2019 Bavaria S36 Hard Top review

The Bavaria S36 tested here sits in the middle of the S-badged line-up, which ranges in size from the S29 Open to the range-topping S45. What we’ve liked about the Bavaria S36, though, is that it’s a package shaped to appeal to mum and dad owners with children in tow.

As well as the Hard Top version, the Bavaria S36 also comes in Open (windscreen with a superyacht-style hoop over the rear of the helm) and Coupe (enclosed cockpit) versions.

Ensign Yacht Brokers has the base price for the Bavaria S36 starting from $410,000 – about the same price you'd expect to pay for a second-hand luxury motor yacht with a similar waterline – and including enough standard features to get you on the water straight away, as long as you don’t mind foxing your own for some mooring lines and fenders.

The range-middling Bavaria S36 is marketed as an all-rounder motor yacht in an easily managed footprint. You can step down to a 33-foot version, or up to a 40-footer.

For the money, you get three levels of living space – cockpit; upper saloon; lower living space/galley and accommodation – that expands to four with the extended swim deck hanging off the back.

The interior design isn’t the latest – saloon-level galleys are all the rage in high-end circles – but it is family- and guest-friendly.

Rails throughout the boat – including on the companionway leading below – and bits such as the cleats and bow fittings are stainless steel. Inside, there is plenty of light-coloured oak used in tables and laminate, and hard-wearing wenge flooring.

Soft surfaces, such as the seats, are all finished in contrasting vinyl, which is the only visible concession to the boat lacking a high-end luxury edge.

Standard equipment includes, surprisingly, a cockpit wet bar and table, a fabric sunroof, single-seat helm, a 20-litre water heater that is also connected to a cockpit shower, LED lighting throughout, blinds and mosquito nets in the saloon, an electric windlass, an 80-litre fridge, two-burner ceramic cooktop and a twin-tub stainless steel sink in the galley, a combination of analogue and digital engine instruments, and an integrated swim deck with a telescopic boarding ladder.

Bavaria offers a number of packages for the S36, including Style (with things such as a foredeck sun pad, a Fusion audio system, Bennett trim tabs and a bow thruster), Smart Power (bow thruster and Bennett trim tabs), Comfort (things such as a 65-litre wet bar fridge and underwater and exterior lights), and Navigation Advanced (12-inch Simrad touchscreen chartplotter/fishfinder, autopilot, and a VHF radio with AIS).

Our test boat was set up for an owner who was obviously also a keen angler; the optional swim deck rail featured a bait preparation station with a couple of rod holders to either side, as well as a barbecue to cook the catch.

Bavaria isn’t in the business of making wholesale changes to its product line-up. Instead, models are refined over time, which helps existing owners with residual values that won’t take a bath as soon as a new model arrives.

All Bavaria yachts are built at the brand’s Wurzburg, Bavaria manufacturing line – which explains the origin of the brand’s name. The brand’s entire motor yacht production was consolidated in Germany earlier this year after Bavaria’s new owners took over.

The Bavaria S36 features a hand-laid fibreglass hull that sticks with traditional shaft drives, which means the twin MerCruiser 4.5Ls that power the motor yacht sit just aft of amidships. The deck is also made from fibreglass, and its high topsides create 190cm of headroom below decks.

The boat’s 38-foot, 3.0-inch overall length means it will fit alongside a standard 40-foot berth.

Our test boat was equipped with twin 253hp Mercruiser 4.5L inboard petrol engines sending drive to the props via a Z-drive with hydraulic power steering by default, but electric power steering when the inboard drive is fitted with the optional joystick controller.

The engines connect with the helm via a Bravo III fly-by-wire throttle with cruise control.

The Bavaria S36 uses one starter battery per engine, as well as twin 140Ah house batteries for other electrical needs.

The Bavaria S36 yields a surprisingly large amount of living space inside its 11.6-metre by 3.6-metre dimensions.

The owners of this particular model have included a pair of stainless steel rails enclosing the ends of the hydraulic-lift swim platform, leaving a gap for the centrally mounted extendable swim ladder that stows into the trailing edge.

A small step past a stainless steel transom swing door leads up to a roomy cockpit featuring an L-shaped lounge with storage space below, and facing a long teak table that matches the organic colour of the Duradek flooring.

