Can one yacht really satisfy a wide range of sailors? It’s a tough design brief but Bavaria and Cossutti reckon they’ve cracked it

On delivery trips between Mediterranean boat shows and on several test sails last summer and autumn, the eagerly awaited new Bavaria C46 confirmed that it meets the shipyard's specifications to the letter. The development team wanted nothing less than a 46ft sailing yacht that sails well and is easy to handle, but also is so versatile that it can be configured for a wide variety of purposes and requirements.

Perhaps as a fast and safe cruising yacht for long voyages. Or as a comfortable family boat with many cabins. Or for use as a charter yacht, or for any other purpose. Ambitious sailors will, with the appropriate sails, be able to compete successfully in regattas. In short, this yacht is the basis on which every owner can then realise their own ideas. There are a number of variations of the interior, options are possible as the individual cabins can be equipped and utilised in very different ways.

But back to the basics, the sailing characteristics. The delivery crew of only two sailed the boat from Cannes to Genoa, a stretch of 100 miles, in under 15 hours – an average of just under seven knots.

The designer’s point of view

Maurizio Cossutti explains the naval architecture of the Bavaria C46

The new C46 develops, reinterprets and expands the design and high-performance concepts at the basis of the shipyard's C-Line. Like all models in the C-Line, the C46 is the result of a collaboration between the Bavaria development team and the Cossutti Yacht Design Studio.

This is the sixth model born from the collaboration between our office and Bavaria Yachts, and it is the evolution of the concepts introduced with previous models. With the C46, the chine and Vbow concepts introduced with the Bavaria C42 and C38 have been enhanced and improved from both the naval architecture and exterior design points of view.

Bavaria’s request was to design a big and comfortable 46ft boat with an elegant and sleek appearance. For this reason we evolved the two-level deck into a more classic design that allows it to be lower at the bow, satisfying the required standing heights, in particular in front of the mast. In this way the eye is able to “run free” from bow to stern without any bumps or interruptions.

One of the two prototypes was tested over long distances sailing shorthanded

The sheerline is an evolution of the previous models, giving the chamfer a complex shape that changes height and inclination as it runs along the hull side, ending at the bow with an integrated bowsprit that gives the feeling of a longer and more elegant boat. Great attention has also been devoted to the transom design, which has been completely refined in comparison to the previous models to have a lighter appearance.

The design is of course dictated not just by aesthetics but also by the production requirement for a boat that is easy to produce and assemble. The hull shape shows a powerful bow, which is appreciated on the smaller models we designed for Bavaria, both for the additional volume on deck and below, and also for the good balance given when sailing heeled, but with a different, higher, chine position, and a more tapered and higher transom.

We designed a sailplan that ensures the optimum sailing performance, keeping in mind the well-known characteristics that a Bavaria customer wants from his boat, such as high stability and the balance of the helm. The sailplan itself is characterised by a taller mast, compared with competitors and also with the C45; the jib tracks on the coachroof allow narrower sheeting angles and a refined keel, deeper with 2.30m draught but with a lighter, slimmer bulb, add some “sportiness” despite the C46 being clearly a bigger, although not heavier boat than its predecessor.

Sailing is simplified by the "Code Permanent", a large, furled reaching sail by Elvstrøm Sails. Effectively, this is a Code 0 made of lighter cloth, which can be left permanently hoisted on every trip when furled. Thanks to the tough torsion line in the luff, it can easily be furled and does not have to be set or retrieved when sailing, as it is unfurled and furled like a large genoa (the sail even has UV protection on the leech). Handling is extremely easy and gybing is also no longer dramatic, as the sail is simply furled from the cockpit before the manoeuvre and unfurled again on the new tack.

The bowsprit has a furler for a ‘code permanent’ reaching sail that can stay there for a whole season

In relaxed sailing mode the boat easily demonstrates the versatility for which she is designed, particularly the rig and the sail plan. The mast is positioned almost exactly in the centre of the boat, which ensures balanced sailing and the selftacking jib gives plenty of drive, which is clearly evident when test sailing in choppy seas off Barcelona. After tacking, the boat can immediately pick up speed again even in short, steep waves. This is impressive, increases the pleasure of sailing and is ultimately also a safety aspect. While a pro sailor can get top performance out of this boat, it will also sail easily with less effort. It is balanced enough to tolerate a beginner at the wheel and will not immediately punish minor steering errors with noticeable consequences.

