BAVARIA C45

Our challenge for 2017 was to design a new flagship for the Bavaria Yachts range: the C45. Throughout the shipyard’s 40-year history, the 45-foot segment has always been one of the most important and popular boat sizes. It was therefore a particularly demanding task, especially following the great success of the previous Cruiser 46.

An ordinary design would not have been enough for this new model. We therefore set out to create the first 45-footer with five cabins and a dinghy garage. This was not the shipyard’s only requirement: the C45 also had to offer a wide range of possible layouts, from three to five cabins, from two to three heads, as well as a storage-room option.

Moreover, the C45 was the first model in the range to be offered in three different style packages, each with specific characteristics designed to meet different customer requirements.

Exterior Design

The exterior design follows the path established by the C57, creating a strong family feeling across the entire C-Line. All the distinctive features of the flagship, presented in January 2017, were redesigned and adapted to perfectly suit the new model.

The two-level deck had become a distinctive feature of the range and, on the C45, was designed so that the coachroof remains sleek while still providing the necessary interior volume.

In our view, privacy is closely related to comfort. For this reason, we focused on providing three separate sunbathing areas: at the bow, on top of the coachroof and in the cockpit.

Cockpit and Deck

The cockpit incorporates all the features found on larger yachts to ensure maximum comfort. A clear distinction is made between the working area, located behind the steering wheels, and the guest area.

All the manoeuvres are led to the helm stations, allowing the boat to be easily sailed by a reduced crew. Two cockpit tables, one for each bench, leave a central passage providing access below deck without disturbing seated guests.

At the aft end of the cockpit, there is space for a wet bar incorporating a cockpit fridge and barbecue.

The large bathing platform and easy access to the sea are among the key features that Bavaria has always offered its customers and were therefore essential elements of the new model. This time, however, the challenge was more complex than on the previous C57, as we had to incorporate a dinghy garage into a boat size that had traditionally been considered too small for such a solution.

This required a significant effort in terms of naval architecture, structural engineering and deck engineering, and was successfully resolved through the combined work of the entire design team.

Deck Layout and Sailing Performance

The deck plan of the Holiday and Style versions was designed to make sailing as easy as possible, with all running rigging led to the helm positions.

Ergonomics were studied particularly carefully, with each piece of deck equipment positioned so that it could be easily reached from either a standing or seated position.

The self-tacking jib, combined with the mainsheet led to the coachroof and the gennaker tack point at the bow, is the ideal configuration when cruising is the priority. For those seeking higher performance, the yacht can instead be equipped with standard jib tracks on deck, a mainsheet traveller in the cockpit and a gennaker tack point on the bowsprit.

Construction and Structural Engineering

The hull and deck are built using hand-laminated construction. The bottom of the hull, in the forward and central sections, features a single-skin laminate designed to withstand the high loads generated around the keel and mast. In the aft section and along the sides, sandwich construction is used to achieve an optimal weight distribution.

Longitudinal and transverse stiffness is provided by the structural hull grid and a longitudinal side stringer. In the middle section of the boat, the structure connects to a transverse frame extending up to the shroud chainplate attachment area.

The compression loads from the deck-stepped mast are transferred to the hull bottom through a stainless-steel pillar connected to the structural inner liner.

Modutech Modular Construction

The C45 was designed around Bavaria’s Modutech system, the modular boat assembly process introduced by the shipyard.

The yacht’s structure was designed so that the interior modules and systems could be assembled outside the hull and subsequently installed inside the boat in just a few steps. This is made possible by a structure designed to accommodate the bulkheads on the hull bottom and deck, with the bulkheads then glued or laminated to the hull sides.

Interior Layout

The requirement for a fifth cabin on a 45-footer pushed the design limits considerably. Our objective was to create a well-balanced sailing yacht, and the demand for additional interior volume presented a significant challenge.

Thanks to the experience gained through previous projects in the field of ergonomics, it was possible to make the most of every centimetre available and achieve the desired layout.

In the three-cabin layout, the owner’s cabin is located forward and features a private head with a separate shower. A VIP cabin is located aft to port, while a standard double cabin occupies the starboard side.

In the four-cabin layout, the owner’s cabin is replaced by two twin cabins. In the five-cabin configuration, an additional bunk-bed cabin is introduced in place of the aft head.

The classic L-shaped galley is located to port, directly below the companionway, taking advantage of the widest section of the hull. The saloon is positioned between the galley and the main bulkhead.

Particular attention was paid to the positioning of the windows. Each opening was carefully designed to be at the appropriate eye level in different positions, whether standing, sitting on the sofa or lying in bed.

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