Design and Construction
Both the hull and the deck of the 960 are molded in solid fiberglass, and the yard offered her with different keel alternatives — a fin keel drawing about 1.68 to 1.78 meters dependent on load, and a wing keel drawing about 1.30 to 1.40 meters different keel alternatives. That wing option is the more interesting one for Mediterranean or Baltic gunkholing, since it lets a 31-foot cruiser with a 9.84-foot beam tuck into harbors a fin-keel boat of her length could not reach. The interior is mahogany, as was common in the period, and the 33% ballast ratio with 3,175 pounds of iron ballast on a 7,937-pound displacement gives a moderate stiffening suited to family cruising rather than racing. The motion comfort ratio of 20.9 and a displacement-length ratio of 197 place her firmly in the loaded cruiser camp, not the light-displacement end.
Rig and Handling
Mohnhaupt gave the 960 a fractional sloop rig that is significantly overrigged compared to similar sailboats, carrying more rig than 79% of her peers significantly overrigged compared to similar sailboats. With the reference sail the SA/D is 15.8, rising to 18.3 with a 135% genoa, and the mainsail-plus-jib area is 36.5 square meters. Her wetted surface is about 28 square meters, and the theoretical hull speed is 6.9 knots against a calculated 5.7 knots maximum under power. The capsize screening value of 1.97 and an immersion rate of about 160 kg/cm round out a picture of a stable, moderately stiff coastal boat. Halyard and sheet estimates run to 28.6-meter halyards and a 24-meter mainsheet, dimensions a buyer should note when re-rigging.
Accommodations
Below, the 960 is equipped with three cabins and seven berths, a galley, and 114 liters of fresh water capacity. The mahogany interior and the three-cabin layout speak to her role as a small family or owner-skippered charter-style cruiser rather than a minimal weekender. The 30-gallon water and 20-gallon plastic fuel tank reflect an era of modest tankage sized for coastal hops rather than long passages.
Equipment and Power
The boat may be equipped with an inboard Volvo Penta 2002 diesel at 18 horsepower, driving a shaft drive. The plastic fuel tank holds 76 liters. That modest engine and shaft arrangement is typical of an early-1980s 31-footer and sets the expected maintenance baseline for cooling and driveline components.
The Verdict
The Bavaria 960 is a sensible, well-found small cruiser from Mohnhaupt's tenure at Bavaria, with a tall rig and a genuinely useful shallow-keel option that widens her cruising range. She is not a performance boat, but her stability numbers and three-cabin layout make her a practical coastal companion.
Pros
- Wing-keel option opens shallow marinas to a 31-foot hull
- Fractional rig is heavily sized for her class, aiding light-air performance
- Three cabins and seven berths in a compact, manageable length
Cons
- Modest 20-gallon fuel and 30-gallon water tankage limits range
- 18 hp diesel is adequate but not generous for a 7,900-pound boat
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck with iron ballast; survey remains the buyer's verification step
