BMB 32DC

 

Issue: March 2005
Manufacturer: Bavaria Motor Boats

Heading out towards the BMB 32DC in the small tender, the Modern Boating team begin to chat about this new boat. Then, after some consideration, the tender driver asks the obvious question. ?Ah, what?s the DC stand for?? Don?t Care. Draws the Chicks. Day Cruiser. No, you?re all wrong ? this acronym stands for Deluxe Cockpit. Unlike the other vessels in the BMB range, this boat boasts more features topside and forsakes a few below. The debate over which Express Cruiser configuration is better will continue until the cows come home, but this boat scores well on both fronts.

Our first impressions are that the BMB32DC is a slick day cruiser, but scratch the surface a little deeper and you find a boat that retains a good balance between open cockpit space, below decks facilities and power too boot. Bad weather delayed this test by a week, but today a quick trip out from the Clontarf Marina has us messing about in the slosh and swell near Middle Head ? a top spot for a sportboat review. Out here, the boat reacts extremely well to the helm. In next to no time we have this moderate beam, twin-engine boat trimmed for a balanced ride in the varying conditions. But the BMB32DC is also fitted with Lenco digital trim gauges, so fine-tuning both the sterndrive legs is a snitch.

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Up and running, the twin engine BMB32DC Express Cruiser performs well. The Volvo engines? noise is moderate at full throttle, but things quieten quite considerably at cruise speeds. The team found a couple of good cruise speeds between 23-27knots in the mid 3000 to high 3000rpm range. At full stick the GPS registers 35.5knots, which is enough to ruffle your feathers. As mentioned earlier, the boat is easy to trim and out through Sydney Heads there is a fair amount of chop, but the rig feels stiff and everything holds together well. The Modern Boating team have been on some Express Cruisers that, when pushed in rough conditions, some fittings have come lose below decks, so it is a good sign if everything remains neat as a pin after some hard work in the rough stuff.

In turns the modest deadrise hull offers good balance and control and in general the rig is quite responsive for a 5000kg package. As far as layout goes, the bolster helm seat is designed for two ? a nice touch on a 32ft boat. The dash features a complete range of VDO instruments covering, digital speed and log, temp, tacho, volts and oil for both engines. There are also controls for the bow thruster, a VHF radio, engine kill switches and a whiz-bang handheld remote for the anchor.

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