This compact coastal cruiser offers three cabins, a notably tall rig for its size, and a choice of keel profiles. Those keel options allow the same hull to serve both standard and shallow-water marinas.
Design and Construction
The Bavaria 960’s hull and deck are molded in solid fiberglass. The yard offered two keel alternatives: a fin keel drawing about 1.68 to 1.78 meters, depending on load, and a wing keel drawing about 1.30 to 1.40 meters. Different keel alternatives
The wing keel is the more interesting option for Mediterranean or Baltic gunkholing. It allows a 31-foot cruiser with a 9.84-foot beam to tuck into harbors that a fin-keel boat of the same length couldn’t reach.
The boat displaces 7,937 pounds and carries 3,175 pounds of iron ballast, giving a ballast ratio of 33%. That provides moderate stiffness suited to family cruising rather than racing. A motion comfort ratio of 20.9 and a displacement-length ratio of 197 place the 960 firmly in the loaded-cruiser camp rather than at the light-displacement end.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
Mohnhaupt gave the 960 a fractional sloop rig that is significantly overrigged compared with similar sailboats, carrying more rig than 79% of its peers. With the reference sail, the SA/D is 15.8; with a 135% genoa, it rises to 18.3. Combined mainsail-and-jib area is 36.5 square meters.
The boat has about 28 square meters of wetted surface. Its theoretical hull speed is 6.9 knots, compared with a calculated maximum of 5.7 knots under power. A capsize screening value of 1.97 and an immersion rate of about 160 kg/cm complete the picture of a stable, moderately stiff coastal cruiser.
Estimated running-rigging lengths include 28.6-meter halyards and a 24-meter mainsheet, figures worth noting when it’s time to re-rig.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the 960 has three cabins and seven berths, along with a galley. The mahogany interior, common for the period, and three-cabin layout suit a small family cruiser or an owner-skippered, charter-style boat rather than a minimal weekender.
Fresh-water capacity is 114 liters, or 30 gallons. The plastic fuel tank holds 76 liters, or 20 gallons. This modest tankage reflects a boat intended for coastal hops rather than long passages.
Engine and Drivetrain
The Bavaria 960 may be equipped with an 18-horsepower Volvo Penta 2002 inboard diesel driving a shaft. This modest engine and conventional shaft arrangement are typical of an early-1980s 31-footer and set the expected maintenance baseline for cooling and driveline components.
Verdict
The Bavaria 960 is a sensible, well-found small cruiser from Mohnhaupt’s tenure at Bavaria. Its tall rig and genuinely useful shallow-keel option broaden its coastal cruising range. It isn’t a performance boat, but its stability figures and three-cabin layout make it a practical coastal companion.
Pros
- The wing-keel option opens shallow marinas to a 31-foot hull.
- The fractional rig is heavily sized for its class, aiding light-air performance.
- Three cabins and seven berths fit into a compact, manageable length.
Cons
- Modest 20-gallon fuel and 30-gallon water capacities limit range.
- The 18 hp diesel is adequate but not generous for a 7,900-pound boat.
- The hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the ballast is iron; a survey remains the buyer’s verification step.
