Bavaria slashes yacht range as it sets course for recovery

The move comes as the boat-maker announced it would shut down its Croatia-based R55 motor yacht manufacturing operation and relocate it to Germany.

“The series production that Bavaria Yachts stands for is being taken to new levels,” Bavaria said in a statement issued last week. “To do this, it will be necessary to greatly reduce the complexity that has emerged in recent years.

“The current portfolio includes 26 models – within the next three years it is to be focused on 10 to 12 models which are efficient and popular in the market.”

Bavaria's Australian distributor, Bavaria Yachts Australia, has been asked for comment.

Bavaria Yachts managing director Erik Appel said reducing the model range would make it more attractive, and help the brand improve quality.

Boats already removed from the Bavaria line-up include the former flagship C65 – the largest ever boat made by the company – which has failed to attract buyers in significant numbers since its launch earlier this year, and the E-Line hybrid propulsion models, which have been discontinued.

The C50, meanwhile, has been temporarily shelved ahead of a return next month for good reasons. “The C50 sailing yacht has been removed from series production and technically reworked as a prototype,” Bavaria said.

“Following successful re-engineering, the C50 will return to series production from November 2018. The findings from this process will now be transferred to the flagship Bavaria C57 and its little sister [the] Bavaria C45.”

Bavaria said it hoped to increase the efficiency of C57 production using lessons it learned from building the C50.

The brand hinted that it would continue to develop future models for 2019, with “two or three” new products a year considered “feasible”.

“Fast production, reliable quality and plenty of space, along with sporty performance and a competitive price/performance ratio, are to be the hallmark of Bavaria Yachts once again,” it said.

As well, the boat-maker will cut its reliance on casual staff, adding full-timers to the books in an effort to cut down on the cost of building its boats.

Bavaria Yachts placed itself into self-administration in April after falling into financial difficulty. The group was bought out by a German company that specialises in swooping on businesses in distress, and turning them around.

Part of Bavaria’s recovery plan includes a prediction from its new owners that it will break even in the 2019-20 financial year after booking a loss in the current one, with “key improvements” not expected until two or three years later.