There were a number of internal design workshops at Bavaria Yachts and also many discussions, which produced a clear specification for the designers, Maurizio Cossutti and Alessandro Ganz. After all, this new Bavaria should not only be fast and sail well, but also be easy to handle for a large or small crew and even for sailing singlehanded. It took a long time to fine-tune the concept and come up with the many detailed solutions that in the end completely fulfilled the design brief.

A large foretriangle gives ample space for a powerful self-tacking jib with a usefully tight sheeting angle

One central aspect is the winch layout of the cockpit. A maximum of six winches ensure full versatility. Two winches, one on each side at the helm stations, make it easy to sail the boat from here, where both the mainsail and headsail sheets are close to hand. However, when manoeuvring with a full crew, the space by the helm can become a little tight, so there is the option of placing an additional winch on each of the cockpit coamings in the traditional way. The headsail sheets can be redirected so that they can be operated from here as well as from the helm positions. Similarly, any of the halyards, which are all led aft to the cockpit, can be operated from any winch. And of course there is the option of ordering at least two primary winches as electric winches.

The mainsail is controlled by a "German mainsheet" without a traveller: the sheet is led from the boom to the mast and from there aft into the cockpit on both sides, where it terminates on both sides on the winches at each helm station. However, there is also a simple variation here: if you turn the sheet around and attach the loose ends to the boom, you have an "endless sheet" in the cockpit, and a double sheeting system with which each side of the sheet can be adjusted individually and the boom can be trimmed very accurately. An additional plus is gybing in strong winds, where the boom can be sheeted amidships in a very controlled manner, held by both sheets, and then slowly paid out again on the new tack.

A closed stern with stowage box, helm seats and fold-down bathing platform

In general, this is a cockpit for sailing, which is not immediately obvious at first glance thanks to the large tables and comfortable cockpit benches. But then you notice where the instruments are mounted, clearly visible to everyone above the companionway, with repeaters on the side of the steering pods for the eyes of the person helming. Anyone who steers the boat has a very comfortable space from which to do so. Unlike some modern yachts, you are not standing all the way aft in the open stern, only protected from going overboard by a thin wire. Two solid and large stowage boxes behind the helm stations not only provide additional seating (not just on the side deck) but also a reassuring feeling of safety.

The ‘German mainsheet’ can easily be re-reeved as a double sheeting system

Speaking of the stern, there is a large, fold-out bathing platform here. Behind it is storage space for all the wet and sandy stuff from swimming, snorkelling and so on. There is also plenty of storage space in the cockpit itself, even for the loose ends of the sheets behind the winches. The tables are solid to hold on to and lean against, and there is a nice little detail worth mentioning here: the retractable ambient lamps for a romantic evening in the cockpit.

More importantly, for safety there is access to the steering quadrant directly under the cockpit floor between the helm stations. Everything is at hand there, the autopilots as well as the attachment for an emergency tiller. For reasons of space, this points aft when in use, but it has eyelets at the end, with corresponding eye-bolts in the cockpit (also for the helmsman to clip on the harness), so you can rig a tackle as a steering aid.

It’s easy to trim all sails from the helm

For practical testing, two prototypes – the first two production boats – were set up and the sails and rig configurations were extensively trialled and tested on boat one, by specialists from Elvstrøm Sails and Seldén Masts. The second boat, on the other hand, was allowed to sail longer trips back and forth between the different Mediterranean boat shows, 100 miles from Cannes to Genoa and then 350 miles from Genoa to Barcelona. Such deliveries are particularly demanding practical tests, as they are usually carried out with a minimal crew in a very limited time. And then the boat also has also to be presented in perfect condition at another boat show afterwards...

After the boat show in Barcelona, the Bavaria C46 passed another test. Eleven journalists from 11 countries thoroughly scrutinised the boat as part of the selection process for the European Yacht of the Year award. All were impressed by the boat and their feedback confirmed that Bavaria Yachts will continue to set trends in the market with the new Bavaria C46.

