Bavaria Yachts 34

Oh, the doubters. The photographer called at the 11th hour to say it was bucketing down across town. Then the yacht's importer phoned from the other side of Sydney to tell me the same tragic news. We'll proceed with the sail, I said, banking on the power of positive thinking.

As if on cue, the clouds parted and the sun beamed down on the Bavaria 34. Greeted in Europe last autumn with a similarly warm reception, the 34 saw its first year of production presold before a yacht had even hit the water.

One summer later in Australia and local importer, Ralph Hogg, has finally landed his first 34. Considering the increasing interest in mid-sized yachts all-round the world, the new German compact is destined for plenty of attention Down Under.

As if to prove as much, the boat's owner had just stepped-up from a 25ft day-sailor to this, his first, real yacht. Compared with French and American brands, the German brand clearly offers something extra in the engineering department.

"The big difference is that this is more an offshore passagemaker than a charterboat. It has solidity of construction, a balanced hull shape, and the backing of Bavaria," Hogg says, adding that Bavaria has just upped production from 700 to around 1000 yachts a year.

With a sensible 12-boat range of 31-50ft yachts, the company has somehow managed to expand and cut production time simultaneously. The factory is apparently a marvel, with climate-controlled rooms and incredible assembly lines. Delivery to Australia now takes just four to five months, even for the new 34.

THE J&J HULL
Using a solid, seaworthy hull from J&J Design, the 34's construction is a strong-point. Divinycell coring features above the waterline, kevlar in the forward sections, and lots of S-glass and woven rovings elsewhere.

The bulkheads are all glassed in, top-quality marine ply is used for the framework, and oversized chainplates are mounted to oversized knees. Of the boat's 4500kg displacement, 1400kg is ballast in a cast iron fin-bulb keel.

Compared with some production yachts, the Bavaria might be considered overbuilt. Yet on the water, its slippery hull makes up for any potential over-engineering. J&J also designs X-Yachts and lots of One-Design racers. Think fast!

I thought the 34 actually sailed amazingly well. Using a balanced hull, with much of the weight out of its ends, the yacht has good acceleration. The bow lifts and sluices the water, while the transom doesn't drag.

Though you can upgrade to a bigger powerplant, the standard 19hp MD2020 Volvo with Saildrive propels the boat to more than six knots. Around the marina, under power, the 34 also seemed easy enough to park, thanks to a throttle location on the big binnacle rather than the floor.

TEST OF TIME
Down below, quality extends from the African mahogany joinery through to the double-tongue door latches and Gebo hatches. Though there are only four or five choices in fabrics, the rippled blue material everyone is opting for looks smart.

Given the attractive price of the Bavaria range, enthusiasts could customise the interior after delivery and they'd still come out miles ahead. But why bother? Having seen plenty of the production-made 34s, the Bavaria is better than most.

The mix of mahogany, natural light, a white moulded headliner, at least 1.9m of headroom, plus a hard-wearing teak-and-holly laminex flooring, creates a sense of timelessness. And after two years "they've stood up to Aussie conditions really, really well", says Hogg.

"The first 41 in Australia has been to Melbourne a couple of times. Club Sail (a charter company on Pittwater) is using the 38s and 42s for its offshore courses, including sailing to Southport and back," he says, adding that there are now eight Bavarias chartering on Pittwater.

TWO CABINS OR THREE?
Available in two or three-cabin versions, the 34 is a surprisingly roomy three-cabin yacht. The three-cabin version compromises none of its accommodation or the all-important head. Only the galley could do with a little more bench space, which the importer is addressing.

The three-cabin layout begins with the forepeak berth, which is plenty big enough for an adult couple to sleep for days at a time. Around a metre of headroom exists over the bunk, while there is enough floor space to dress.

Storage exists under the cushions, where one of two water tanks is located, and in robust wood-backed sidepockets. There is also a hold under a padded bumrest at the base of the bed and a fully-lined hanging locker with three shelves.

Comforts come from an overhead hatch, foam-back white marine-vinyl frontliner, and the warm feeling imparted by mahogany. Only the speckled, lint-coloured floor carpet looked circa-'70s.

USING YOUR HEAD
The 34's head is on the starboard side, alongside the master cabin in the bow. Fully-moulded in white glass, it combines low maintenance with plenty of space to move about the sink and sit on the loo.

