Design and Construction
The hull and deck are both solid fiberglass. This straightforward construction reflects Bavaria’s standard laminate practice of the period rather than the use of exotic core materials.
The yacht measures just over 48 feet on deck, with a beam of 14.6 feet. Its length-to-beam ratio of 3.30 describes a moderately broad hull without being extreme. A 38 percent ballast ratio and a displacement-length ratio near 180 point to a heavy, volume-oriented cruiser designed for load-carrying steadiness rather than racing lightness.
The fin keel draws about 6.56 to 6.86 feet, depending on load. That draft keeps the boat out of all but major marinas.
Rig and Handling
The Ocean 47 CC carries a masthead sloop rig, with the mast rising 61.6 feet above the waterline. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 17.5 using the ISO reference sail and rises to 20.9 with a 135 percent genoa. Those figures indicate a moderately powered cruising rig rather than an over-canvased one.
A capsize screening value of 1.97 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 26.6 place the boat in conventional bluewater-cruiser territory for a vessel of this size. The theoretical hull speed is 8.5 knots.
The running rigging uses predictable dimensions. The mainsail, jib, and spinnaker halyards are each 39.4 meters long and 14 mm in diameter. The genoa sheets are 14.7 meters long and 16 mm in diameter, while the mainsheet is 36.7 meters long and 16 mm in diameter.
Accommodation and Cruising Capacity
The center-cockpit arrangement defines the interior layout, separating the after-deck steering station from the accommodation spaces forward in the manner typical of offshore-minded cruisers.
With a displacement of 26,235 pounds and an immersion rate of about 2,045 pounds per inch, the hull can accept a cruising payload without squatting dramatically. Its wetted surface of roughly 635 square feet sets the antifouling and haulout baseline for any owner.
The Verdict
The Bavaria Ocean 47 CC is a purpose-built center-cockpit cruiser from the late-1990s partnership between J&J Design and Bavaria. Its numbers are conservative, and both hull and deck are built in solid fiberglass.
The modest production run means buyers are unlikely to find many sisterships for comparison. Even so, the design is a coherent heavy-displacement cruiser, with predictable rig dimensions and a draft that requires careful marina planning.
Pros
- Center-cockpit layout suited to offshore cruising
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck
- Conservative stability and comfort ratios for a 47-foot cruiser
Cons
- Draft of 6.56 to 6.86 feet limits marina access
- Fewer than 100 built, reducing the used-boat market pool
