Bavaria R40 Review, Fly and Coupe Versions Compared

Why Bavaria put a 40 ft flybridge on sterndrives

Flybridge boats the size of the Bavaria R40 traditionally ran on shafts. Pods such as Volvo IPS moved engines aft and freed space forward, and sterndrives take that idea further still. Motor Boat and Yachting's August 2016 test explained Bavaria's logic: by choosing twin Volvo Penta D6 sterndrives, the yard could push the engine room bulkhead a long way aft and fit two good ensuite cabins into a hull just 38 ft 5 in long, while gaining a 36 knot top speed and impressive fuel efficiency.

The R40 was the first model of Bavaria's R-line, drawn by J&J Design, and it made its UK debut at the 2016 Southampton Boat Show as a flybridge, with the Coupe following for the 2017 season. It is still listed on Bavaria's website today, with the larger R55 having come and gone above it.

The full-beam midships cabin is the headline

What surprises first-time visitors is the owner's cabin. It lies almost entirely beneath the saloon, spans the full beam of the boat and has its own ensuite, which MBY called a unique proposition on a flybridge of these proportions. Headroom over the big double berth is restricted, as you would expect, but the entrance area is tall thanks to a raised helm platform above it.

Forward, a second cabin with a centerline double and good hull windows has its own ensuite that doubles as the day head. Two ensuite bathrooms on a 40 ft boat are rare, and they are the main reason families choose the R40 over a sportscruiser of the same length.

Fly or Coupe: same hull, two personalities

The R40 Fly adds an upper helm, generous seating and a neatly concealed bimini on the flybridge. MBY noted that the number of people allowed up there under way is limited to five, and found the flybridge ladder one of the safest it had used. The Fly is the better choice for warm-weather cruising and for helming with a clear view of the stern when docking.

The Coupe gives up the upper deck for a large opening sunroof over the saloon, which makes the interior brighter and allows the helmsman to stand and look out when berthing. A fabric roof over the cockpit can also be peeled back. Many observers, including MBY, think the Coupe looks better, and it won the sportscruiser category of the 2018 Motor Boat Awards. The Fly took Best Motor Yacht Under 55 ft at the 2018 Asian Marine and Boat Awards.

• Choose the Fly for hot climates, guests on deck and an elevated docking view
• Choose the Coupe for northern cruising, a bright saloon and lower air draft
• Both share the same two-cabin, two-ensuite lower deck

A side door, a step-through window and a long helm bench

Two features transform life on the main deck: a starboard side door next to the helm and, opposite, a sliding window big enough to step through. MBY found that the pair improves ventilation, communication and short-handed line handling dramatically. On the Coupe the helm stretches across the front of the saloon with two seats at the wheel and a third to port, so crew can gather there under way.

The galley runs down the port side opposite an L-shaped dinette and includes a ceramic hob and, on boats reviewed by Nick Burnham, a dishwasher. Outside, a hydraulic bathing platform handles a tender, there is a barbecue and sink at the transom, and the foredeck has sun pads and seating.

Thirty-six knots and a sportier ride than shafts

With twin Volvo D6 370s, MBY recorded 36.1 knots flat out and quoted a cruising range of 27 to 33 knots. YachtBuyer lists 35.7 knots maximum and a 27.6 knot cruise for later boats with D6-380s, and gives a maximum range of about 640 nautical miles at a displacement speed of 6.4 knots from the 900 liter (238 gallon) tank.

The price of sterndrives is motion. MBY found the ride livelier than a shaft-drive boat and slightly livelier than a pod boat such as the Prestige 420, although never wayward in a modest chop over a long swell. In a lumpy Solent test of the Coupe the hull took a lot of punishment in its stride and stayed dry, with no spray reaching the windscreen.

Engine room access and sterndrive upkeep

Pushing the master cabin aft has a cost: the engine room is reached down a vertical ladder into a cramped space. On the prototype there was no soundproofing at all, which Bavaria said it would fix for production. On a used boat, check that insulation is present and intact, and look for chafe on hoses and wiring in the tight spaces.

Sterndrives also need more routine work than shafts. Bellows, gimbal bearings, anodes, oil seals and the legs' trim systems should be serviced on schedule, and the legs come off periodically for full inspection. Ask for the service log, and for sea trial readings at full load to confirm both D6s reach rated rpm.

What a Bavaria R40 costs, new and used

Bavaria launched the R40 Fly at 341,667 GBP including VAT with twin D6-370s, a competitive figure for two ensuite cabins and 36 knots. Today, new and nearly new boats are listed from about 565,000 GBP to 640,000 euros depending on spec, roughly $600,000 to $750,000.

On the used market, a 2017 Fly in Croatia was recently listed at 299,000 euros and a 2018 Coupe at 349,000 euros, while 2020 to 2023 boats range from about 330,000 GBP to 519,000 euros. In US dollars, that is roughly $320,000 to $620,000. Engine choice matters: the early D6-330 and the later 380 hp rating are the common pairings, and some listings show twin D4-300s.