An optional extendable sun blind that slides out on a frame tucked into the trailing edge of the hard top provides the cockpit with good shade.

Wide side decks with deep stainless-steel rails down either side of the Bavaria S36 lead to the bow, where a sun lounge cushion can clip in over the hatches into the companionway or forward stateroom below. The rails do not meet at the bow, leaving a gap at the front of the motor yacht.

The compact engine room is accessed via a hatch below the cockpit table.

The Bavaria S36’s cockpit is on the same level as the saloon. Pushing all the fixtures to port or starboard creates a sense of open space.

To starboard is a handy wet bar backing onto the helm seat, meaning owners won’t need to go to the galley below to fix drinks and snacks. It has a small sink with hot and cold tap, and an 80-litre fridge for keeping things cool.

To port is the dinette, featuring an L-shaped bench seat backing onto the saloon wall. Two small, round fixed pedestal seats provide perches on the companionway side of the dinette’s table without blocking access for anyone walking through the space.

A lockable sliding smoked Perspex door that leads down to the galley and accommodation space splits the console. To starboard is a single sunbed that gives an incredible view forward while the Bavaria S36 is underway.

Alongside it, the seatback of the dinette flips rearward to create a forward-facing co-pilot’s seat close to the helm.

Overhead, our test boat includes the optional electric-open hard sunroof, which replaces a standard manual cloth version.

The starboard helm station is compact but comfortable, and well-laid out. In a mix of old and new, old-school analogue instruments for engine running information are arranged around a large, flat blacked-out central section optimised for a flush-mounted touchscreen. Our boat was fitted with a 12-inch Simrad multifunction display that pretty much fills all the available space.

The helm seat is well padded, and includes a flip-up bolster so the driver can stand at the station rather than sit. The seat includes a small platform to get up into the chair, and a footrest below the console.

The Bavaria S36’s electrical functions are all controlled via a panel mounted to the left of the tilt-adjust sports-style steering wheel. The waterproof switch panel uses diagrams rather than words to help with locating the right switch quickly. Autopilot controls fall easily to hand.

Drop-down windows are fitted to either side of the saloon in line with the helm seat.

For what is seen as a value-driven boat, quality appears to be right up there with the more expensive brands.

The Bavaria S36’s galley fills a space downstairs, accessed via four timber steps descending a companionway equipped to one side with a stainless steel handrail.

The starboard galley features a twin-burner induction cooktop and an optional overhead Bosch convection microwave oven, and is fitted with an 80-litre under-bench fridge. A twin-tub stainless steel sink is fitted with a mixer tap, and a long window includes a porthole for airflow.

To starboard, this space has an L-shaped lounge and table that wraps around the master stateroom’s bulkhead. A second wireless handset for the Simrad RS40 VHF radio and an LED TV are mounted on opposite bulkheads. Another long window includes a porthole.
Forward of the lounge is the shared wet head.

Almost the entire below-desks area is fitted with optional detachable carpets; the only exposed timber flooring is around the wet area of the galley. In fact, the carpets are the only feature on this boat to lose points; rough edges made it look like patched-together offcuts rather than bespoke fittings.

The Bavaria S36 is a two-cabin design with the master stateroom in the bow. Both rooms feature lockable cabin doors, and have vents and controls for the air conditioning.

The forward master cabin includes a hexagonal bed built into the bow. Long windows to either side and an overhead translucent hatch let in lots of natural light, while portholes to either side allow cross airflow. Drop-down blinds are fitted to each side.

A mirror mounted against the collision bulkhead makes the room appear larger than it is. Storage space is limited, although there is a hanging cupboard that will take shirts and skirts.

Aft of the galley and lounge is the second accommodation area, accessed by a portside door.

Immediately to port is a chaise lounge that could double as a bed in a pinch, which has standing headroom. Opposite are a pair of single beds running abeam under the cockpit floor. An infill allows these beds to join together and form a double.

All the light switches on the Bavaria S36 are round. There are minimal power points and they lack USB charging ports – important if this is a family boat with smartphone-equipped children.

All deck hatches include internal sunblinds and, if they’re being used for overnight ventilation, mosquito blinds.

