Design and Construction
The Cruiser 46's hull carries the same shape and appendages as the Cruiser 45, but Bavaria reworked the deck and interior for the newer model. The hull laminate is a hand-laid combination of stitched-biaxial and chopped-strand mat in isophthalic polyester resin, with two extra 2 mm Coremat layers below the waterline and closed-cell Airex foam coring above it hull laminate construction. An inner grid stiffens the hull, and the cast iron keel is held on with 20 mm stainless bolts and Plexus adhesive. The deck is Airex-cored, bedded in polyurethane sealant on a 3¼-inch flange and screwed every 8 inches. Farr Yacht Design is credited with the design, and the boat reflects their structural engineering for the Cruiser line.
Rig and Handling
The standard sails on the Bavaria Cruiser 46 are by Elvstrom, and control lines from the split twin-mainsheet bridle run aft to Spinlock XTS clutches on the coachroof. Shrouds anchor outboard near the gunwales, which rules out a large overlapping genoa on this layout. The tested boat came equipped with a slightly fractional Seldén rig with in-mast furling and a Furlex 304S furler for the 110 percent jib; an optional gennaker is the prescribed remedy for light-air speed. Twin helm stations sit right aft with good forward visibility, and a Jefa twin-wheel steering system gave excellent response in testing. With the optional 75 hp Volvo and saildrive, the boat turned in just one boat length at speed and backed down easily, hitting 7.8 knots at 2,200 rpm and 8.8 knots at full throttle.
Accommodations
Forward, the Cruiser 46 has an enormous master stateroom with an en suite head and a dedicated shower in its own mini-cabin. That stateroom can be split by a removable centerline bulkhead into two smaller doubles, and the builder describes this as transforming one huge cabin into two big cabins. Twin aft staterooms each have their own head, with good headroom, large berths, and ample light, though ventilation aft remains a challenge. The saloon table has nav-desk drawers, and an optional centerline island with fold-down settee sits between it and the port-side in-line galley, which runs long with deep fiddles and a front-loading Waeco fridge. Cockpit seating uses large L-shaped benches with high coamings, a strong fixed table with folding leaves, two shallow under-seat lockers, and a huge lazarette. Forward of the Quick windlass is a separate sail locker sized for two flaked sails.
Equipment and Deck Layout
The boat sports an electrically controlled fold-down transom and an XXL bathing platform suited to swimming and lounging, with twin steering wheels and flip-up foot cleats at the helms. The coachroof carries a steering pedestal with GPS plotter, and the deck lists genoa and gennaker winches, halyard and bulkhead winches, genoa tracks, flush hatches, hull windows, a rail gate, and an anchor locker with bow roller. The foldable XXL cockpit table and mainsheet system round out the standard cruising kit.
Known Issues
The aft staterooms suffer from limited ventilation, a known shortfall on a boat otherwise generous with light and space. The outboard shroud placement means a large overlapping genoa is effectively off the table, narrowing the light-air sail plan to the standard 110 percent jib and optional gennaker.
The Verdict
The Cruiser 46 is a well-engineered evolution of the 45, with a stiff Airex-cored hull, a flexible forward cabin, and a deck laid out for short-handed cruising. Its handling is crisp for a 46-footer, and the engine access is genuinely good. The aft-cabin airflow and genoa limitation are the main trade-offs.
Pros
- Flexible bow cabin split by removable bulkhead
- Excellent engine access from front and sides
- Crisp twin-rudder handling and tight turning radius
- Stiff, well-built hull with modern core construction
Cons
- Aft stateroom ventilation is poor
- Large overlapping genoa not feasible due to shroud position
