Design and Construction
On the Bavaria 44, J&J introduced bulbed keels, a more efficient rudder design, and a sleeker, lower hull profile. These changes moved the marque away from its softer cruising shapes and toward a lower hull designed to track with greater purpose. The lower profile also reduced windage.
Rig and Handling
The bulbed keel and more efficient rudder addressed the 1993 performance brief. With 6,614 lb of iron ballast, the 22,440 lb boat has a ballast ratio of 31.25 percent, giving it a firm footing. Its capsize screening figure of 2.01 places it in conventional cruising territory.
Accommodation
The Bavaria 44 provides six berths in three cabins, including a suite forward, and a second heads aft. The saloon works well in harbour, although its arrangement isn’t ideal for offshore use.
Known Issues
The same saloon arrangement that makes life pleasant in harbour was judged not ideal offshore. Belowdecks bracing wasn’t the priority; harbour comfort was.
Versions and Ownership
Bavaria also offered a charter-oriented Holiday version, which tends to fetch lower prices today. The 44 ran from 1992 to 1996 as the first J&J-designed Bavaria, limiting the overall pool of boats, with Holiday examples at the softer end of the market.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 44 is a transitional design: the first J&J Bavaria, with a bulbed keel, cleaner rudder, and lower hull profile. It’s a roomy, three-cabin harbour and coastal cruiser, with a forward suite and aft heads. The saloon’s strength in harbour is also its weakness offshore, while the short production run and cheaper Holiday variant help shape today’s market.
Pros
- First J&J Design Bavaria, introducing a bulbed keel and efficient rudder
- Sleeker, lower hull profile that improved performance and reduced windage
- Six berths in three cabins, with a forward suite and aft heads
- Saloon works well in harbour
Cons
- Saloon isn’t ideally arranged for offshore use
- Short 1992–1996 production run limits the pool of boats
- Holiday charter version has lower resale values than the standard boat
