Bavaria 40 Vision Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The hull is hand-laid fiberglass, solid below the waterline, with Kevlar-reinforced bow sections anchor, wrapped around what the design brief called performance hulls with loads of space for comfortable surroundings anchor. Above the waterline the boat reads as a beamy hull with a relatively low coach roof, cat's-eye ports, and the telltale Bavaria blue stripe along the coachroof anchor. Teak decks were fitted, and the big windows creating the deck-saloon look — together with two forward-facing windows and fixed hull ports — throw a great deal of light into the accommodations anchor. Chainplates are located inboard, which yields wide side decks and a worry-free trip forward under way anchor. A drop-down transom door leads to a sturdy swim platform with a fold-away ladder and a nearby deck shower anchor. The steering runs through a chain-driven system with twin wheels, and testers noted a light helm with a bit of slop in the twin arrangement anchor.

Rig and Handling

The 40 Vision carries a fractional Seldén rig with in-mast furling, also available in a conventional configuration anchor. The test boats bore a tall two-spreader Seldén section, Selden's in-mast furling, solid boom vangs (Seldén Rodkickers), and Furlex roller furlers on the genoas anchor. Sails were Elvström Sobstad, with up-rated cloth and roughly 140 to 145 percent genoas; the in-mast mains were built with vertical battens and the first two battens marking the reefs anchor. Six Lewmar winches, all two-speed and self-tailing, handle the sheets, and owners can have them upsized or the primaries made electric anchor. Under sail the boat proved surprisingly quick: on the wind testers logged six to seven knots in 10 knots of breeze at about 40 degrees, and she tacked easily through 100 degrees anchor. On a reach she dug in and held a straight line without a hand on the wheel until it was time to come about anchor.

Accommodations

Below, the 40 Vision is a three-cabin, one-head layout, and by concentrating the sanitary space into a single head the saloon opens up while the forward owner's cabin stays spacious anchor. The saloon is built around a portside U-shaped dinette, with a curved starboard lounge whose table folds up to seat six or eight; the walkthrough from saloon to the three cabins is on one level anchor. Forward is a queen berth without a forward head, flanked by two smaller lockers anchor. The galley to port at the foot of the companionway is an L-shaped work with stainless double sinks, front-opening refrigerators, a 12-volt ice chest, a two-burner propane stove with oven, Corian countertops, and room for a microwave anchor. Aft cabins are genuinely big — standing room, a changing seat, hanging and stowage space, opening hatch and port, plus a fixed hull port anchor. The head to starboard carries an electric loo, a seated shower with a two-position rose, and a vanity anchor. The forward-facing nav station has fiddled desktops and space for paper charts and owner-chosen electronics anchor.

Known Issues

A few practical caveats came up in period testing. The high roofline means shorter crew cannot reach some hatches to open them anchor. A plywood trim board runs behind the deck-saloon ports and presents a tempting handhold in a seaway, especially near the galley, though its heft looked insufficient to trust anchor. Period reviews called for a sealant at the floorboard ends anchor. The cockpit coamings on the 40 are narrower than the 44's, with step surfaces that offer a less secure foothold anchor. And some buyers will simply dislike the single-head arrangement on a three-cabin boat anchor.

The Verdict

The Bavaria 40 Vision is a thoughtfully packaged deck-saloon cruiser that squeezes remarkable volume and light into a 41-foot hull without sacrificing the quick, easy sailing character J&J gave it. The in-mast furling rig, wide side decks, and one-level walkthrough make her forgiving to handle and live aboard, while the single head buys real saloon and forward-cabin space. The drawbacks are mostly about compromises inherent to the layout and a few detailing choices rather than any structural shortfall.

Pros