BAVARIA SR36
LOA 40ft 3in (12.3m) BEAM 12ft 6in (3.85m) ENGINES Twin petrol/diesel up to 710hp TOP SPEED 35 knots PRICE from €249,000 ex VAT CONTACT Clipper Marine +44 (0)1489 550583; www.bavariayachts.com
This boat’s big sister, the SR41, scooped our Motor Boat Award for Sportcruisers up to 45ft this year, so this scaled down 40-footer has a strong base from which to take on the likes of Jeanneau and Galeon.
The layout is almost identical to the bigger boat with an eye-catching aft-facing dinette that has a hi-lo table with an infill cushion to quickly convert it to a decent sun pad. The boat is available with a hard top (pictured), soft top with a canvas roof or a version with a floating hard top that connects to the top of the windscreen. There is also the option to have sliding cockpit doors for a fully enclosed main deck saloon.
Considering the show boat was hull number one, the fit and finish was impressive and there’s clearly been a conscious effort to up the perceived quality with flashes of stainless steel where there would usually be GRP, plus the use of classy diamond-stitched upholstery.
Inside, the boat feels far more spacious than its 40ft LOA would suggest, with towering headroom and two large and nicely appointed cabins. The wet bar on deck is a good size so there is just a small galley on the lower deck, opposite a dinky dinette that can convert into a chill out area via another hi-lo table and cushion.
The starting price looks incredibly tempting but it’s worth noting that this is for a boat with twin 350hp V8 petrols and you’ll pay another €40,000 for the twin Volvo Penta D4 300hp version. It’s still a lot of boat for the money, though, and will suit families of four or a couple and their friends very well indeed.