wind. Halyard and sheet dimensions are generous — the mainsail and genoa halyards run 99.5 ft at half-inch diameter, jib and genoa sheets are 35.3 ft of 0.55-inch line, and the mainsheet is 88.2 ft long. Despite the powerful rig, her displacement-length ratio of 192 classes her among "moderate racers," and 79 percent of similar designs are heavier. The theoretical hull speed is 7.3 knots. The capsize screening value of 2.12 means she would not be accepted for ocean racing, and her Motion Comfort Ratio of 20.2 leaves her more comfortable than only 18 percent of similar boats — a stiff, brisk coastal cruiser rather than a soft-riding offshore passagemaker.
Accommodations
Inside, the 350 reads as a volume-driven design: compared with similar sailboats she is roomier than 73 percent of all other designs. Period reviews describe a big saloon and a very good chart table, with stowage called excellent throughout. The interior was judged a good compromise between seagoing and in-harbour comfort. The trade-off sits in the sleeping cabins, which reviewers found on the small side — the boat gives living space to the common areas and sacrifices private berth size to do it.
Versions and Market Position
The model came in owner and charter versions, and a third variant, the Sportline, offered a simplified inventory and lower specification at a reduced price. That tiered approach let Bavaria pitch the 350 as both a volume charter hull and a value-minded owner boat without altering the underlying good-quality basic product.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 350 is a broad, roomy, and strongly rigged coastal cruiser from the early nineties that traded private-cabin size and offshore comfort for saloon volume and a low purchase threshold. Her overrigged masthead plan gives her good light-air speed for her weight class, but the capsize and comfort numbers mark her as a sheltered-water boat rather than a bluewater candidate.
Pros
- Roomy interior: more spacious than 73 percent of similar designs, with a big saloon and excellent stowage
- Strong, overrigged masthead rig delivers above-median light-wind speed
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with iron keel; good-quality basic construction
- Shallow-enough draft to enter most marinas
Cons
- Sleeping cabins on the small side despite the large saloon
- Capsize screening of 2.12 excludes her from ocean racing
- Motion Comfort Ratio better than only 18 percent of similar boats
