Design and Construction
The Cruiser 34 uses the same hull that had previously served the Bavaria 32 and 33, drawing on German engineering in its construction. Its foam-core sandwich hull and deck are infused rather than laid up using older methods. This produces a lighter structure and keeps lightweight displacement below 12,000 pounds. It was the first infused boat in the Bavaria line, with other models set to follow the same approach.
Construction and finish details include dovetailed joinery, solid-wood doorframes and counter fiddles, and a choice of wood finishes. Bavaria also fitted plenty of grab rails, providing something to hold on to both in the cockpit and below. The boat carries an RCD category A rating.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The Cruiser 34 has a double-spreader, deck-stepped Seldén rig with a rigid boomvang, eliminating the need for a topping lift. The sailplan is deliberately simple, with a traditional Dacron mainsail, lazyjacks, and a sail bag. In-mast furling and tri-radial sails are optional.
Short jib tracks on the cabintop provide tighter sheeting angles. The shrouds are set all the way outboard, leaving a clear route forward along the side decks, and a German mainsheet system is standard.
On the water, the design showed excellent and very safe sailing characteristics. Testers found the boat responsive and enjoyable at the helm. In 18 to 20 knots of true wind, it sailed at 6.6 knots with a 45-degree apparent-wind angle. Eased to 60 degrees, it accelerated to 7.3 knots, while downwind at 150 degrees it maintained 6.2 knots. Despite the short waterline, the boat delivered good speed.
With the sails down, a 20hp Volvo Penta diesel and three-bladed folding propeller made it spry under power, reaching 7.3 knots at wide-open throttle.
Interior and Accommodations
The Cruiser 34 is available with either two or three cabins, and it may be the smallest vessel on the market to offer three cabins. The galley, saloon, and forward stateroom remain in the same positions in both layouts.
In the three-cabin version, cockpit stowage is limited to two small lockers aft. The two-cabin layout instead provides a deep lazarette beneath the port cockpit bench and gives the starboard aft cabin more width. It also moves the head farther aft, makes it larger, and creates space for a small aft-facing navigation station that shares a seat with the port settee. Neither arrangement includes a separate shower stall.
Opposite the seating area, the L-shaped galley has a single sink, a two-burner stove, and a top-loading refrigerator. It isn’t large, but it is workable for preparing meals over a weekend or longer cruise.
The saloon seats six or more around a drop-leaf table and is lit by two hatches. With the owner’s-cabin door open, the interior feels especially spacious and inviting.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The XXL cockpit is spacious and functional. Its table incorporates stowage, cup holders, and a light socket. Standard teak decking covers the cockpit sole, benches, and swim platform; teak side decks are optional.
The drop-down swim platform is manually operated, but it is so well counterbalanced that it can be closed with one hand. Wide side gates make it easier to bring provisions aboard, while an electric horizontal windlass with a remote control sits behind the roller furler.
Buyers can choose one or two helm stations. The single-helm version places a large wheel abaft the cockpit table, along with a Garmin 721 display, wind instruments, and a compass. On the twin-helm version, the wind instruments and autopilot are mounted by the starboard wheel.
Cockpit Ergonomics and Known Issues
Period testing identified several ergonomic shortcomings rather than structural faults. Writing in SAIL Magazine, test sailors found the lifelines slightly low, particularly for taller sailors. At a significant angle of heel, they also found it difficult to get secure foot bracing at the wheel; the helm positions have no foot braces.
The two Lewmar primary winches on the cockpit coaming are a little far from the wheel or wheels, and the mainsheet is also beyond easy reach of the helm on what is essentially a family boat. Crew needed time to adapt to tacking and handling the headsail sheets in the new layout.
The twin-helm arrangement introduces a few further compromises. The chartplotter is harder to see while steering, and the backstay obstructs the helmsman when sitting on the upwind side. The fold-down transom isn’t broad, and its pushpit rails press into the helmsman’s back.
Verdict
The Cruiser 34-2 packs considerable cruising capability into a hull measuring less than 33 feet. Its infused sandwich construction keeps displacement low, the Farr rig is simple and effective, and the choice of two- or three-cabin interiors provides unusual flexibility for a boat of this length.
It sails safely and quickly, performs well under power, and shows care in its finish details. Its main compromises concern cockpit ergonomics and helm comfort when heeled rather than any broader deficit in the boat itself.
Pros
- Infused foam-core hull and deck keep displacement low and marked a first for Bavaria
- Simple, well-considered rig with outboard shrouds and clear side decks
- A genuine three-cabin option in what may be the smallest boat to offer one
- Strong performance under sail and power, from light air to a fresh breeze
Cons
- Low lifelines and a lack of helm foot braces make life harder for taller sailors when heeled
- Primary winches and mainsheet are awkward to reach from the wheel
- Three-cabin layout sacrifices cockpit stowage and the larger head available in the two-cabin version
