Bavaria S29 Review, Engine Choices and Prices

A full sportscruiser for dayboat money

YachtBuyer's 2023 review of the Bavaria S29 called it a throwback to the days before 2007, when builders on both sides of the Atlantic sold dozens of small, sporty family cruisers. The financial crisis wiped most of them out, and today very few proper cruisers under 10 m remain. The S29 is one of them, with four berths, a smart cockpit and around 35 knots, and the reviewer quoted a starting price of about 130,000 euros, roughly half what rivals cost.

That review gave the S29 a 5 out of 5 for design, decks and value, and described it as untouchable on price. It is still in Bavaria's current lineup, built in the same Giebelstadt factory as the sailing yachts and styled by Marco Casali of Too Design, the Italian studio behind much of Bavaria's motor boat range.

S29 or S30: sunpad or seating?

The S29 and S30 share the same hull and interior. The difference is all in the cockpit. The S29 has a fixed aft sunpad on the extended swim platform, and under it a large storage boot that lifts on gas struts and swallows lines, fenders and lifejackets. The S30 replaces the sunpad with seating that runs all the way to the transom and adds a second forward-facing seat beside the helm.

Motor Boat and Yachting described the S30 as an S29 with a cockpit better suited to northern European weather. In the US, the choice is similar: the S29 suits Florida, California and lake boaters who sunbathe, while the S30 suits owners who carry more guests or want company at the helm.

• S29: aft sunpad, big storage boot, single helm seat
• S30: wraparound cockpit seating to the transom, extra helm seat
• Both: same hull, same lower deck and the same engine choices

Two sleeping spaces in a 28 ft hull

The hull is only 8.50 m long, yet the lower deck works for four. Forward, a dinette converts to a double berth. Aft, under the cockpit, a separate mid cabin has a permanent double, a small bench and two opening hatches, which makes it a room you can sit in rather than a crawl space. Bavaria's 2016 data gave saloon headroom of 1.80 m and a two meter long double in the aft cabin.

Between them sit a galley with a fiddled counter, deep sink, two-burner hob and refrigerator, and a single toilet and shower compartment. YachtBuyer's only real criticism was that wet room, which needs drying after every shower; the deck shower is the better option in summer.

Real side decks and a radar arch

Most sportscruisers this size make you climb over the windshield to reach the bow. The S29 has genuine side decks with shallow recessed steps and rails that run well aft, so moving forward to anchor or handle lines is safe. A radar arch carries antennas, has downlights for evening use and serves as the frame for the bimini and canopy.

The helm has a bucket bolster seat with good lateral support and a standing position for running at speed. YachtBuyer noted that the near-horizontal chartplotter mounting can catch reflections, so check visibility in bright sun during your sea trial.

Six ways to power it, from one V8 to twin diesels

Bavaria advertises six drive concepts for the S29. YachtBuyer lists a single MerCruiser 6.2 liter 350 hp, twin MerCruiser 4.5 liter 250 hp, twin Volvo Penta V6 petrol, a single Volvo Penta V8-350, a single Volvo Penta D4-300 diesel and twin Volvo Penta D3-220 diesels. In 2016 the menu also included a MerCruiser 377 MAG and twin MerCruiser 5.0 MPIs with the Axius joystick system.

YachtBuyer lists top speeds up to 38 knots depending on engines, and Motor Boat and Yachting expected a D4-300 single to push the sister S30 into the mid thirties with economical cruising in the mid twenties. Fuel capacity is 520 liters (137 US gallons), and YachtBuyer gives a range of about 180 nautical miles at 9 knots.

Dimensions, platforms and the trailer question

Bavaria quotes an overall length of 8.95 m (29 ft 4 in) without the platform and 9.52 m (31 ft 3 in) with it, on a hull of 8.50 m and a beam of 2.99 m (9 ft 10 in). Dry weight is about 4,835 kg (10,660 lb), draft is 0.68 m with the drives raised and 1.29 m with them down, and the height above the waterline is 2.74 m. The design category is B for six people or C for eight.

Two details matter for US buyers. First, marinas charge by overall length, so the extended platform can push you into a larger slip category. Second, at nearly 10 ft wide and close to 11,000 lb with fuel, the S29 is beyond the 8 ft 6 in width that most US states allow without an oversize permit, so plan on a slip or a dry-stack rather than a home trailer.

Sport 29 to S29: dating a used boat

YachtBuyer dates the S29 from 2012, and Bavaria's own website carried a Sport 29 from 2012 before the S29 name appeared with the new S-line around 2016. When Bavaria launched the Sport 300 and Sport 330 in 2015, it told MBY it would keep building the popular Sport 29, and brokers now list some 2012 and 2014 boats as S29s. Specifications have shifted over the years: in 2016 Bavaria quoted 8.76 m overall and a dry weight from 4,000 kg, compared with 8.95 m and 4,835 kg today.

If you are comparing an early boat with a recent one, ask for the hull identification number, check which engine package is fitted and compare the cockpit and interior against current photos. A later boat with a fresh warranty may justify much of its price premium.

What a Bavaria S29 costs in 2026

Recent listings show 2012 and 2014 boats around 70,000 euros, a 2019 boat in Turkey at 90,000 GBP, a 2020 boat in Croatia at 94,000 euros and 2021 to 2024 boats from about 125,000 to 170,000 euros. In dollars that is roughly $75,000 to $185,000, with new boats starting around $150,000 and rising past $200,000 with diesels and options.

Sterndrive condition is the key survey item. Bellows, gimbal bearings, trim rams and anodes need regular attention, and petrol engines should be checked for exhaust manifold and riser corrosion if the boat has spent its life in salt water.