Bavaria Yachts 40

Someone pulled the plug and the sun went out like a light. Big black clouds materialised from nowhere, hung overhead like big black clouds do, and cast an ominous shadow over picturesque Pittwater.

Quick as that, the postcard waterway vanished behind a curtain of wretched Sydney rain. There was nothing for it but to head down below and find the wet locker.

There, in the for'ard head, I uncovered a pair of PVC foulies. I pulled the plastic pants and jacket over my work attire. Next, I hung a chart of the Pacific on the saloon bulkhead.

The skipper came down to see what was up. I tied a blindfold around his head, faced him in the general direction of the chart, and said throw this dart. Whoosh... He threw a dart at the chart. The projectile landed with a 'dong' and sat proud of the mahogany bulkhead. It landed at a place called Bowen. Always wanted to go to Bowen.

Before me lay my best chance in a long while to head north in a comfortable cruising yacht. Not even the most inclement Sydney weather will stop the new German-made Bavaria 40 yacht. It's a crafty craft designed for going places from a company that is something of a trailblazer in the global yachting industry.

The Bavaria 40 is the latest model from one of the world's fastest-growing yacht builders. To meet demand worldwide, Bavaria has stepped-up production from 700 to 1900 yachts in the last year alone. Australian sailors with views to cruising are responsible for a good many orders.

In fact, in the space of just over two years, more than 100 Bavaria yachts have been imported to Australia. By any stretch of the imagination, this is an incredible achievement. Just over two years ago, Bavarias hadn't seen the light of day Down Under.

I noted with glee during my test that despite the rise and rise of the German marque, consistency is being maintained on the factory floor. I cast a weather eye over the finish of the new 40 and can report that it is as good as the 38, the 34 and all the other Bavarias I have reviewed before it.

The mahogany joinery is impressive, the mouldings are pure for the most part, and the overall presentation is better than many high-volume production yachts from other overseas yards. What's more, the new Bavaria 40 has attributes that put it in a league of its own.

The big difference between the 40 and other Bavarias is the ratio of room to waterline length. Replacing the company's 38-footer, the 40 has lofty headroom, three big cabins, and a commodious cockpit that is tailor-made for the Australian way of life.

I reckon the Bavaria 40 presents like a 42, though it is priced more like a 38. The yacht offers exceptional value for money, a lot of potential for your dollar, and performs as a good, honest platform for indulging in the increasingly popular art of self-perpetual satisfaction. Bowen, here we come...

PANZER TANK TESTING
Ocean-sailing aspirants will take comfort from the fact that Bavaria's hand-laid, solid-fibreglass hulls are nothing if not seaworthy. While they aren't greyhounds under sail, they provide a quick fix for cruising sailors looking to put some space between their noggins and terrestrial abodes.

As a matter of fact, Bavaria yachts have completed numerous passages.

Locally, they have sailed to Melbourne, Lord Howe, and Queensland. Pittwater charter company, Club Sail, uses Bavarias for its offshore sailing schools.

As we speak, a European owner is sailing a new 40 somewhere around the Pacific.

A Pacific odyssey (or a trip to Bowen) is something you could do in a Bavaria 40 with confidence. The company has taken a panzer tank approach to building its boats. As a test of strength, Bavaria drove one of its yachts over logs, oils barrels and then into a rock wall three, yes three, times.

The crash-test hull came away scuffed but unscathed. Then, quite by accident, a Bavaria 38 was hit by a runaway army barge in the UK. The barge T-boned the Bavaria 38, took-out two piles and cleaned-up a fixed pontoon. Prognosis? Abrasions to the yacht, nothing more.

It's this peace of mind that sees most Bavarias land in the hands of private sailors. The yachts are perfect for social cruising with a view to undertaking a serious ocean passage one day. Sure, you can race around the cans - and with so many Bavarias on the water you could end up class racing - but what these yachts do best is cruise.

A SNAP TO SAIL
On or off the breeze, Bavarias are easy to manage. The new 40 also offers plenty of liveaboard space and creature comforts above and below decks.

Keen pricing doesn't translate to skimping on quality on Bavaria yachts. The new 40 is graced with Swedish-made Rutgerson jammers and blocks and Harken two-speed genoa (44s) and halyard winches (40s). Lewmar hatches, teak decks, a big swim platform, and windlass are other bits of good gear on the 40.