‘The Bavaria C46 is not a reinvention of the boat, but a small quantum leap for us as a boatyard thanks to a very good and well thought-out development and some really innovative ideas,’ says Marcus Schlichting from Bavaria Yachts.

Click here for more information on Bavaria Yachts »

The first edition of the 600-mile Roschier Baltic Sea Race showed just how good the sailing – and racing – can be up here in high summer

Given the continued success and growing enthusiasm around the globe for 600-mile offshore races it was only a matter of time before demand for one in the Baltic became overwhelming. The biennial Roschier Baltic Sea Race, which first took place in 2022, has all the ingredients of a classic race of this type: a myriad of islands and lighthouses in a region steeped in maritime history, plus a tactically challenging course set on a typically windward-leeward axis that saw the lower-rated boats enjoying 300 miles of downwind sailing to the finish.

Historically most Europeans have tended to head south for their summer breaks and regattas, most often to the Mediterranean. However, the oppressive heatwaves of the past few years demonstrate that this no longer guarantees decent, comfortable weather. By contrast, the Baltic typically offers sunny and settled summer weather, with high-pressure dominating. In July average afternoon temperatures rise comfortably above 20°C, while daily means are a little higher than those of the south coast of the UK, making this region an increasingly attractive destination at the height of summer. Even in heatwaves temperatures rarely exceed 30°C by a large margin.

Like the Mediterranean, the Baltic benefits from a wide variety of countries with rich maritime histories and diverse cultures along its 5,000-mile coastline. Uniquely for a 600-mile race the course is bordered by six different nations: Finland, Sweden, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia.

The Roschier Baltic Sea Race is a collaboration between Finland’s Ocean Racing Alliance and the Royal Ocean Racing Club, which brings its unrivalled race management expertise to the event. The first edition benefitted from an explosion of interest in an event of this type, particularly from Finnish, Estonian and Polish sailors, who were joined by teams across the Baltic states and as far away as the UK, Spain and the United States.

Its end of July timing was carefully chosen to maximise the probability of consistent winds. Although competitors therefore miss out on racing just above 60° north at the summer solstice, there’s still almost 20 hours of daylight and astronomical twilight is never reached, making it a magical experience that’s unique in the world of offshore racing.

Seasonal weather norms at this time are for southwesterly winds averaging 8-10 knots, with some lighter sections, but others with stronger breezes. There’s also potential for thermal activity, including squalls, that add to the challenges of the 635-mile course. Land influences, predominantly near the start and finish in the Gulf of Finland, as well as the 73-mile-long Swedish island of Gotland, make it a very strategic race, while the lack of strong tidal streams gives navigators a wide range of routing options.

The first edition saw 213 sailors from 18 nations depart under clear blue skies and a light southerly breeze that filled in as the fleet passed the Helsinki Lighthouse, 12 miles from the start line. While it’s not unusual for offshore races to include a lighthouse as a mark of the course, a unique aspect of this race is that three of them form marks of the course. Helsinki’s is relatively recent, having been constructed in the late 1950s, but Harmaja Lighthouse, on a small islet close to the port has been an important landmark since the 16th century, although a light was not established until 1883.

Almagrundet lighthouse, some 200 miles from the start, stands on a shoal a few miles offshore from the outer islands of the Stockholm archipelago. The current 28-metre high light was built as a remotely operated lighthouse in 1964, replacing two lightships that had operated since the late 19th century.

For the inaugural race the first part of the course favoured the larger and faster boats, with the Volvo 70 I Love Poland reaching Almagrundet after 15 intense hours of racing that included six sail changes. At that point she held a useful 25-minute lead on the water ahead of the Volvo Ocean 65 Ambersail 2. However, the beauty of a race where every class sails the same course under IRC is that any well-sailed and well-prepared boat has the potential to take overall victory.

Above: Silver Moon II won the race overall under IRC, having been in the owner’s family for nearly 40 years.

Around the half-way point Tilmar Hansen’s German TP52 Outsider was in pole position until the HSV youth team on another German competitor, the Carkeek 47 Störtebeker, took the lead after IRC time correction. The largest boat in the race, Kenneth Bjoerklund’s Norwegian CNB 76 Enderpearl, with Ocean Racing Alliance commodore Ari Känsäkoski on board, then became favourite for a period.

