The Bavaria 46 Cruiser Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Published Specification for the Bavaria 46 Cruiser

Underwater Profile: Bulb fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 46'7" (14.2m)

Waterline Length: 40'1" (12.2m)

Beam: 14'3" (4.4m)

Draft: 6'9" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Fractional sloop

Displacement: 23,148lb (10,500kg)

Designer: J&J Design

Builder: Bavaria Yachts (Germany)

Year First Built: 2000

Published Design Ratios for the Bavaria 46 Cruiser

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 20.0

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 30.5

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 160

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 24.6

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Bavaria 46 Cruiser

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 20.0 suggests that, in the right hands, the Bavaria 46 Cruiser will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 30.5 would usually mean that the Bavaria 46 Cruiser would have a tendency to heel uncomfortably in a gust, and need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

However, as she has much of her ballast concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 160, tells us the Bavaria 46 Cruiser is a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer to a degree.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 24.6 suggests that crew comfort of a Bavaria 46 Cruiser in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula of 2.0 tells us that a Bavaria 46 Cruiser would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.