Bavaria Sport 35 HT

The hardtop or HT variants now range from this 35 HT, through a 39 HT to a 44 HT in a range of sportscruiser from 29 to 44ft. A good-looking boat, the 35 HT is an evolution of the 34 Sport (soft top) that became the 35 Sport. But the smallest HT in the range isn’t in any way compromised. It’s a big little boat that wears its lid well and packs a lot aboard without being cramped.

As if to prove as much, we had a couple of the local importer's friends aboard, taking the test-crew complement to four. While the 35 HT has a CE (day) rating for eight, it’s just perfect for a family of four, with sleeping in two cabins below decks, and bow to stern sun lounging and seating areas up top during the day. With the (manually operated) hardtop with concertina canvas sunroof, you gain all-weather protection and boating... or wind in your hair. Compared with some French-designed and built sportscruisers we've been aboard, this German counterpart makes better use of space, we feel.

The 35 HT also looks nice and sporty. Building on the former 34 Sport upon which it was founded, this boat now has more glass, stylish graphics and, to our critical eye, a lifted level of fit and finish. You would be boat-proud of owning this one.

“We’ve been doing this a while,” explains Bavaria importer Andy Howden. “Some customers are up to their fourth Bavaria in 12 years. I guess there’s close to 150 Sports models in Australia and 450 Bavaria yachts,” he adds, reassuring prospective buyers.

Our test boat had some upgrades, most notably twin Volvo Penta D3 220hp diesel engines with sterndrives. These compact 2.4-litre donks will obviously return better fuel economy than the base MerCruiser 5.0 MPI 260hp engines, although the Mercs will pack more punch.

The boat had Relax and Navigation packs and factory-optional extended swim platform, cockpit table, wet bar cover in solid wood, upgraded Suntex vinyl upholstery, additional LED lights, tinted side windows with opening panes, and twin windscreen wipers. There was an upgraded Fusion AV system in the Relax pack.

The interior had optional microwave, electric saltwater toilet, shower and timber-look flooring. An additional battery was added, along with enlarged 250-litre water tank and hot-water service. There were other options that created this turnkey boat to go.

With a stainless steel rear rail and barbecue (to be fitted at time of test) and an inverter that lets you use the microwave and AC outlets away from dock, the 35 HT was keenly priced at $357,292. Eight years ago, the 34 Sporttop was selling for $340,00 with less kit.

As for the French competition: the Jeanneau Leader 10 with bigger 260hp D4s biy less gear was selling for $379,000 late last year, but this 35 HT has a better cabin, inverter and suchlike. The award-winning Jeanneau NC11 cost $387,984 with 200hp D3s and joystick when tested it two years ago. The Beneteau 38 Flyer GT with 300hp D4s, generator and air-con was $399,500 in 2011.

So this is well priced with 220hp D3s, electronic EVC shifts, bowthruster, inverter and extra battery, and barbecue on the tail. And the Ensign quote tool means that, in 10 minutes, you can tick the boxes, see the finishes on the configurator, and get your price, adds Howden.

Storage is another strong point, as beneath the entire aft sun-pad space is one big moulded hold for every conceivable water toy, blow-up tender, fenders, lines, paddles, fishing rods and more. You can add dividers and create a party icebox to one side, too.

Seating under the hardtop, from which we’d add a rear awning to bolster cockpit shade some more, includes a u-shaped lounge and dinette for four, single helm and separate side-facing co-pilot seat, and a raised Cleopatra lounge with drinkholder behind the windscreen. It’s the perfect place for reading a book. The backrest for the aft-most lounge reverses to increase the size of the transom sun pad.

The wet bar behind the helm seat sports a small sink with cold water only, lift-up storage area, timber servery and Waeco fridge. Teak decking is underfoot, the tinted side windows with opening panes and sunroof assist ventilation, while also taming the vast areas of white fibreglass that are somewhat glary.

Wearing polarised sunglasses, preferred eyewear for boating, had a strange effect on the windscreen, creating blotches and affecting vision to a degree. So you might need to wear different sunnies when driving during the day. The local agent was promptly modifying the razor-sharp leading stainless-steel edge of the windscreen. An accident waiting to happen.

A word about the sunroof. While it’s a manual model, it automatically locates in the position you want with a jiggle. There are four different positions including wide open. Closed, and with the aft curtain in place, you have a quasi lock-up wheelhouse.

