45 Years of Yachting

Sailboats in series production

How someone came up with the idea of building the largest yacht shipyard in Germany, and one of the most modern in the world, right in the middle of the country, far from the northern coasts or the Mediterranean, may forever remain the secret of BAVARIA YACHTS founder Winfried Herrmann. 

His decision in 1978, however, proved to be the right one, as the success of BAVARIA YACHTS today shows that a passionate and skilled team is more important than proximity to the sea.

The boats Herrmann developed reflected the tastes of the time and were always slightly more affordable than those of the competition. „The era of handmade boats is over!“ Herrmann declared at the time – and his rapid business success proved him right. From the beginning, the production of his boats had little in common with traditional boatbuilding in a small workshop. Herrmann was a restless and passionate rationalizer, who had already controlled and optimized workflows in his window factory with a stopwatch. This led to Herrmann’s legendary statement: „We are redefining the pricing structure in yacht building!"

Yet, he never lost sight of the continuous development and improvement of the boats. From the start, yacht dealer and charter boat broker Josef Meltl, who later became a partner, contributed significant market expertise and likely prepared the path for the brand’s later success in the charter market. The BAVARIA 46 HOLIDAY, launched in 1985, was the first sailboat optimized for the charter market, and even today, it can still be found in some charter fleets.

The BAVARIA YACHTS brand has always benefited from the best designers and consultants. From 1992, J&J Design from Slovenia was responsible for designing new models; this young design team had already made a name for themselves with fast yachts. A total of 160 different sailboat models were developed over 45 years. Throughout this time, BAVARIA YACHTS remained true to its DNA. Alongside excellent sailing characteristics, an optimal use of space and collaboration with renowned suppliers were essential components. Masts from Selden in Sweden, sails from Elvström in Denmark, and winches from Lewmar are found on every sailboat ever built in Giebelstadt.

Farr Yacht Design from Annapolis, known for fast racing yachts in the Ocean Race or America’s Cup, proved they could also design comfortable cruising yachts with the BAVARIA CRUISER‐ and VISION‐LINE starting in 2010. With over 1,000 units built, the BAVARIA CRUISER 46 is likely one of the most produced sailboats worldwide. The BAVARIA CRUISER 34 is not far behind this benchmark.

The new BAVARIA C‐LINE, like the motorboats of the SR‐LINE, carries Italian influences. This is evident not only in the design but also in their agility under sail. Cossutti Yacht Design designed the flagship of the fleet in 2017: the BAVARIA C57. Five more C‐LINE models followed, propelling BAVARIA YACHTS’ sailboats into a new segment. A prime example is the new BAVARIA C46, which was immediately crowned Europe’s Yacht of the Year by an international jury.

Jochen Rieker, head of the EYOTY jury, reported: „That something had changed was already proven three years ago by the boatbuilders from Giebelstadt. Back then, after a long pause, the BAVARIA C42, designed by Maurizio Cossutti, overwhelmingly won the title of Europe’s Yacht of the Year. Now the BAVARIA C46 follows, clearly distancing itself from numerous prestigious competitors. Even though it follows the same basic concept, it raises the bar significantly higher in many areas compared to its 2021 award‐winning sister.“ Toby Hodges from Yachting World explains the triumph of the C46 by its substance: „BAVARIA has improved its quality to such an extent that other major shipyards are finding it hard to keep up."

"I have worked for many companies with strong brands throughout my career. After its founding BAVARIA YACHTS not only quickly became one of the most well‐known brands for sailing and motor yachts, but BAVARIA YACHTS has also shaped the market significantly over the past 45 years. With the BAVARIA C‐ and CRUISER‐LINE, we are perfectly positioned for the long term in our segment of sailboats ranging from 30 to 57 feet. This is confirmed daily by the many happy owners and our dealers, many of whom have been our partners for 45 years. We feel well prepared for the future,“ summarizes Michael Müller, CEO of BAVARIA YACHTS.