In a tightly fought four-way battle on the water that saw the lead change in the fight for line honours multiple times, I Love Poland eventually took the winning gun, just 700 metres ahead of Outsider after 72 hours of racing. Another Volvo 70, HYPR Ocean Racing’s GP Bullhound, took third place on the water, only an hour later, followed shortly afterwards by Ambersail 2.

‘The plan was to fight to the end and it was exactly that. There were a few wind holes but we crossed the line first and we are delighted,’ says Grzegorz Baranowski, skipper of I Love Poland. ‘When I look at the names on this trophy, we are so proud that ours will go with them. I am even more proud of my young crew who are trying their best to go forward.’

Despite the wealth of experience in the fleet, including boats that have successfully competed in multiple Rolex Fastnet Races, RORC Transatlantic Races and Caribbean 600s, overall victory eventually went to a local amateur crew in a very modest vessel.

On the penultimate day the 32ft 1980s Swedish Albin Nova Team Mobline, raced double-handed by Paer Lindfors and Nadine Kugel, took the lead. However, overall victory on IRC eventually went to Helsinki school teacher Salla Kaven’s 32ft H-323 Silver Moon ll, which crossed the finish with a 16 minute advantage ahead of Team Mobline after time correction.

Silver Moon ll has been in Kaven’s family since new in 1985 and was crewed by her family and friends, who sailed an immaculate race. Her team has previously won many local races, but never a major international competition. ‘I was speechless, just so happy, we never thought we could win this race,’ she says. ‘It was great sailing and everything went well, but even when we crossed the line, I didn’t believe it. The message to all the amateur sailors out there is: ‘You can do it if you want to – do what you love!’”

Above: I love Poland - took line honours. The Poles were first across the finish line after three days of intense racing… but just 700 metres ahead of the TP52 Outsider

Although two of the lowest rated boats in the fleet topped the podium, the next three places in the overall results went to the big IRC Zero boats. Störtebeker finished just 47 minutes adrift of Mobline after IRC time correction, and 33 minutes ahead of Outsider, while Enderpearl completed the IRC Zero podium. Swede Niclas Heurlin’s Farr 400 Wetjob headed the leaderboard in IRC One, 47 minutes ahead of Arto Linnervuo’s Xp44 Xtra Staerk, which was the first Finnish boat to complete the race.

Early entries for 2024 already include Mobline, Xtra Staerk, Arto Linnervuo’s other boat, the DSS foil-equipped Inifiniti 52 Tulikettu, and Per Roman’s JPK 1180 Garm. Christian Zugel’s well-travelled modified Volvo 70 Tschuss 2 is also on the list, but is far from the biggest boat – at the time of writing that accolade goes to Zachary Lamb’s giant Swan 88 Spiip. Others include a Swan 441 sailed by Raija Alapeteri, Ocean Ladies, a Figaro ll and Hamburgischer Verein Seefahrt’s Judel-Vrolijk 52 Haspa Hamburg. Silver Moon ll is also sure to be there to defend her victory. At the other end of the scale, Niklas Zennström’s state of the art CF520 Ran is also expected to be on the start line.

They are all sure to encounter more intense racing, camaraderie and magical moments in an event that shows every sign of joining the ranks of the best 600-mile races, including the Fastnet, Caribbean 600 and Middle Sea Race.

Entry fees include two days complimentary berthing, both before and after the race, at Helsinki’s Marina Bay, the official guest harbour in the heart of Helsinki, which can accommodate yachts of up to 45m length and five metres in draught. The cosmopolitan waterfront city, located on the tip of a peninsula and an archipelago of more than 300 islands, has one of the highest standards of urban living in the world.

Helsinki is a perfect start or end point for a cruise taking in some of the tens of thousands of islands in the Finnish and Swedish archipelagos. The timing of the Roschier Baltic Sea Race also dovetails neatly with the biggest offshore race in the Baltic, the Gotland Runt, which attracts 300 entries racing from Stockholm on four different courses around the island at the end of June.

