Bavaria Cruiser 56 Specs, Sailing Review and Buying Guide

The Bavaria Cruiser 56, flagship of the Farr years

By 2013 Farr Yacht Design had drawn most of Bavaria's Cruiser range, and the Bavaria Cruiser 56 (Farr design number 673M, according to sailboatdata) became the largest and last of that family. Cruising World described it as the latest and largest of the Farr-designed Cruiser line, with a plumb bow, a long waterline and dual rudders. It replaced the 2009 Cruiser 55 at the top of the range and held that spot until the Cossutti-designed C57 arrived around 2017.

Buyers searching for a Bavaria 56 yacht are almost always looking at this boat. It was conceived as much for charter fleets as for private owners, which explains both its flexible interior and the large number of hulls now coming out of Mediterranean fleets.

Reading the numbers: a 51 ft waterline on moderate ballast

The hull measures 16.16 m (53 ft) with a 16.75 m overall length, and the plumb stem pushes the waterline out to 15.63 m (51 ft 3 in). Beam is 4.76 m and light displacement is 18,596 kg (41,000 lb) according to sailboatdata and Boat-Specs. Ballast is 5,500 kg of cast iron in an L-shaped bulb keel drawing 2.46 m, with a 2.02 m shoal keel offered for the Bahamas or shallow Med anchorages.

Those figures add up to a sail area to displacement ratio of about 21, a displacement to length ratio near 136 and a ballast ratio of roughly 30 percent. In plain terms this is a light, long-waterline cruiser that relies on form stability and beam aft rather than a heavy keel, which is why it feels quick but should be reefed early. The theoretical hull speed is about 9.6 knots, and the motion comfort ratio of 31 is respectable for a boat of this type.

Off Alacati: seven knots upwind, ten on the reach

In a review published in April 2013, Cruising World sailed the Cruiser 56 on a near-perfect day off Alacati, Turkey. In 12 knots of breeze the boat pushed the speedo to nearly 7 knots upwind, and when the crew bore off onto a beam reach the speed over ground jumped past 10 knots. The tester called it a fun boat to sail and credited the plumb bow, long waterline and dual rudders for a good turn of speed and excellent handling under sail and power.

Off the wind a reacher set from a sock gives the boat plenty of drive, and a bail on the anchor roller takes the tack. That detail matters on the used market: boats that still carry a reacher or gennaker with its furler or snuffer are worth more than those stripped back to charter basics.

Push-button tacks and a German mainsheet

The 56 was designed to be sailed by a couple. Cruising World's boat had a five-batten in-mast furling main controlled by a double-ended German-style mainsheet, and a slightly overlapping genoa trimmed on a pair of electric reversible Lewmar winches. Press a button at either wheel and the loaded winch eases automatically as the bow passes through the wind while the other sheet comes in.

That convenience depends on healthy electrics. On any survey, run each winch in both directions under load, check the control buttons at both helms and look at the battery bank and wiring that feed them. A charter boat with a tired house bank will soon turn push-button tacking into a winch handle workout.

The folding inflatable that lives in the transom

One of the 56's cleverest features hides behind the transom. Fold it down and it reveals a garage that houses a full-size inflatable built exclusively for Bavaria. The tender stows partly deflated and folded in half, with its transom folding inward so the dinghy can be stored with its four-horsepower outboard still attached. A compressor mounted in the stern compartment reinflates it when you arrive.

When it works, it is a superb system for anchoring out. When it does not, it is an expensive puzzle, so confirm that the original tender, outboard and compressor are still aboard and functioning, and check the transom hinges, seals and the drainage of the garage.

Three, four or five cabins: picking the right one

Sailboatdata lists three, four and five-cabin interiors, and Boat-Specs gives a maximum of eleven berths and five heads for the charter versions. The boat Cruising World sailed shows the most versatile arrangement: two generous aft cabins with queen berths, a third cabin to port at the foot of the companionway with bunks, and an enormous owner's cabin forward of the saloon with an ensuite head and a separate shower stall.

Amidships, a spacious navigation station to starboard doubles as a breakfast nook, and just forward of it a deep U-shaped galley gives the cook a secure place to work under way. Saloon headroom is about 2.06 m. Fresh water is 690 liters (182 US gallons), enough for a week of careful family cruising.

• Owner's three-cabin version: rare, the best liveaboard choice and the strongest resale
• Four-cabin version with bunk room: the practical family compromise
• Five-cabin charter version: lowest prices, highest wear, extra heads to maintain

Yanmar power and a surprisingly small fuel tank

The engine is a Yanmar 4JH4-HTE on a shaft, listed at 110 hp by Boat-Specs and on many brokerage listings, although some sellers and sailboatdata quote 100 hp. It is a widely supported four-cylinder that Yanmar dealers on both sides of the Atlantic know well.

Fuel capacity is only 280 liters (74 US gallons), noticeably less than the 380 liters of the Cruiser 55 it replaced. That is fine for Mediterranean hops but limiting for delivery passages or motoring through calms, so many owners carry jerry cans or fit an extra tank. Check the shaft seal, cutless bearing, engine mounts and exhaust elbow, all of which work hard on charter boats that motor most of the season.

From Cruiser 55 to C57: where the 56 fits

The Cruiser 55, built from 2009 to 2012, was Bavaria's first Farr flagship and wore BMW DesignworksUSA styling. It shares the 56's 16.16 m hull length, 5,500 kg ballast and 23.25 m mast height above the waterline, but Bavaria quoted a shorter 14.96 m waterline and a wider 4.87 m beam, and early boats usually carry a Volvo Penta D3 rather than a Yanmar.

The C57, first built in 2017, is a different design by Cossutti Yacht Design, with a chined hull, a 5.28 m beam and a 500 liter fuel tank. When you compare listings, use build year and the engine plate as your first filter: 2009 to 2012 means Cruiser 55, 2013 to about 2017 means Cruiser 56, and 2017 onward with a beamy chined hull means C57.

Buying a Bavaria Cruiser 56 out of charter

Current listings for 2013 to 2016 boats run from about 155,000 to 310,000 euros, with the cluster in Croatia between 155,000 and 240,000 euros. For a US buyer that is roughly $170,000 to $335,000 before shipping or delivery, and most purchases involve flying to Europe for survey.

A good ex-charter boat can be excellent value if the fleet operator replaced sails, standing rigging and batteries on schedule. Ask for the charter company's maintenance log, the number of seasons in service and any insurance claims. Budget for upholstery, mattresses and a full electronics refresh on boats that have spent five or more seasons in a fleet.