BAVARIA C42: THE CHANGES YOU DON’T SEE

I posted very positive information regarding the Bavaria C42, and it was not only me; the press followed with very flattering test sails and electing it the Family European yacht  2021.

https://interestingsailboats.blogspot.com/2020/09/bavara-c42-it-sails-very-well.html

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

Because I was one of the first to point some very interesting features on C42 design and specifications, when compared to the competition, it is fair to be the one to point some unnoticed modifications that diminish that difference to almost nothing. The C42 specification file, which was used till mid 2021 (that included the price list), gave a 9678kg displacement on a torpedo keel with 2698kg of ballast, the data from the Cossutti boat project.

https://www.cossutti.it/en/portfolio-item/bavaria-c42-the-cossutti-yacht-design-project/

Now the specifications have changed and for displacement instead of 9678kg they give 10.070 kg and for ballast instead of 2698kg they changed it for 2622kg. The increase in weight should not be a normal thing, but it, unfortunately, is among boat builders. Almost all brands refer to the projected displacement and even if in some cases there are huge differences they never rectify the numbers and this is particularly true regarding French brands.

https://www.kiriacoulis.com/sales/BavariaC42_price.pdf

The diminishing of the projected ballast ( Cossutti says 2700kg bulb weight) to a keel weight of 2622kg is just odd, and I ask myself what was the data used to certify the boat, because even not considering a 2700kg bulb, but the previously released keel weight of 2698kg, the new data has significant repercussions on the boat stability and AVS.

The B/D, with the same draft and keel design, passed from 28% to 26% and that’s probably due to the diminution of the RM that it implies, that they changed the sail area upwind, shortening the mast. The mast has half a meter less and the sail area upwind, less 2.6m2 on the traditional mast (more sportive version), and 10.3m2 on the in-mast furling version. On the last version, the more popular, it is a huge difference.

Probably the excess in weight has to do with Bavaria having discontinued on the C42 the positive innovations that they had brought to the C-line. Contrary to what happens on the C45 they don’t use vacuum infusion (they use hand-laid), even if they still use a cored hull. That makes the boat considerably heavier.

Cossutti has projected the boat for using, like the others in C-line, the “Modutech” assembly system, a system developed by him based on a strong grid where all furniture and bulkheads were integrated, a system also used on Italia Yachts and on the Swan 48. Instead, Bavaria used on C42 the old system, with all furniture glassed or bonded to the hull.

So, the Bavaria 42 is still an interesting sailing boat, with an innovative bow that will increase hull form stability allowing it a better performance downwind, and on a beam reach, but in what regards the projected boat leaves much to be desired, namely with a not so good performance upwind, especially with medium to high wind, with worse safety stability and AVS, that are now similar with what the competition offers.