Our test version of the Bavaria S36 was equipped with twin 250hp Mercruiser 4.5L petrol engines fitted with Bravo III stern drives. The option of Volvo Penta D3-220 diesel inboard engines is available.

Visibility from the helm was very good, with clear forward vision via the single-piece windscreen equipped with a pair of wipers. Deep windows that line the saloon, as well as the open-backed hard top layout interrupted only by wide rear pillars, yield almost all-around line of sight.

The Bavaria S36’s high sides and a significantly inboard driving position mean you will probably need to call on a bit of help fending off while berthing – even on the driver’s side you’re a long way up from dock level.

Performance

*Both engines. Data supplied by Bavaria Yachts
Maximum range on 90% fuel reserve: 118nm@4000rpm

German cars are renowned for their performance and handling, and Bavaria carries this across to the water.

The hull’s relatively fine entry combines with a shallow vee at the bow easily handled the messy chop blown up by strong winds on the Gold Coast Seaway – our location for this test – after all, it’s a hull made for cruising the likes of the Mediterranean.

Our boat was fitted with the optional joystick control, which includes a bow thruster, so our test craft was fitted with electrically assisted steering rather than the default hydraulically assisted version of the standard boat.

Steering is very fluid and direct, which suits the boat well. Fire up the twin MerCruisers, twirl the wheel and the Bavaria S36 will tip excitedly into a turn, carving out a gentle, controlled arc without dropping power or speed.

Push hard, and this boat will hit 30 knots before it starts to run out of puff, but back off to a more sensible 25 knots and the Bavaria S36 will eat up the miles at a tad under a surprisingly economical 100 litres an hour.

A range of just more than 100nm means the ability to explore the coastline will be limited if you can’t refuel along the way.

Left alone, the bow will gain a fair bit of attitude when the boat is powered up. Into a swell, the auto-levelling Bennett trim tabs helped to keep the nose down and the bow’s fine entry smoothing out the ride.

The Bavaria S36 is a remarkable amount of boat for the relatively small amount of money that the German boat-builder asks for it. You’re going to be hard-pressed to fault it for fit-out or finish, and the two-cabin design is perfect for cruising families or couples – as long as they don’t stray too wide of home port.

The owner’s modifications to the swim deck of this boat, too, make it equally at home while fishing, or just entertaining when the day’s fishing is over.

That it also handles like a sports boat when asked is just the icing on the cake.

Specifications
Model: Bavaria S36 Hard Top
Length overall: 10.8m/11.6m (with swim deck)
Hull length: 10.28m
Beam: 3.59m
Draft: 0.7m (drive raised)/1.15m (drive lowered)
Weight: 6791kg (dry)
Engines: 2x 253hp 4.5-litre V6 Mercury MerCruiser 4.5L
Fuel: 520L, petrol
Water: 250L
Hot water: 20L
Accommodation: 2 cabins, 4 berths
Passengers: 8

Priced from: $410,000 including hard top with manual fabric sunroof; cockpit wet bar; starboard windscreen wiper; sliding side windows; sliding companionway door; cockpit shower with cold and hot water; integrated swim deck with telescopic ladder; self-draining anchor locker; stainless steel anchor roller fitting; electric windlass; LED lighting; blinds with mosquito nets; ceramic cooktop; 112-litre 12-volt fridge; stainless steel double sink; 20L water heater; stainless steel rails; 6x stainless steel cleats; painted hull

Price as tested: $595,000 including 24,000 BTU air-conditioning with outlets in the saloon and cabins; Asius joystick control; Bennett trim tabs; bow thruster; 22-inch saloon TV; extended swim deck with teak inlay; DuraDeck floor in cockpit and side decks; barbecue; microwave; removable saloon carpets; pull-out bimini for the cockpit; height-adjust backrest for co-pilot chair; electric fibreglass sunroof; Westerbeke 6.2kVA genset; helm pedestal and height-adjust steering wheel; folding cockpit table; silk grey hard top; stainless steel rail for swim deck; bait board and 2x fishing rod holders; 2.7m dinghy with 6hp outboard engine; 16kg Delta anchor with 50m chain; 6x fenders; 4x mooring lines

Supplied by: Ensign Yacht Brokers