Design and Construction
Cossutti's brief was to wring weight and wetted surface out of a hull that is, by any measure, voluminous. A plumb bow, wide beam with a barely-visible soft chine, and twin rudders give the C57 its visual mass; at the same time, Bavaria adopted vacuum-infused construction — branded VacuTec — which brought displacement down nearly ten percent compared to the preceding Cruiser 56. The keel was optimized to reduce wetted surface, and a deeper bulb option (draft 8 ft 2 in vs. the standard 6 ft 5 in) is available for owners who want the extra righting moment. The capsize screening formula of 2.07 places the boat fractionally above the offshore threshold of 2.0, a reminder that this is a Mediterranean-optimized hull rather than a dedicated bluewater passage maker. Displacement-to-length ratio of 128 puts her firmly in the light-displacement bracket, and the sail area-to-displacement ratio above 23 confirms she has enough canvas to move in the soft summer conditions the design was primarily aimed at.
Rig and Sail Handling
The keel-stepped Seldén mast stands 79 feet, 6 inches above the waterline, carrying a fractional rig with double aft-swept spreaders and a split Dyneema backstay. Total reported sail area is 1,646 square feet, balanced almost evenly between the mainsail and foretriangle. The standard package pairs a self-tacking jib with an in-mast furling mainsail, making the boat genuinely manageable with two people; a 106 percent overlapping genoa and traditional-hoist main are available for those who prefer performance over convenience. Elvstrøm supplies the sails across both configurations. Running rigging is led under deck coamings all the way back to the twin steering stations, keeping the cockpit clear and putting every control within reach of the helmsman. Bow and stern thruster controls by Sidepower are integrated into the starboard binnacle, and electric winch packages are offered for owners who want powered sail handling. The foredeck furling unit is housed below deck to preserve the boat's uncluttered sightlines.
Sailing and Motoring Performance
On the water, at 65 degrees apparent wind angle in 18 knots, the C57 logged 8.3 knots, and hardened to 45 degrees she still held 8 knots — responsive numbers for a 37,000-pound boat. The twin rudders and wide, pinched-in stern contribute to agility with tight and easy turns. Downwind, the small self-tacking jib is throttled by the mainsail at deeper angles, and the optional gennaker of 232 square meters or a Code 0 of 123 square meters is the obvious remedy when running in light air. Hull speed calculates to 9.56 knots, and under power the standard 80-horsepower Volvo Penta saildrive with a fixed propeller reaches 8.3 knots at peak and cruises comfortably at 7.5 knots around 2,600 rpm; a 110-horsepower Yanmar on a shaft drive is available for owners who prioritize motoring range or want a four-bladed propeller for better bite. The 500-liter fuel tank supports extended passages under engine.
Accommodations and Interior
The modular furniture construction enables Bavaria to offer three-, four-, and five-cabin versions of the same hull, plus an optional crew berth forward, without structural compromise. In the owner's version the master stateroom occupies the bow on centerline, with the head split port and starboard; charter configurations can divide this space into two cabins with private heads. Aft cabins flank the engine room. The saloon is among the largest in its class, with a U-shaped settee to port, a long bench with an integrated navigation station to starboard, and a galley that spans the full beam at the mast step — keeping two cooks clear of each other and well away from the saloon. The galley to port carries a three-burner stove and oven; to starboard are twin refrigerator drawers, an optional wine fridge, and a wine rack. Interior finish options run to dark walnut, mahogany, or light oak, with solid wood edges and furniture corners added specifically for durability. Ambient LED lighting, dimmable cabin lights, and USB charging ports built into each reading light are standard across the range. The hydraulic drop-down cockpit tables, combined with cockpit cushions, convert the working cockpit into a large sun lounging area — a key selling point for Mediterranean charter use.
Known Limitations and Practical Considerations
A ballast-to-displacement ratio of 31 percent is on the modest side, meaning the standard keel delivers reasonable but not impressive stiffness — the deeper bulb keel is the obvious upgrade for anyone expecting to spend time in boisterous conditions. The comfort ratio of 25.14 places her at the upper end of the coastal-cruiser band and just below the moderate bluewater range, consistent with the hull's light-displacement character. The galley-to-cockpit transit may present a challenge with hot food in a substantial seaway, a consequence of placing the galley a step down and forward of the saloon. At maximum rpm the standard engine produced some vibration, attributed to propeller pitch — a variable that owners should address during commissioning. The aft cabins are described as a little tighter than one might expect for a boat of this size, a trade-off against the capacious saloon and the engine room access they share. The capsize screening number of 2.07 technically falls outside the ocean-passage threshold, worth noting for buyers whose plans extend well offshore.
Refits and Upgrades
Bavaria structured the C57 with an explicit options architecture: the deep bulb keel at 8 ft 2 in draft is the single highest-impact upgrade for performance and bluewater capability. A carbon mast is available to further reduce pitching inertia. The electrical ecosystem scales well — a Fischer Panda generator feeding multiple AGM battery banks fits in the machinery space aft of the engine, and air conditioning is a factory option. Electric winches with the Smart package are a straightforward refit for owners who take delivery without them. The outdoor cockpit galley under the transom seat, complete with refrigerator, grill, and sink, is a standalone system that functions independently of the below-decks galley. Owners of the standard-keel version sailing in coastal waters should consider a four-bladed propeller for better thrust at low rpm.
The Verdict
The Bavaria C57 represents a genuine reset for a builder that spent decades synonymous with production-market value rather than performance ambition. Cossutti's hull is slippery and well-balanced, the deck layout is among the tidiest at this size, and the interior volume is exceptional for the displacement. Where the boat asks for concessions — modest ballast ratio, a comfort ratio that lands at the coastal end of the spectrum, aft cabins that sacrifice space to the engine room — those concessions are consistent and deliberate: this is a light-air Mediterranean cruiser engineered for easy sailing, lavish living, and charter flexibility, not a Cape Horn candidate.
Pros
- Vacuum-infused construction keeps displacement well below comparable length competitors
- Self-tacking jib and centralized sheet controls make shorthanded sailing genuinely practical
- Exceptional saloon volume and modular layout flexibility for owner or charter use
- Deep bulb keel and carbon mast options meaningfully extend performance potential
- Bow and stern thrusters, outdoor galley, and folding transom platform as factory options
Cons
- Standard 31 percent ballast ratio limits stiffness in a breeze; deep keel is effectively required for offshore use
- Capsize screening formula of 2.07 sits marginally outside the recommended bluewater threshold
- Galley placement makes hot-food delivery to the cockpit awkward in a seaway
- Aft cabins are tight relative to the hull's overall volume
- Standard fixed propeller may require pitch adjustment at commissioning to eliminate vibration
