Bavaria 41
Bavaria · J&J Design · 2012
Updated
The Bavaria 41 is a 12.45 m heavy displacement racing yacht designed by J&J Design and built by Bavaria, first launched in 2012. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 48% of the designs it races against. It comes alive as the breeze builds, and gives time away in the light.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 48% of the boats it races against.
83rd of 159 in its class.
Updated — Race Edge up from 31 to 48. It now races in Class C rather than Class B, and is set against a different field. The gain shows most in medium air.
This design has been found in real race results — 1 start across 1 event — not only in measurement files.
Length
12.45 m
40′ 10″
Beam
3.94 m
Draft
1.93 m
Displacement
8.7 t
Sail area
77 m²
On the podium
Where a Bavaria 41 finishes when she goes racing.
0
Wins
0
Seconds
0
Thirds
1
Starts
Not enough races yet for a percentage — these are the counts so far. We keep collecting results, so this will fill in.
Read from 1 start by 1 boat between 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Bavaria 41 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
151 Miglia - Trofeo Cetilar2026
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound 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
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Not enough data yet: no races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
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Not enough data yet: 1 race over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a Bavaria 41 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Met too few times for a figure:
Swan 54 (1 meeting), Centurion 40 (1 meeting), Elan 410 (1 meeting), Elan 40 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 39 (Maletto) (2 meetings), More 40 (2 meetings), First 40.7 (2 meetings), Grand Soleil 44 (Polli) (1 meeting), Elan S4 (1 meeting), Elan 450 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 46 (Lostuzzi) (1 meeting), Figaro 1 (1 meeting), First 36.7 (1 meeting), Pogo 40 (1 meeting), Latini 52 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 46 (Carkeek) (1 meeting), Oceanis 43 (1 meeting), First 35 (Berret) (1 meeting), Bavaria Match 38 (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 43 (Carkeek) (1 meeting), Baltic 51 (1 meeting)
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
5.18
41°
Beam reach
8.56
90°
Broad reach
9.33
135°
Downwind VMG
7.87
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 in a working breeze, where it goes better than its measurements say it should, and by a margin worth having.
Where it pays
It falls short on the beat 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.
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 41
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.12 | 4.46 | 5.03 | 5.18 |
| 52° | 4.84 | 6.63 | 7.37 | 7.63 |
| 60° | 5.19 | 6.91 | 7.61 | 7.91 |
| 75° | 5.46 | 7.13 | 7.83 | 8.32 |
| 90° | 5.74 | 7.40 | 8.08 | 8.56 |
| 110° | 5.78 | 7.59 | 8.36 | 9.22 |
| 120° | 5.62 | 7.51 | 8.34 | 9.53 |
| 135° | 5.04 | 7.07 | 8.07 | 9.33 |
| 150° | 4.23 | 6.36 | 7.61 | 8.75 |
| Run VMG | 3.66 | 5.51 | 6.77 | 7.87 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Roughly half carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 740 kg.
Rigging
Bavaria 41 rig and sail dimensions
A Bavaria 41 carries 15.21 m of mainsail hoist on a 5.27 m boom, a forestay 15.48 m above the deck and a 4.60 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 10 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 103 to 130 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.