Design and Construction
The Bavaria 42's hull form is defined by a stretched waterline and shortened ends, which gives her a broad 13-foot beam without tipping into outright corpulence. A design displacement of about 21,384 pounds reads as a light-ship figure in period review, and the 195 displacement-to-length ratio was judged ambitious for the type. The standard underbody is a 6-foot-5-inch bulbed fin, with a 5-foot-5-inch bulbed fin offered as a shoaler alternative. Above the waterline, the styling is clean and considered: the aluminum-framed windshield terminates neatly into a coaming recess, and the molded detailing throughout is superb for a production boat of the era. Inside, the level of finish is warm and traditional, with plenty of solid teak trim and teak veneers.
Rig and Handling
The rig is unusual in that it is fractional, and the geometry pushes the mast forward against the forward bulkhead rather than centering it in the main cabin. That placement tucks the mast out of the way of the saloon and shifts the center of effort forward, so that the boat can likely sail reasonably well under mainsail alone when conditions invite a reduced setup. The spreaders are swept 18 degrees, a configuration that supports the fractional rig's balance. With a sail area of 1,042 square feet under an in-mast furling main or 1,096 with a battened main, and a corresponding SA/D of 21.64 or 22.76, the boat is conservatively canvased for a comfortable cruiser rather than a light-air flyer.
Accommodations
Below, the layout serves two couples, each with a private head, and the aft head is generously proportioned with a large shower stall and access from both the saloon and the aft cabin. The galley is functional, though one reviewer objected to the sinks being set up against a bulkhead, a detail that can complicate spill containment in a seaway. The overall interior finish, with its solid teak and veneers, gives the boat a level of warmth that belies its production origins and supports the family-cruiser brief.
Refits and Ownership
The auxiliary is a Volvo diesel of 59 horsepower, available with either saildrive or a conventional shaft and strut, a choice that lets an owner weigh maintenance access against drag and grounding exposure. Fuel capacity is 60 gallons and water is 105 gallons, figures that suit extended coastal cruising. The two-keel option means a buyer can select standard 6-foot-5-inch draft for performance or the 5-foot-5-inch shoal keel for gunkholing, and the in-mast versus battened main decision remains the principal sail-plan refit consideration.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 42 is a thoughtfully laid-out family cruiser with a forward-raked fractional rig that frees the saloon and lends single-sail balance, wrapped in a teak-trimmed interior that punches above its production-class expectations. She is not a performance boat, but her stretched waterline, benign manners, and two-couple accommodations make her a sensible used-market candidate for comfortable voyaging.
Pros
- Fractional rig with forward mast placement enables easy mainsail-only sailing and opens up the main cabin
- Two private heads with large aft shower and dual access support two-couple cruising
- Warm teak interior finish and superb molded exterior detailing for the class
- Choice of standard or shoal bulbed fin keel and in-mast or battened main
Cons
- Galley sinks against a bulkhead draw reviewer criticism for practicality
- Conservative sail plan and 195 D/L mark her as a comfort boat, not a light-air performer
- Light-ship displacement figure suggests real loaded cruising weight will be higher
