Hull, Structure, and Design
The hull laminate is a hand-laid combination of stitched-biaxial and chopped-strand mat set in isophthalic polyester resin — a construction approach Bavaria has used consistently across the Cruiser line. Below the waterline the laminate is bulked up with two additional layers of 2mm Coremat, while above the waterline the hull is cored with closed-cell Airex foam. The deck uses the same Airex core, bedded in polyurethane sealant on a 3¼-inch flange and screwed down at 8-inch intervals — a detail that matters enormously for long-term watertight integrity.
The cast iron keel is secured with 20mm stainless steel bolts and Plexus adhesive, a belt-and-suspenders approach that has become standard for bulb-keel production boats. Standard draft runs to 2.18 metres, with a shoal option at 1.82 metres; the deep-keel version extends to 2.10 metres. An inner hull grid stiffens the structure. The Farr design influence is perhaps most visible in the high-sided, short-ended hull form: a profile the reviewer noted as sleeker than the somewhat eccentric concave cabinhouse of its predecessor, and which accommodates the wide-aft sections needed for the twin-rudder configuration.
Rig and Sail Handling
The fractional Seldén rig carries a mainsail of 56 square metres and a genoa of 51.7 square metres, with a 148-square-metre gennaker rounding out the upwind and downwind inventory. The shrouds are anchored outboard near the gunwales, which precludes meaningful overlap in the headsail — a design trade-off that prioritises cockpit access and tacking efficiency over sheeting angle. For owners who want to carry speed into light air, the optional gennaker is well advised rather than optional in practice.
Control lines, including those from a split twin-mainsheet bridle, are led aft to an array of Spinlock XTS clutches on the coachroof. The standard Lewmar Evo winches have been characterised as a tad undersized for the boat's scale, though the coaming geometry leaves room to upgrade to larger primaries and add secondaries without surgery. An in-mast mainsail furling system was fitted on early test examples; the standard slab-reefed mainsail is preferable for performance-minded owners.
The CE rating of A10/B16 confirms the boat is engineered for offshore use with up to ten people in ocean conditions and sixteen in offshore conditions. The capsize screening formula of 1.89, sitting just under the 2.0 threshold, reinforces that classification.
Performance Under Sail and Power
On Chesapeake Bay in 15 to 17 knots of true wind, an early test example — fitted with the less-than-ideal in-mast furling mainsail and never having been sailed before the test — recorded a maximum boat speed of 8.5 knots at a 60-degree apparent wind angle. That compares respectably against the 9.3 knots achieved on the predecessor 45 in better conditions and with a slab-reefed main, suggesting the properly configured 46 with a full-batten mainsail would comfortably match or exceed that benchmark.
Helm response through the twin-wheel Jefa steering system was characterised as excellent, with the twin rudders providing good control authority even when the boat heels significantly. The wide stern, which might otherwise make a single-rudder boat nervous at angle, is well managed by the dual-rudder setup. Theoretical hull speed calculates to 8.73 knots. The sail area-to-displacement ratio sits at 20.35, placing the boat in the lower range of the relatively high-performance category rather than at the sluggish end of the production-cruiser spectrum.
Under power, the 55hp Volvo Penta D2-55 is the standard plant. At 2,200 rpm in mildly lumpy conditions the 75hp optional variant achieved 7.8 knots; the standard engine is expected to perform within a knot of that in comparable conditions. The engine compartment is very tall with excellent access from the front — a practical note that matters when you're changing impellers or bleeding injectors offshore.
Accommodations and Interior Layout
The Bavaria Cruiser 46 offers three or four cabin configurations. In the three-cabin layout, the forward master stateroom is large, fitted with an en suite head and a dedicated shower in its own separate mini-cabin aft of the cabin itself. An innovative centerline flexi-bulkhead can transform one large master cabin into two smaller double staterooms, useful context for charter operators evaluating the four-cabin option.
The twin aft staterooms each carry their own private head — a standard that not all 46-foot competitors meet. The reviewer noted these aft cabins as among the best at their size anywhere in the production fleet, with generous headroom at 6.72 feet, large berths, and good ambient light. Ventilation aft remains a perennial challenge in the space, and the optional 29,000 BTU air conditioning system addresses what is otherwise a genuine limitation in warm cruising grounds.
The nav station found on the old Cruiser 45 was removed in the redesign, with twin nav desk drawers fitted to the saloon table in its place — a pragmatic acknowledgement that dedicated chart tables are rarely used when chartplotters handle navigation. The galley runs along the port side with copious counter space aided by a front-loading refrigerator, deep fiddles on all horizontal surfaces, and a three-burner stove positioned so the cook can brace against an optional island unit in a seaway.
Known Issues and Considerations
The construction approach — isophthalic polyester resin with hand-laid biaxial reinforcement — is competent but not the equal of vinylester or epoxy infused laminates favoured by more performance-oriented builders. The use of chopped-strand mat as part of the laminate schedule is a volume-production compromise that buyers should note when assessing long-term structural integrity, particularly in areas prone to stress concentration.
Ventilation in the aft cabins warrants attention during purchase survey; buyers in Mediterranean or Caribbean conditions will want the air conditioning option treated as essential rather than optional. The shroud positioning that precludes flying a large overlapping genoa limits the headsail wardrobe compared to a more inboard chainplate setup, and light-air performance without a gennaker aboard will disappoint. Standard winch sizing on early examples should be verified at inspection and upgraded if undersized units remain in place.
The Verdict
The Bavaria Cruiser 46 is an honest, well-executed production cruiser from a builder that understands volume economics without entirely sacrificing the brief. The Farr design gives it more sailing manners than many competitors at comparable displacement, the twin-rudder arrangement keeps it manageable in heavy weather, and the interior volume is genuinely impressive for the length. It is not a bluewater passagemaker in the same category as a heavy-displacement offshore specialist — the comfort ratio of 28.47 puts it firmly in the coastal-cruiser band — but for blue-water coastal passages, extended Mediterranean cruising, and charter-fleet operation, it covers the ground effectively.
Pros
- Farr Yacht Design hull and underwater package with meaningful offshore credentials
- Twin rudders provide confident control authority when heeled
- Aft staterooms with private heads are among the best in class for the size
- Engine compartment accessibility is genuinely good for offshore maintenance
- Flexi-bulkhead forward allows flexible cabin configuration
- CE Category A rating confirms ocean-capable construction
Cons
- Isophthalic polyester laminate with chopped-strand mat is below the standard of top-tier offshore builders
- Outboard shroud placement eliminates overlapping headsails and limits light-air upwind performance without a gennaker
- Standard winches are undersized for the boat's scale
- Aft cabin ventilation is poor without air conditioning in warm climates
- In-mast furling mainsail option meaningfully reduces pointing ability and sail shape