Meantime, despite plenty of head and shoulder room in the cockpit and at the helm, the 35 HT has surprisingly wide walkarounds that, with extended bow rail with lifeline, cabin-top grab rails, moulded toe rails and a dot-pattern non skid, keep you nicely contained. The budding young boatie and mum we borrowed for the shoot ably demonstrated the walkaround safety factor.

There’s LED lighting, big cleats and a split bow rail to assist disembarkation. Pad eyes on the bow provide somewhere to tie-down kayaks or a paddle board, while the windlass is concealed from toes. But there was no wash down, so it’s out with the bucket and lanyard after weighing anchor. The recessed fuel filter was a nice touch in case of spills.

Yachting influences can be found below decks, with abundant grab rails incorporated in the joinery, overhead lockers, fiddle rails on the galley counter, and the saltwater-only toilet option. You’ll need to flush freshwater through the head and leave the bowl full when leaving the boat closed to avoid that smell.

Designer mini-lamp mood lights grace the portside dinette, whose white upholstered lounge seats four. There are opposing portlights but they don’t open. However, hatches are aplenty. The galley, opposite, has the main multifunction control and breaker panel above including Xantrex inverter button for away-from-dock microwave and select appliance power. The Fusion LCD TV/DVD hinges off the wall to face the dinette.

Galley amenities include Waeco fridge with freezer tray, two-burner hob, one and a half sinks, crumb dish, and amble storage. The big mixer makes a statement, while the mahogany timber and faux teak-and-holy floor add a traditional feel.

The location of the head, sink with hot/cold water and shower in the same compartment is handy to the companionway. When showering you need to activate the switch for the manual sump pump to drain the area. It's not an automatic system.

The stateroom in the bow has a big vee-shaped double berth, opening portlights and escape hatch of course, hanging lockers, side lockers, drawers and a side seat with storage below. If you remove the small infill section of the double-bed mattress you get more dressing room.

But the aft cabin vies for attention and makes better use of space than the aforesaid French competition’s aft cabin. There’s more headroom and a lounge at the entrance, hanging locker and shelves, trick lighting and twin single berths that convert with an infill into a transverse double. Opening portlights give a degree of cross-flow ventilation and there’s an overall welcome sense of space.

Engineering is time proven. It’s all to CE standards and we haven’t heard of any big issues over the decade that the sportscruisers have been in the country. If anything, the boats have got better. 

With the extended 250-litre water tank you can easily do a weekend aboard. The inverter was a smart addition, boosting autonomy and pretty much negating the need for a generator and air-con at least in temperate and southern climes.

Instrumentation included analogue and electronic Volvo gauges and engine modules, trim gauge, keyless ignition with swiper, bowthruster controller, and Bavaria’s 12V multifunction control panel. There was also a battery management panel so you don't run flat.

The Volvo D3s were just incredibly clean running, quiet and clatter free. With full water and fuel aboard, and no trim tabs, they took a little while to shift the 35 HT to level planing speed. At 3100-3200rpm you get a 22.5-23 knot cruise for 54-60 litres per hour. But at 3400rpm, the boat does 27 knots for 66 litres, which is a very good return.

Top speed was 31 knots at 3800rpm for about 100 litres per hour. So this isn’t the fastest sportscruiser around with these compact 2.4-litre engines. But for the owner, coming out of an older Riviera, these speeds will be more than acceptable. And, well, we rather like what you’re taking with you: a neat weekender with a lot of living space.

We say the 35 HT is a good performer, kind on the eye, professionally designed from the keel up, and well laid out. Oh, and real value for money. Evidently, this was not lost on the owner who traded out of his old Riviera with flybridge into a brand new German cruiser that offers a new lease on pleasure boating.

Priced from: $282,500 landed, fully commissioned and safety pack with mooring lines and fenders.

LOA: 10.80m inc. extended swim platform
Hull length: 10.28m
Beam: 3.59m
Height above waterline: 3.03m
Weight: 6300kg dry
Engines: 2 x Volvo Penta D3 220hp diesel engines with EVC controls
Fuel:  520 litres
Water: 250 litres (150 litres std)
People: CE Cat B max. 8
Sleeping: 2+1
Draft leg up/down: 70cm/115cm