The Bavaria Match 42 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Bavaria Match 42, a light-displacement aft-cockpit sloop, was designed by Doug Peterson and built in Germany by Bavaria Yachts.

A Bavaria Match 42

Published Specification for the Bavaria Match 42

Underwater Profile: Bulb fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 41'2" (12.6m)

Waterline Length: 36'1" (11.0m)

Beam: 12'3" (3.7m)

Draft: 7'1" (2.2m)

Rig Type: Fractional sloop

Displacement: 16,280lb (7,384kg)

Designer: Doug Peterson

Builder: Bavaria Yachts (Germany)

Year First Built: 2004

Year Last Built: 2006

Published Design Ratios for the Bavaria Match 42

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 30.7

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: 34.5

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

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 155

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

4. Comfort Ratio: 23.8

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: 1.9

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

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Bavaria Match 42

eBook: How to Avoid Buying the Wrong Sailboat

Download this eBook to make sure you buy wisely!

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 30.7 suggests that, in the right hands, the Bavaria Match 42 will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 34.5 would usually mean that the Bavaria Match 42 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 fin keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 155, tells us the Bavaria Match 42 is clearly 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 23.8 suggests that crew comfort of a Bavaria Match 42 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 (CSF) of 1.9 indicates that a Bavaria Match 42 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0.