Class CHeavy displacementCruiser/Racer

Bavaria 32

Bavaria · J&J Design · 2001

Updated

The Bavaria 32 is a 9.78 m heavy displacement racing yacht designed by J&J Design and built by Bavaria, first launched in 2001. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 41% of the designs it races against. It comes alive as the breeze builds, and gives time away in the light.

Bavaria 32 - J&J Design - BavariaP 11.67 mLOA 9.78 m
Race Edge41Proven in racing

Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 41% of the boats it races against.

94th of 159 in its class.

Under 10 kn
11
10–16 kn
85
Over 16 kn
59

This design has been found in real race results — 17 starts across 3 events — not only in measurement files.

Length

9.78 m

32′ 1″

Beam

3.42 m

Draft

1.80 m

Displacement

4.9 t

Sail area

51 m²

On the podium

Where a Bavaria 32 finishes when she goes racing.

On the podium

0%

of 17 starts by 2 boats

Wins

0%

Wins0%0
Seconds0%0
Thirds0%0
Off the podium100%17

Read from 17 starts by 2 boats between 2021 and 2022, counting races with six boats or more.

Recent regattas

The latest events where a Bavaria 32 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.

  • ItalyCampionato Invernale di Roma, 41a edizione2022
  • EstoniaA.Le Coq 64. Muhu Vaina Regatt / Moonsund Regatta 2021 - offshore2021
  • EstoniaA.Le Coq 64. Muhu Vaina Regatt - Parnu lyhirada / inshore2021

Raced one we are missing?

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Round the buoys, or offshore

A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.

Round the buoys

—

Not enough data yet: no races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.

Offshore & coastal

—

Not enough data yet: 5 races over 10 NM carry a published distance.

Who she races against

The designs a Bavaria 32 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.

This design aheadRival ahead
First 31.735%ahead in 12 of 34 meetings, 17 races
Bavaria 3459%ahead in 10 of 17 meetings, 17 races
Dufour 38233%ahead in 3 of 9 meetings, 9 races
Finnflyer 3133%ahead in 3 of 9 meetings, 9 races
Bavaria 3044%ahead in 4 of 9 meetings, 9 races
X-9956%ahead in 10 of 18 meetings, 9 races
Inferno 2961%ahead in 11 of 18 meetings, 9 races
Elan 29567%ahead in 6 of 9 meetings, 9 races
Bavaria 3378%ahead in 7 of 9 meetings, 9 races
Bavaria 3789%ahead in 8 of 9 meetings, 9 races
Fareast 28100%ahead in 9 of 9 meetings, 9 races
Sun Fast 320%ahead in 0 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Sun Odyssey 3712%ahead in 1 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Sun Odyssey 450%ahead in 0 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Hanse 3110%ahead in 0 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Comet 910 (Stadt)0%ahead in 0 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Dufour 36012%ahead in 1 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Pogo 3025%ahead in 2 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Grand Soleil 37 (Design)12%ahead in 1 of 8 meetings, 8 races
Comet 3612%ahead in 1 of 8 meetings, 8 races

Some of the boats it races against

How the Bavaria 32 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.

Bavaria 32 vs First 31.7ahead 35% of 34 head-to-heads
Bavaria 32 vs X-99ahead 56% of 18 head-to-heads
Bavaria 32 vs Inferno 29ahead 61% of 18 head-to-heads
Bavaria 32 vs Bavaria 34ahead 59% of 17 head-to-heads
Bavaria 32 vs Dufour 382ahead 33% of 9 head-to-heads

Speed at every angle

The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.

36930°60°90°120°150°WIND8.5

Upwind VMG

4.68

41°

Beam reach

7.69

90°

Broad reach

8.23

135°

Downwind VMG

7.04

170°

Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.

Where it wins and where it pays

Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.

This design is even-tempered. It rewards preparation and crew work more than it rewards picking the right day.

Where it gains

Its best ground is on the beam once the breeze fills, where it does more than its size and sail area promise, and by a margin worth having.

Where it pays

It falls short upwind when the breeze is soft, giving away time it never gets back.

Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.

True wind
Upwind-0.18 kn
Beam reach+0.38 kn
Broad reach+0.25 kn
Downwind+0.05 kn

Full width is 0.6 kn either way.

At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the beam reach.

How fast is a Bavaria 32

Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.

Angle6 kn10 kn14 kn20 kn
Beat VMG2.753.884.544.68
52°4.265.816.586.87
60°4.546.086.787.10
75°4.736.387.027.46
90°5.066.687.257.69
110°5.066.807.518.27
120°4.886.707.468.46
135°4.366.317.228.23
150°3.705.646.847.78
Run VMG3.214.926.067.04

How they are set up

The range each sail spans across the fleet.

Mainsail21 m² – 30 m²
Headsail19 m² – 33 m²
Gennaker60 m² – 74 m²
Spinnaker55 m² – 74 m²

Roughly half carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 400 kg.

Rigging

Bavaria 32 rig and sail dimensions

A Bavaria 32 carries 11.33 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.05 m boom, a forestay 11.60 m above the deck and a 4.16 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 15 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.

Rig

Mainsail hoistP11.33 m10.64 – 11.80
Boom lengthE4.05 m3.97 – 4.10
Forestay heightIG11.60 m10.50 – 12.34
Fore triangle baseJ3.49 m3.41 – 3.80
Spinnaker hoistISP12.20 m10.60 – 12.83
BowspritTPS4.16 m3.65 – 4.51
Boom above deckBAS1.48 m1.10 – 1.53

Sails

Mainsail26.3 m²20.7 – 30.4
Headsail24.2 m²19.3 – 32.6
Gennaker67.6 m²59.9 – 74.0
Spinnaker61.5 m²54.6 – 74.2

The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 60 to 74 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.