Class CDisplacementCruiser/Racer

Bavaria 36

Bavaria · J&J Design · 2002

Updated 30 September 2026

The Bavaria 36 is a 11.04 m displacement racing yacht designed by J&J Design and built by Bavaria, first launched in 2002. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 39% of the designs it races against.

Race Edge39Proven in racing

Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 39% of the boats it races against.

97th of 159 in its class.

Under 10 kn

10–16 kn

Over 16 kn

Compare with another design

This design has been found in real race results — 245 starts across 62 events — not only in measurement files.

Length

11.04 m

36′ 3″

Beam

3.61 m

Draft

1.76 m

Displacement

5.7 t

Sail area

65 m²

On the podium

Where a Bavaria 36 finishes when she goes racing.

On the podium

23%

of 245 starts by 14 boats

Wins

Wins8%20

Seconds5%12

Thirds10%24

Off the podium77%189

Read from 245 starts by 14 boats between 2015 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.

Recent regattas

The latest events where a Bavaria 36 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.

Lliga Creuers2026
4ª Golfo dei Poeti Cup2026
"Πανελληνιο Κυπελο ORCI 2026"2026
59° Trofeo Fiorillo2026
Riva Montecristo2026

Raced one we are missing?

Report a regatta

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

27%

of these races end on the podium

84 races of 10 NM or less

Offshore & coastal

26%

of these races end on the podium

110 races over 10 NM

Level across both. Plenty of designs fall away once the course gets long — a light hull that thrives round the cans can struggle through a night at sea. This one does not.

Who she races against

The designs a Bavaria 36 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.

This design aheadRival ahead

First 31.768%ahead in 65 of 96 meetings, 95 races

X-33230%ahead in 34 of 112 meetings, 83 races

JOD 3545%ahead in 30 of 67 meetings, 63 races

Elan 4041%ahead in 36 of 88 meetings, 59 races

First 34.719%ahead in 13 of 67 meetings, 58 racesalmost always behind

First 35 (Berret)82%ahead in 62 of 76 meetings, 57 racesalmost always ahead

First 36.753%ahead in 61 of 116 meetings, 56 racestoo close to call

Oceanis 39381%ahead in 50 of 62 meetings, 51 racesalmost always ahead

Atlantic 3170%ahead in 51 of 73 meetings, 49 races

First 35 (Farr)33%ahead in 16 of 49 meetings, 48 races

Discovery 30085%ahead in 57 of 67 meetings, 47 racesalmost always ahead

First 4165%ahead in 30 of 46 meetings, 46 races

Optima 10147%ahead in 23 of 49 meetings, 45 racestoo close to call

Elan 41082%ahead in 37 of 45 meetings, 45 racesalmost always ahead

Vrolijk 377%ahead in 3 of 45 meetings, 45 racesalmost always behind

Sun Shine 3691%ahead in 48 of 53 meetings, 43 racesalmost always ahead

Bavaria 4455%ahead in 26 of 47 meetings, 43 races

Este 3941%ahead in 21 of 51 meetings, 42 races

First 45 (Farr)85%ahead in 35 of 41 meetings, 41 racesalmost always ahead

Dufour 34 (Dufour)86%ahead in 42 of 49 meetings, 41 racesalmost always ahead

First 40.756%ahead in 47 of 84 meetings, 39 races

Dufour 32569%ahead in 27 of 39 meetings, 39 races

Fortuna 936%ahead in 14 of 39 meetings, 39 races

Elan 3767%ahead in 28 of 42 meetings, 38 races

Dufour 3069%ahead in 40 of 58 meetings, 38 races

Bavaria Holiday 3579%ahead in 49 of 62 meetings, 36 races

First 42 (Farr)35%ahead in 15 of 43 meetings, 35 races

Dromor 2693%ahead in 39 of 42 meetings, 35 racesalmost always ahead

Moody 3486%ahead in 30 of 35 meetings, 35 racesalmost always ahead

IMX 3863%ahead in 26 of 41 meetings, 33 races

Hanse 31570%ahead in 23 of 33 meetings, 33 races

Italia 11.9813%ahead in 4 of 31 meetings, 31 racesalmost always behind

First 4029%ahead in 15 of 52 meetings, 31 races

Nereis 3090%ahead in 28 of 31 meetings, 31 racesalmost always ahead

X-3510%ahead in 3 of 29 meetings, 29 racesalmost always behind

Sun Odyssey 4075%ahead in 24 of 32 meetings, 29 races

Dufour 380058%ahead in 22 of 38 meetings, 26 races

Gin Fizz60%ahead in 24 of 40 meetings, 26 races

Bavaria 3738%ahead in 12 of 32 meetings, 25 races

Dufour 39092%ahead in 23 of 25 meetings, 25 racesalmost always ahead

Some of the boats it races against

How the Bavaria 36 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.

Bavaria 36 vs First 36.7ahead 53% of 116 head-to-heads

Bavaria 36 vs X-332ahead 30% of 112 head-to-heads

Bavaria 36 vs First 31.7ahead 68% of 96 head-to-heads

Bavaria 36 vs Elan 40ahead 41% of 88 head-to-heads

Bavaria 36 vs First 40.7ahead 56% of 84 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.

Upwind VMG

4.96

40°

Beam reach

8.14

90°

Broad reach

8.88

135°

Downwind VMG

7.53

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 a reach once the breeze fills, where it goes better than its measurements say it should, and by a margin worth having.

Where it pays

There is no condition where it falls away badly, which is worth something over a season of mixed weather.

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-0.03 kn

Beam reach+0.23 kn

Broad reach+0.16 kn

Downwind+0.04 kn

Full width is 0.4 kn either way.

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

How fast is a Bavaria 36

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

Angle	6 kn	10 kn	14 kn	20 kn
Beat VMG	3.11	4.31	4.83	4.96
52°	4.85	6.43	7.00	7.17
60°	5.18	6.71	7.21	7.43
75°	5.43	6.92	7.46	7.81
90°	5.36	7.05	7.66	8.14
110°	5.38	7.22	7.96	8.71
120°	5.22	7.11	7.92	9.01
135°	4.68	6.71	7.67	8.88
150°	3.94	5.99	7.23	8.29
Run VMG	3.41	5.19	6.44	7.53

How they are set up

The range each sail spans across the fleet.

Mainsail24 m² – 38 m²

Headsail25 m² – 42 m²

Gennaker69 m² – 102 m²

Spinnaker67 m² – 82 m²

Roughly half carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 450 kg.

Rigging

Bavaria 36 rig and sail dimensions

A Bavaria 36 carries 12.20 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.25 m boom, a forestay 12.90 m above the deck and a 4.53 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 30 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.

Rig

Mainsail hoistP12.20 m11.93 – 13.58

Boom lengthE4.25 m4.05 – 5.10

Forestay heightIG12.90 m12.35 – 13.89

Fore triangle baseJ4.00 m3.74 – 4.20

Spinnaker hoistISP13.00 m12.45 – 14.01

BowspritTPS4.53 m3.99 – 5.00

Boom above deckBAS1.58 m1.40 – 1.74

Sails

Mainsail31.0 m²24.3 – 38.2

Headsail34.2 m²25.0 – 41.7

Gennaker80.7 m²69.4 – 102.2

Spinnaker77.5 m²67.3 – 82.3

The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 69 to 102 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.