Bavaria R40 Coupe

Look out, Bénéteau – this 40ft sportscruiser has a full-beam master cabin, plenty of pace and a hull good enough to give its rivals a bloody nose.

- Jack Haines

From the outset, the Bavaria R40 was designed to be a flybridge and a sports cruiser, so it’s no great surprise that the Coupe model works so well. It’s a handsome, well-proportioned boat with tidy lines and an attractive profile that some other models in Bavaria’s motor boat range still lack.

The hull design, lower deck layout and engine options are all borrowed from the flybridge variant, though with a lower centre of gravity and a crash diet consisting of ditching the top deck. The Coupe, on paper, promises to be even more engaging to drive than its double-decker relative.

The conditions in the Solent were perfect for putting a nimble planing sports cruiser through its paces. A stubby, defiant chop and stiff breeze sought to unearth any deficiencies in the hull’s capabilities and challenge the R40’s rough water refinement. The hull rose to the challenge with gusto and took all we threw at it (which was a lot) in its stride. Flat out, full-lock turns were dispatched without issue and the countless twists and turns around the chase boat failed to outwit it. On a couple of occasions where we launched off our own wash during a hard turn and landed on the edge of the hull, we managed to provoke a slam, but it took some doing. Although the hull took it well, the interior let out a few too many squeaks and rattles for my liking, which somewhat detracts from the overall feeling of solidity.