The founders of the Ocean Racing Alliance are all hugely experienced offshore racers and there’s significant local political support for the race. Official race supporters include the City of Helsinki; Nyländska Jaktklubben (NJK), Finnish Offshore Racing Association (AMP); Helsingfors Segelklubb (HSK); FINIRC and the Xtra Stærk Ocean Racing Society. It makes for a winning combination alongside the international appeal of RORC races and the club’s proven world class race management expertise.

Click here for more information and to enter the Roschier Baltic Sea Race »

The P40 class is on a mission to revitalise fully crewed offshore and inshore racing in fortysomething-footers and boost participation…

The first year in which the concept of the P40 class has been taken forward was 2023 and we produced a structure which included inshore and offshore components - with separate prizes, subscriptions from members in order to manage the class and the formation of a committee to oversee and coordinate the development.

Using questionnaires and direct approaches we have tried to discover the general hopes and aspirations of this new class. It became clear that there was a split between those who wanted to race inshore and those who preferred offshore; some did both but certainly not the majority. We therefore devised a programme to attempt to include everyone, with “best of” series for both inshore and offshore as well as an overall winner. We have found and developed relationships with some great sponsors and their help has been fundamental for the growth of the class for which we are most grateful.

Main picture: P40 class racing in the Solent. In 2023,16 boats raced often enough to be scored for the season.
Below: with nine to 11 crew, there is scope to take novice sailors on board and give them experience

Inshore keelboat handicap racing in the Solent - and elsewhere - has steadily been dwindling in numbers for some years. The formation of the P40 class is a serious initiative to reverse this trend. For many years it has been difficult to match up crews and owners and the cry of ‘I can’t race because I can’t get a crew’ is frequently heard. Equally a lot of young people are desperate to learn about and gain experience sailing on bigger boats but cannot get a ride. The P40 is ideal because with a crew of 9-11 there is scope to take relative novices and give them experience. We have approached this problem in various ways. Most useful has been to engage with the main yacht club academies, the Royal Thames, the Royal Yacht Squadron and the Royal Ocean Racing Club (Griffin project) and we plan to develop these links in 2024.

Our programme for 2024 was the result of voting by the members; the most popular being adopted. The positive social side of the class was exposed in the voting. Some of the events that emerged as most popular may not have had a history of the best racing, but definitely had the best parties. Our goal is not just to increase membership but also participation and it was obvious that this was an important driver.

The highlight of the season must have been the Rolex Fastnet Race where, despite very rugged conditions, especially in the first 24 hours, Dawn Treader came 12th overall and 3rd in Class 1B. Also in this class Darkwood was 8th and Rogan Josh 12th. This was a huge class of 81, 35 of which retired.

We repeated our autumn regatta hosted by the Royal Thames and the Royal Yacht Squadron, the latter being our National Championships. The season was rounded off by an excellent end of season dinner at the Royal Thames in London. We were treated to a fascinating talk covering the rescues during the Rolex Fastnet and followed this with a very successful charity auction which raised a substantial sum for the RNLI.

Now to some results and statistics for the season. Sixteen members entered enough races to be scored for the season. Inshore series winner was the Swan 45 Luna, with Dawn Treader 2nd and Michael Blair’s Cobra 3rd. The offshore winner and also overall winner of the combined series was Ed Bell’s JPK 1180 Dawn Treader. Richard Powell’s First 40 Rogan Josh was 2nd and Michael O’Donnell’s J121 Darkwood was 3rd. The crew of Dawn Treader had a triumphant 2023 season all round as they were also the winner of Class 1 in the RORC overall Season’s Points.

The 2024 programme is already published (Seahorse February 2024) and on www.P40Class.com. We will have class racing in Cowes Week, with a perpetual challenge trophy awarded by the Royal Thames, and we look forward to a growing fleet with excellent racing and camaraderie. All this would be impossible without our sponsors, North Sails, Mermaid Gin, HYS, The Vital Spark and LV Yachting to which we owe our thanks.

Click here for more information on P40 Class »

After 30 years’ racing across the oceans and around the world for Giovanni Soldini, the adventure really has only just started… as he enthusiastically explains to Giuliano Luzzatto

‘I am thrilled to start this new adventure with Ferrari! We are working on an important project with amazing technological potential that brings together different worlds and skills of the highest level. Working with an exceptional team in the research and development of innovative solutions that are respectful of our environment is a truly unique experience.’