The new Bavarian

 

WORDS + PHOTOS:
ANDREW RICHARDSON

Bavaria Sports Boats continues to leap from strength to strength.

Bavaria Boats has been established in the Australian market long enough for Modern Boating to recall about a dozen Bavaria powerboat reviews. With an output of 3500 vessels per year, a sophisticated streamlined production process and an established reputation for quality and price, the Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH business is no doubt an attractive investment. Bain Capital, a private equity group with other marine interests, recently took over Bavaria Boats.
Though still only 'early days' at the time of writing, we can expect Bavaria to have an even bigger presence on our waters.
Bain Capital plans to increase its focus on foreign markets. Given that Bain Capital's other investments include Bombardier Recreational Products (BRP), which purchased and revamped the Johnson and Evinrude outboard brands when OMC went under some years back, the important question is - when will we be seeing outboard powered Bavarian boats?
No outboards yet
The answer, if the Bavaria 33 Sport HT is any indication, is 'never'. With its newest series of cruisers, Bavaria is further strengthening its brand by delivering more boat for the same money as prior models. So, the 33 Sport HT supersedes the BMB 32 HT that Modern Boating tested earlier this year.

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For the same cash you get a vessel that is longer, wider and has more room down below. Indeed, as Bavaria Sports Boat's Andy Howden explained, "the 33HT is like a 35 footer with a 32 footer price tag". Andy also explained that the 33HT came off the ship in Sydney with only an hour to spare for the Sydney International Boat Show. Before delivery she'll be anti-fouled and the vessel will have a locally built teak swim platform extension fitted. Lucky the boat made it in time - Andy took quite a few orders at the show, confirming that the 33HT will be a good seller.
On the water
We tested the vessel shortly thereafter. It was a blowy winter's Friday so the hard top delivered the required protection from the kind of weather you would more likely expect in Europe. Twin 4.3lt petrol Volvo 225hp DuoProp Sterndrives powered the 33HT onto the plane confidently, delivering a 50lt per hour cruise speed at around 18 knots and a faster 70lt per hour 22 knot cruise speed at 3500rpm. Wide open, the craft nudged 32 knots with engine noise in the enclosed cabin quite high.
The boat required very little attention to trim and was reasonably dry even in the tight turns. Her most popular ranges are the fast cruise speeds and then the non-planing speeds, where engine noise is low.

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