Introduced in 1991, the 350 is remembered as the boat that established Bavaria’s reputation as a low-price option in the European market. Even so, its basic hull and deck were regarded as a good-quality product rather than a cut-rate shell.
Design and Construction
The hull and deck are both solid fiberglass, and the keel is iron—a straightforward, traditional arrangement for a production cruiser of the period.
The 350 measures 35 ft 3 in overall, with a waterline length of 29 ft 11 in and a beam of 11 ft 10 in. Sources differ on the stated displacement, with one figure quoted at 11,000 lb. The length-to-beam ratio of 2.99 describes a relatively broad boat.
The ballast ratio is 33 percent, higher than 15 percent of comparable designs. Wetted surface is about 376 sq ft, while the immersion rate is 1,212 lb per inch, meaning the boat settles meaningfully under cruising load.
Draft is commonly around 5 ft 5 in, though it varies with load from roughly 5.4 to 5.7 ft. That keeps the 350 within the limits of most marina berths.
Rig and Performance
The 350 is a masthead sloop, and its rig is one of the boat’s defining oddities. It carries more rig than 90 percent of similar sailboats, putting it firmly in overrigged territory.
The reference sail plan produces a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.5, rising to 19.3 with a 135 percent genoa. That figure makes the 350 faster in light wind than 46 percent of similar designs.
Halyard and sheet dimensions are generous. The mainsail and genoa halyards are each 99.5 ft long and half an inch in diameter. The jib and genoa sheets are 35.3 ft lengths of 0.55-inch line, and the mainsheet is 88.2 ft long.
Despite the powerful rig, the displacement-length ratio of 192 places the boat 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 the 350 wouldn’t be accepted for ocean racing. Its Motion Comfort Ratio of 20.2 makes it more comfortable than only 18 percent of similar boats. Taken together, those figures describe a stiff, brisk coastal cruiser rather than a soft-riding offshore passagemaker.
Accommodations
Inside, the 350 is a volume-driven design, roomier than 73 percent of similar sailboats. Period reviews describe a big saloon and a very good chart table, with excellent stowage throughout. The interior was judged a good compromise between comfort at sea and in harbour.
The trade-off is in the sleeping cabins, which reviewers found on the small side. The layout gives more living space to the common areas at the expense of private berth size.
Versions and Market Position
Bavaria offered the 350 in owner and charter versions. A third variant, the Sportline, had a simplified inventory and lower specification at a reduced price.
This tiered approach allowed Bavaria to position the 350 as both a volume charter hull and a value-minded owner’s boat without changing the underlying good-quality basic product.
Verdict
The Bavaria 350 is a broad, roomy, strongly rigged coastal cruiser from the early 1990s. It trades private-cabin space and offshore comfort for a large saloon and a low purchase threshold.
The overrigged masthead sail plan provides good light-air speed for the boat’s weight class. Its capsize and comfort figures, however, mark it as a sheltered-water boat rather than a bluewater candidate.
Pros
- Roomier than 73 percent of similar designs, with a big saloon and excellent stowage
- Strong, overrigged masthead sail plan provides above-median light-wind speed
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck, an iron keel, and good-quality basic construction
- Draft shallow enough for most marinas
Cons
- Sleeping cabins are on the small side despite the large saloon
- Capsize screening value of 2.12 excludes it from ocean racing
- Motion Comfort Ratio is better than only 18 percent of similar boats
