Sailing News

Bavaria Yachts Introduces New 30 Cruiser

Bavaria Yachts has introduced a new 30 Cruiser in a move to provide a high-quality, affordable package for the smaller sailboat buyer.

“While the new Bavaria 30 Cruiser incorporates many of the features of the popular 32 Cruiser, it is actually a radical departure from the larger model,” said Bruce Mundle, president of Bavaria Yachts USA. “With a length of 31 feet overall, the 30 Cruiser is heavier than the 32 but boasts almost 100 sq. feet more sail area on a 2-foot higher mast, offering improved sailing performance potential. In addition, a fuller hull shape allows for a larger relative interior volume.”

“Add to this the no-compromise construction benefits obtained with Bavaria’s unique grid construction techniques, and you have a yacht with cruising potential limited only by the owner’s imagination,” Mundle added.

The interior, with its ample use of light mahogany woodwork throughout, gives it the rich “yacht” feel seldom found in a boat this size. The opening ports on both sides provide extra light and excellent cross ventilation. The layout below-decks provides a master stateroom forward, guest stateroom aft to port and head with shower to starboard. Bavaria utilizes the inside space wisely, with large doorways for easy access and a surprising volume of storage space throughout the boat. The main salon includes a navigation station with contoured, ergonomic chart table, a fully equipped galley and bench seats on both sides of a polished, inlaid dining table with drop leaves for easy walkthrough.

Auxiliary propulsion is provided by a Volvo Penta D1-20 18-horsepower diesel engine with sail drive for optimum maneuverability and extremely quiet operation. The engine compartment is designed to provide convenient access for maintenance and oil changes.

On deck, the 30 Cruiser is designed to optimize the sailing experience. The German engineers have cut no corners when it comes to quality, using only the best components and hardware, with Selden masts and spars, Rutgerson deck hardware and Lewmar winches, ports and hatches. All halyards, sheets and other lines are led to the cockpit for easy one- or two-person sailing.

“Like all Bavaria sailboats, the new 30 Cruiser is thoroughly engineered and sturdily built, with a combination of features seldom found on other sailboats of any size,” said Mundle. “For instance, the boat’s Kevlar-reinforced bow, the fully integrated grid construction, flange system hull deck joint, heavy-duty grounding of the mast to keel and substantial stainless steel chain plates and rigging attachments are a reflection of the German engineers’ passion for building the world’s toughest and most rugged sailboat.”
Bavaria Yachts is one of the largest sailboat builders in Europe. With a modern, highly mechanized factory in Wurzburg, Germany, it employs state-of-the-art automated processes to ensure product consistency and quality control while reducing manufacturing costs. As a result, Bavaria provides an extraordinary combination of value and quality.

For more information: www.bavariayachts.com.

Specifications:
Length overall 31'
Length hull 30'
Length waterline 27'1"
Beam 10'9"
Draft standard 4'7"
Draft (deep option) 6'1"
Displacement 9,240 lbs.
Ballast 2,200 lbs.
Mainsail & genoa 555 sq. ft. (appx.)
Water tank 40 gal. (appx.)
Fuel tank 25 gal. (appx.)
Ht. of mast above waterline 46'3"

HAS YOUR BOAT EVER BEEN RECALLED?
FREE BOAT U.S. RECALL ALERT REGISTRY HELPS

With the boating season just around the corner and used boats now accounting for over 70% of annual boat sales, boat owners should know about a free BoatU.S. service which provides invaluable information on U.S. Coast Guard boat recalls.

For a period of ten years after a boat is built, federal law requires boat builders to recall and repair any vessel found to be in non-compliance with Coast Guard regulations or which contains a safety defect. But, the law only requires that these defect recall notices be sent to original owners. With most vessels changing ownership at least once during their first ten years of life, manufacturers often have difficulty reaching subsequent owners to let them know they have a fix available to remedy a safety problem.

"The existing system is deficient because a considerable number of new boat purchasers don't return warranty cards and there is no consistent way for manufacturers to reach them," says Caroline Ajootian, BoatU.S. Consumer Protection Bureau director. "And even if a new boat owner does return a warranty card, when the boat is sold a second or third time the manufacturer still has no way to communicate to those used-boat buyers," she notes.

BoatU.S. has stepped in to fill this important gap between boat builders and owners with its online National Recall Alert Registry located at http://www.BoatUS.com/recall The system allows boaters to register their less than ten-year old vessel so a manufacturer can contact them directly in the event of a recall action. Consumers can also view a list of current recalls as well as visit the U.S. Coast Guard's Recall Database.
The online system is also a plus for manufacturers. "It can help a difficult situation get better because it demonstrates that the manufacturer is being proactive and helps reinforce the positive image of a company and its product," says Ajootian. The system is also secure - each manufacturer can only view the database of owners having their product.

2006 North American Safe Boating Campaign Launched

Survivor cast member Rudy Boesch encourages life jacket wear among America's boaters
Life jackets take center stage during this multi-year initiative. The campaign's "Wear It!" message emphasizes life jacket use as the best way to survive boating accidents and avoid drowning. "Skydivers use parachutes, football players take the field with helmets on, and responsible drivers buckle up," noted Virgil Chambers, executive director of the National Safe Boating Council (NSBC). "Boaters can stay safe on our nation's waters by adopting the same second-nature approach to wearing their life jackets."

This year, former Survivor star Rudy Boesch will help promote a new element of the "Wear It!" initiative-the "Be a Survivor!" contest. "Be a Survivor!" will engage recreational boaters nationwide on the topic of boating safety, inviting individuals to submit personal testimonials on how the life jacket has made a difference in their boating experience. Entries may be submitted beginning May 20 to www.SafeBoatingCampaign.com or by visiting any West Marine store nationwide. Winners announced Sept. 4, will receive prizes courtesy of West Marine and have their stories published in NSBC's book, Saved By the Jacket.

As annual boating fatalities have decreased, the percentage due to neglecting life jacket wear has risen, 90 percent of boaters who drowned in 2004 were not wearing life jackets. The NSBC hopes to reverse this trend by raising boater awareness of advances in the modern life jacket. Offering the latest technological innovations, current models can be customized for specific water activities and outings without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement.

Coordinated by the NSBC with the help of the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators and the U.S. Coast Guard, National Safe Boating Week is the annual kick-off for the North American Safe Boating Campaign.

Visit www.SafeBoatingCampaign.com for campaign materials and additional safe boating resources.