Design and Construction
The Bavaria 46 Exclusive has a solid fiberglass hull and deck, with a lead-ballasted fin keel. Her ballast ratio is 49 percent—higher than 96 percent of similar sailboat designs.
Combined with a length-to-beam ratio of 3.23 and a wetted surface of about 61 square meters, that ballast commitment places her firmly among beamy, stable cruising hulls. Her capsize screening value is 2.00. Under the standard test, that figure would bar her from ocean racing, underscoring a design aimed at comfort and steadiness rather than offshore competition.
Rig, Machinery, and Handling
She carries a fractional rig and has a Volvo Penta 59 hp inboard connected to a saildrive transmission—a typical modern cruising drivetrain for a boat of this size.
Her immersion rate is about 434 kg per centimeter, or 2,433 pounds per inch. In practical terms, she sits heavily and changes trim slowly as weight is added. That is consistent with her high ballast ratio and the substantial tankage intended to support long, self-sufficient stretches away from a dock: 260 liters of fuel and 610 liters of fresh water.
Accommodations
The interior has six cabins and ten berths, along with a galley, a toilet facility, and mahogany joinery throughout. The 610-liter fresh-water capacity helps support that berth count on extended cruises.
Period comparison data found her roomier than 76 percent of similar sailboat designs. That assessment fits her six-cabin layout and the broad 14-foot-7-inch beam carried into the hull form.
Design Limitations
The known facts concern the boat’s design limits rather than reported failures. A capsize screening value of 2.00 means she wouldn’t qualify for ocean racing, while the heavy immersion rate makes load management more important than it would be on a lighter hull. These are characteristics, not faults.
Verdict
The Bavaria 46 Exclusive is a straightforward, high-volume cruising yacht from Bavaria Yachtbau. She’s beamy, heavily ballasted, and arranged for groups or charter-style living, with six cabins and ten berths. She is stable and roomy but not an offshore racer, while her saildrive and lead fin keel are conventional for the type. Her 260-liter fuel capacity also supports extended cruising.
Pros
- Exceptionally high 49 percent ballast ratio—above 96 percent of comparable designs—for steadiness
- Six cabins, ten berths, and 610 L of fresh-water capacity for extended cruising
- Roomier than 76 percent of comparable designs
Cons
- Capsize screening value of 2.00 excludes her from ocean racing
- Heavy immersion rate of 434 kg/cm makes her load-sensitive in trim
