Try as I might, while sailing closehauled in a puffy northeast wind off Marblehead, Massachusetts, I couldn’t get the new 30 Cruiser to splash a drop into the cockpit. We heeled comfortably, and Captain Allan Waldman of Wells Yachts and I remained dry and warm in the little chop we managed to find in the offshore breeze. On this crisp November afternoon, in 10 knots of breeze with frequent higher gusts, we sailed 5.5 to 6 knots with a smooth motion, surging ahead as we fell off onto a reach. The primary winches, Lewmar 30s, are handy to the helm, and we tacked easily through about 105 degrees.
The boat we sailed had a roller-furling genoa and a Seldén in-mast furling main trimmed on a cabin-top winch. A full-batten, in-mast furling main and a standard rig also are available. This 30-foot cruiser was fitted with an optional high-tech keel with twin foils connected by an iron bulb. Under both power (a Volvo 18-horsepower diesel and saildrive) and sail, it turned on a dime; backing, a slight initial starboard prop walk was quickly overcome and forgotten.
Below, sleeping accommodations include double berths in cabins fore and aft. A well-equipped galley is to port with a nav desk opposite; forward of the galley is a foldout table between settees.
With a price tag of $102,000, the Bavaria 30 Cruiser provides an on-the-water retreat for a couple or a family at a price that allows the cruising kitty to be fed while the boat’s on the move.
Bavaria 30 Cruiser Specs
LOA: 31′ 0″
LWL: 27′ 1″
Beam: 10′ 9″
Draft (standard): 4′ 7″
Sail Area: 400 sq. ft.
Displacement: 9,240 lb.
Water: 40 gal.
Fuel: 25 gal.
Engine: 18-hp. Volvo saildrive
Designer: J&J Yacht Design
Price: $102,000
Bavaria Yachts, (410) 990-0007, www.bavariayachts.com