Taps and handheld shower fittings are chrome not plastic. Starboard, (a kind of plastic), is used as doors for the hatches. One hatch reveals the seacock and water pump servicing the washbasin, the other twin shelves for personals.

Under the sink is access to the plumbing, plus a genuine German toilet brush and dunny-roll holder. I also noted plenty of room for parking on the Jabsco loo, an overhead hatch for fresh air, and a big mirror for shaving.

Naturally, the saloon surpasses all other areas for comforts. Either side are 1.9m-long settees whose backrest lifts up to create bigger sea berths. Plenty of storage exists below and in the two timber storage cupboards, as well as holds backed by rails.

The dinette has twin leaves that, when locked in place, create a table big and sturdy enough to mount in a beer hall. Beneath a Bavaria insignia panel is storage for the schnapps. In a seaway, grabrails along the window line will help you maintain your footing.

Additional storage exists in three big drawers on the after-end of the table base. Since the mast is deck-stepped, there's plenty of room to move about, while fresh air rushes through the companionway and six opening portholes.

STATION, GALLEY & GUESTS
The 34 has a useful navigation station on the starboard-side with a chart table with storage, benchseat, and timber facia with room for mounting electronics. A separate timber alcove has been devised to take a fire extinguisher or EPIRB.

Typical of Bavaria, the control panel is mounted on a timber door which opens to reveal the boat's electrical wiring. In fact, wherever there is a skin fitting, seacock or some other area of importance, you'll find panels that are easily removed.

Though short on bench space, the galley is well equipped. It comes with a two-burner gas stove/oven, deep 12V chest fridge, rounded stainless sink where you can stack your plates, and a pull-out kitchen tidy bin behind a cupboard.

Space for crockery exists in two cupboards behind the stove, with limited room beneath for pots and pans. The drawers at the aft-end of the dinette would be the spot for the cutlery. Hogg says he's adding a pull-out leaf to make more lunch-prep room.

Nearby, the two aft cabins are each big enough for a couple, graced with two opening portholes for cross-flow ventilation, and mini hanging lockers with cupboard space for personals. There is dressing space at their entrances and more room above the berths than on some bigger yachts.

RIGGED TO GO
Though deck-stepped, the mast is well braced both above and below deck.

The twin spreader rig is supported by heavy-duty shrouds, forestay and 6:1 adjustable backstay. A Furlex furling headsail comes standard, with the fully-battened main with lazyjacks preferred over the optional furling main.

As an indication of the yacht's quality, the mast is Selden, the furling system from Furlex, the wardrobe courtesy of Elvstrom and the two-speed self-tailing winches ex-Harken. Rutgersen is used for the cars and jammers, Whitlock for the steering, and Hogg for an aftermarket solid vang.

With just two of us aboard and a 14kt southerly swirling around Pittwater, the 34 was a fun yacht to sail. The main hoisted easily, with the halyard winch called on for the last few feet only Mounted on the cabin top, the traveller keeps the cockpit clear and the starboard halyard winch was used to trim the main.

From behind the leather-covered wheel on the big binnacle with fold-down table, the yacht offers a good view of the telltales on both high and low sides. As the sheets are led back to Genoa winches near the helm, the skipper can indulge in trimming the headsail and steering.

Thus, the 34 can be sailed two-handed by a couple just as easily as it can cater for a social group of six or more midweek. Though the cockpit isn't huge, there was at least 1.9m of teak-covered seating. The three-cabin layout leaves two big lockers and gas bottle storage.

To its credit, Bavaria has put plenty of thought into the cockpit mouldings and the coachroof. With handrails and non-skid on the decks, human ballast can be sent forward in both light and heavy airs.

Back aft, is a big swim platform and ladder accessible through a lift-out panel behind the helm. There is also a hot/cold deck shower. As an option, Hogg can strip the boat back to a basic day-sailor, "sans fridge, hot water, etc", and knock $12,000 off the price.

GERMAN CORKER
With the headsail goose-winged, the 34 showed a hankering for such things as twilight racing. While reaching 6.5kt upwind, the boat seemed slippery before the wind too. Only a beer in hand would have made life any better.

"They're like Russian dolls," adds Hogg. "Each Bavaria is a scaled version of its sistership, built with great consistency, and designed for serious sailing."

For $194,000 including antifouling, 50-hour engine service and rig-tune, fenders and warps, anchor and chain, Raytheon Tridata, Lloyd certification, Suunto Finnish compass, sails and more, the package is to use the Aussie vernacular 'a corker'.