BAVARIA C42: IT SAILS VERY WELL

When I looked at the Bavaria C42 at the Dusseldorf Boat Show I was impressed: it's difficult to make something different on the mass production boat design because the limitations are many and the design guidelines very similar but the C42 looks not only out of the box but also has a very well designed hull.

And it is not only the hull, but the running rig is also very interesting, with a boom controlled without a traveler (unfortunately as almost all boats on the segment) but with a very unusual big distance between the two controlling blocks, allowing a better control downwind and the cockpit is already set for having two optional extra winches, for the ones that will prefer a bigger genoa, a Code 0 or a Gennaker to the standard self-tacking jib.

As I have pointed out in a previous post the construction techniques used on the C42 are better than the ones used on similar boats, featuring a sandwich hull. On the other brands, with the exception of the Hanse 418, they only use it on 50ft boats and bigger. Unfortunately, it seems that that the one that will substitute the 418 will revert to a monolithic hull as they have done on the new 458, where they are using already a more basic and less expensive monolithic hull.

Many other boats in the class do not offer 6 winches as an option and worse, if you want to install them there is no place suited for them neither the running rigging is thought to use them.

Bavaria C-line boat structure is also an improvement regarding other Bavarias and other mass production boats. They use a system developed by Cossutti, the Modutech Assembly System, that was initially developed for the Italia Yachts and was recently used on the Swan 48 (designed by Freers but with a structural Modutech Assembly system by Cossutti). 

Some years ago I had a conversation about the C-line boat structure with the engineer responsible for its adaptation on the C45 and he assured me that this system with the associated structure ( the bulkheads are also partially laminated to the hull) is a big improvement in what regards strength over the system Bavaria used for many years on older models.

But the big question was if the boat sails as well as it looks. For knowing that we need test sails and by now several testers from sail magazines tested it: all were impressed with the boat sailing potential and the way it sailed.

On the French magazine Voile Magazine on a test of over 100nm they said: "Class and Talent: As expected we got a strong breeze for the test, but the sea is flat in the Vilaine estuary where our dashing C42 is tumbling at full speed. 9, 10 knots, soon 11 ... The spinnaker is stable, the helm remains surprisingly smooth and sensitive. It gives the privileged exhilarating sensations of power and control not necessarily expected from an honest family cruiser. However, we are neither on a dashing Italian race-cruiser nor on a Scandinavian fast boat, but of course, on a Bavaria!" 

 

Yacht.de was also one of the sail magazines that test sailed the C42 and they were also very positive about the way it sailed and despite the huge beam they reported 7.5 knots upwind and were impressed saying that overall it is a fast yacht. They made a video from the test (that you can download on their site) and we can see that the C42 sails very well.

 

 

But this is a very beamy hull and it will be slower on the light wind than considerably less beamy boats, like for instance the Jeanneau 410,  but most cruisers when the wind is light just turn the engine on and that explains this choice of beamy hulls that are used on almost all mass production boats, hulls that offer many other advantages among them sailing with less heel and more interior volume.

Anyway, I would say that on this boat it would make sense to have a code 0 on a furler to improve the light wind ability and contrary to others, this one has the possibility of having the extra winches to make its control easier.

The interior of the C42 is huge due to the rounded bow and big stern, the quality is the one that is to be expected on mass production boats, the different layouts seem functional and well adapted. The design is modern and to like it or not is a matter of taste.

Personally, I dislike the shape of the saloon table and I believe a rounded one would be not only nicer but a better option. Don't like the sharp angles of the chart table even if it has an interesting way of storing big charts. Don't like also the plastic decorative inserts but that would be easy to change. Besides that it seems nice, well done, and functional.

All the rest is pretty much what other boats on this segment offer except perhaps the water tankage that with only 210 liters is low for cruising, a way to make you pay 850 euros more for an additional tank that will give you a good 460L W tankage.

For the ones that like sailing, I would recommend the genoa option, which implies two more winches and a genoa traveler and the standard mast (not a furling one) that will increase the sail area and give a good 22.5 SA/D. The 27.9% B/D taking into account the torpedo keel and the 2.10 draft is not bad and also considerably better than what Beneteau and Jeanneau offer (24.5% and 25.7% with just some more cm draft).

But the bigger difference for the Beneteau and the Jeanneau is that even if built with superior building techniques the Bavaria is considerably heavier, but not slower, compensating the difference in weight with a taller mast and more sail area. This means that you will feel you are sailing a bigger boat, one that in fact has more stability and is more seaworthy.

In what that regards, for boats with the same length, the Bavaria C42 with a displacement of  9678kg will be in between the Beneteau or Jeanneau (8180/7784kg) and the Halberg Rassy (11000kg). I would say that for most cruisers, considering a relatively small yacht, Bavaria's approach in what regards displacement makes sense, not to mention that probably it allows for a stronger boat than the Beneteau or Jeanneau.

On a previous occasion, I made a more detailed technical comparison between the Bavaria C 42 and the also new Oceanis 40.1. You will find there information that completes this post:

http://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2020/02/new-40-ft-cruisers-oceanis-401-versus.html

Important note: Some of the information regarding the Bavaria C42 specifications have been altered by Bavaria, in what regards displacement, ballast and sail area, with relevance to boat safety stability, AVS and upwind performance. There is a new post about them (08/10/2021).