Design and Construction
The Bavaria 42 combines a 36-foot-7-inch load waterline with short ends and a broad 13-foot beam, without tipping into outright corpulence. Her design displacement is about 21,384 pounds, with 7,936 pounds of ballast. A period review treated that displacement as a light-ship figure, and the displacement-to-length ratio of 195 was judged ambitious for the type.
The standard underbody has a 6-foot-5-inch bulbed fin keel. A 5-foot-5-inch bulbed fin was available as a shoaler alternative.
Above the waterline, the styling is clean and considered. The aluminum-framed windshield terminates neatly in a coaming recess, while the molded detailing throughout is superb for a production boat of the era. Below, solid teak trim and teak veneers give the interior a warm, traditional finish.
Rig and Handling
The fractional rig is unusual for this type of boat. Its geometry places the mast forward against the forward bulkhead rather than in the middle of the main cabin, keeping it out of the saloon and shifting the center of effort forward. That mast placement shifts the center of effort forward, so the boat can likely sail reasonably well under mainsail alone when conditions call for a reduced setup.
The spreaders are swept 18 degrees, supporting the balance of the fractional rig. Sail area is 1,042 square feet with an in-mast furling main, for an SA/D of 21.64. With a battened main, sail area rises to 1,096 square feet and the SA/D to 22.76. Even so, the Bavaria 42 is conservatively canvased as a comfortable cruiser rather than a light-air flyer.
Accommodations
The interior is arranged for two couples, each with a private head. The aft head is particularly generous, 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 against a bulkhead, an arrangement that can complicate spill containment in a seaway. Throughout the accommodation, solid teak and veneers add a level of warmth that belies the boat’s production origins and suits her family-cruiser brief.
Machinery, Capacities, and Ownership Choices
Auxiliary power comes from a 59-horsepower Volvo diesel, available with either saildrive or a conventional shaft and strut. This gives owners a choice when weighing maintenance access against drag and grounding exposure.
Fuel capacity is 60 gallons, while water capacity is 105 gallons—figures suited to extended coastal cruising. Buyers can also choose between the standard 6-foot-5-inch draft for performance and the 5-foot-5-inch shoal keel for gunkholing. The choice between an in-mast furling main and a battened main remains the principal sail-plan refit consideration.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 42 is a thoughtfully laid-out family cruiser. Her fractional rig places the mast forward, freeing space in the saloon and lending itself to sailing under mainsail alone, while the teak-trimmed interior exceeds typical production-class expectations.
She isn’t a performance boat. Instead, her stretched waterline, benign manners, and two-couple accommodation make her a sensible used-market candidate for comfortable voyaging.
Pros
- Fractional rig and forward mast placement open up the main cabin and enable easy mainsail-only sailing
- Two private heads, plus a large aft shower with dual access, suit two-couple cruising
- Warm teak interior and superb molded exterior detailing for the class
- Choice of standard or shoal bulbed fin keel
- Choice of in-mast furling or battened main
Cons
- One reviewer criticized the galley sinks’ position against a bulkhead on practical grounds
- The conservative sail plan and 195 D/L mark her as a comfort-oriented cruiser, not a light-air performer
- The light-ship displacement figure suggests that actual loaded cruising weight will be higher