A Furlex roller furler takes care of the No 2 headsail, while the fully-battened dacron main rests in lazy jacks. Together, they make setting or dropping sail a one or, at worst, two-person affair. All lines lead back from the mast base to jammers behind an optional dodger. And there is a single-line reefing system.

You can tweak the rig with the adjustable 3:1 backstay and solid vang or kicker. The 9/10 Selden rig is deck-stepped, but tied to chainplates that could stop a U-boat in its tracks. The spinnaker pole is held vertically on the leading edge of the mast base, thereby keeping the foredeck uncluttered.

The decks are moulded in such a way that they facilitate easy moving about in a seaway. Compared with the 38, which we just happened to sail past, the new 40 has a much, much bigger cockpit.

Six people can partake in social activities without lap-dancing. Come to think of it...

There are sail lockers deep enough to hold a rubber duckie and outboard, a leather-bound wheel as part of the North South Yachting package, and a pedestal with room for the standard-issue Raytheon Tridata gauge and aftermarket electronics. The cockpit table, which folds neatly away, is ready for alfresco lunches at anchor.

Anchors aweigh is a matter of pressing a button on the electric Simpson Lawrence windlass. Morning showers can be taken on deck thanks to a hot/cold hand-held shower. Privacy is afforded in the two heads inside the Bavaria 40. The aft head has a shower.

LIBERAL ON THE INSIDE
The new Bavaria 40 is voluminous for its length. The two aft cabins have headroom around their entrance, a hanging locker, hatches and opening portholes for crossflow ventilation, and a definite sense of liveability.

In the saloon, the navigation station is big enough to stretch out a chart and plot your ocean passage. A switchpanel and a facia for flush-mounted electronics is close at hand. The navigator's seat is near the companionway for optimum communications.

Hard-wearing mock-teak vinyl flooring has stood the test of time. The 40's galley on the portside includes functional benchtops, a deep fridge with its own compressor, a two-burner gas stove/oven/grill, and a big sink. A microwave would be nice.

For entertaining, the 40 has a massive dinette and lounge that will seat up to eight people. It's perfect for card nights and schnapps parties. There are three choices of fabric, but the royal-blue material is hard to go past. The varnished mahogany joinery, I'm told, stands up to wear and tear.

There is a separate two-person lounge on the outer side of the dinette which protrudes into the companionway. In a seaway it can be used as a leaning post while preparing a pot roast. In any case, the provision of two heads means there is no need to go for'ard (except if you are sleeping in the forepeak cabin).

As usual, the forepeak cabin has a big vee-shaped double bed, plus hanging space and drawers for storage. It's a nice place to bed down at anchor. More discerning owners, and those seeking a seaberth, might prefer the two-cabin version of the 40 or perhaps the aft cockpit model with an even bigger owner's den.

But the three-cabin 40 rates as a big yacht. It has accommodation for six to eight people, can be easily sailed by a husband-and-wife team, and will impress owners of more up-market marques.

The two of us found the 40 a snap to gad about in Pittwater. We cracked 6.4kt upwind in 16kt and scurried before the storm at 7kt. It is apparent from the way the yacht rides that weight has been kept out of the ends of the boat.

The Bavaria 40 doesn't drag its bum and sits down only slightly under power. Like most Bavarias, the yacht really likes a blow. It heels only so far before it locks in. Stability tests show the 40 as a stiff boat.

I thought the helm felt balanced. With the nut on the Whitlock steering eased out, you could take your hand off the wheel and the yacht wouldn't round up. The wheel could be a little bigger to allow you better vision of the headsail telltales, though the 40 is easily sailed through instinct or the wind gauge.

The Volvo saildrive also offers about-turn manoeuvrability. The helmsman took the 40 out of its ridiculously tight pen with aplomb. Add a GPS and radio and the world is your Bavaria.

It's not a line-honours boat or a ratings favourite, but the new Bavaria 40 is a solid yacht in which to go sailing and get away from it all. Judging by the success of Bavarias in Australia, the 40 is bound for glory.

It's not what we did with the yacht, but what we didn't do that matters. Before long I found myself entertaining the kind of dreams held by many cruising sailors. A passage to a place where the sun is shining, the islands stand like jewels in an aquamarine sea, and you can buy mangos and pineapples for a handful of coins. Bowen? Maybe next time.

Lows