Design and Hull Form
At just under 38 feet overall, with a 30-foot-10-inch waterline, the Bavaria 36 displaces 11,817 pounds. Its solid fiberglass hull carries 3,924 pounds of iron ballast in a bulb keel.
This is a deliberately beamy boat, with a length-to-beam ratio of 3.04 and a displacement-to-length figure of 184. Those figures place it firmly in the volume-oriented cruiser camp. One period assessment described the plan view as unusually full, with a broad stern and puffed-out bow that give the deck a generous footprint full plan-view shape.
The half-angle of entry is 23 degrees. That wide entry trades some upwind finesse for interior room and a stable platform. Bavaria offered two keel options: a standard 5-foot-1-inch draft and a deep 6-foot-5-inch draft. The latter suits owners who prioritize righting moment and windward ability.
Rig and Performance
Rather than a masthead sloop, the Bavaria 36 has a fractional rig configuration with midboom sheeting and swept spreaders. This setup simplifies the shorthanded sail plan and keeps loads manageable.
Its estimated sail-area-to-displacement ratio is in the 18 to 19 range—modest for a 36-footer and consistent with a cruising brief rather than a racing one. With that modest sail plan, the Bavaria 36 is no rocket in light air.
Accommodations and Layout
Buyers could choose between two interior arrangements. The three-stateroom version has mirror-image double berths aft and places the head forward. The two-stateroom layout has one stateroom aft, with the head aft to starboard. In this version, the forward stateroom intrudes on part of the lazaretto, reducing aft storage.
The galley, navigation station, and dining area remain unchanged in both layouts. The galley is on the small side, with a cooling box beside the sinks, while the dining table stops about four inches short of the settee edge.
Outside, the cockpit leads to a walk-through transom and swim step. Its long seats double as sea berths, and a recess for the wheel accommodates a large-diameter helm. The open transom is a charter-friendly feature that makes water access and stern-to Mediterranean mooring easier.
Construction and Equipment
Bavaria built the 36 in Germany using solid fiberglass laminates with selective reinforcement, following the same standard approach the yard used across its range during this period. Above the waterline, the deck is also solid fiberglass. An anchor locker sits forward.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 36 is a pragmatic, volume-driven cruiser from the J&J era of Bavaria’s design history. It offers two sensible layouts, a forgiving beamy hull, and a fractional rig suited to casual cruising. Its modest sail plan and wide bow entry, however, won’t excite performance purists.
Pros
- Two flexible cabin layouts with the same galley and saloon arrangement
- Beamy hull provides exceptional interior volume for its length
- Walk-through transom and long cockpit seats make boarding and lounging easier
Cons
- Estimated sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 18–19 limits light-air performance
- Two-stateroom layout sacrifices lazaretto space to the forward cabin
- Small galley with an awkwardly placed cooling box
