Bavaria Yachts 42 for sale

Presentation of the Bavaria Yachts 42 Model

Yachting Address Review — Bavaria 42: the guide to navigating six different boats under one name

Searching for a "Bavaria 42" on the second-hand market means potentially encountering six boats that have almost nothing in common — two older sailboats, one intermediate sailboat, one current sailboat and two motorboats. This page groups them all without distinction, and this confusion is the primary reason why serious buyers end up viewing boats that don't match their project.

This guide has one specific objective: to allow you to read each listing on this page knowing exactly which boat you are looking at, what it is worth, and what to check before picking up the phone.

The six boats hiding behind "Bavaria 42"

The Bavaria 42 Cruiser (1999-2008, 12.80 to 12.99 metres) is the founding generation and the most widespread on the second-hand market — thousands of examples built, hundreds on the current European market. It is a family cruising sailboat designed by the Judel & Vrolijk (J&J Design) studio, powered by a Volvo Penta 55 hp diesel, available in 3 or 4-cabin configurations. This is the model that the majority of listings on this page offer between €59,000 and €125,000. If you are looking for a 13-metre family cruising sailboat on an accessible budget, this is probably the most relevant boat on this page.

The Bavaria 42 HT (Hard Top, 2008, 13.40 metres) is a motorboat — not a sailboat. The Sicily example at €195,000 is a motor-yacht with 2 cabins, 2 heads and 435 hours. This is an entirely different purchase target from the Cruiser — if you are searching for a sailboat, skip directly ahead.

The Bavaria Vision 42 (2014-2022, 12.50 metres) is an intermediate generation Bavaria sailboat, designed in the "Vision" range that preceded the C series. The 2014 example at Cap d'Agde at €190,000 and the 2022 Vision 42 at €350,000 represent two sub-generations of this model.

The Bavaria C42 (from 2020, 11.99 to 12.90 metres) is the current Bavaria 42 sailboat — new generation with Cossutti Yacht Design styling, Yanmar 57 hp engine, winner of the "Sailboat of the Year" award according to dealer Evasion Yachting. New models at €232,800 ex-VAT and 2021-2022 second-hand examples between €260,000 and €285,000 incl. VAT represent the low end of the new/near-new market on this page.

The Bavaria Virtess 420 Coupé (2013-2019, 12.39 to 13.93 metres) is a motorboat — not a sailboat. The listings between €349,000 and €614,880 on this page concern a motor sport-cruiser from Bavaria's Virtess range, whose architecture has no connection whatsoever with Bavaria sailboats.

The Bavaria Virtess 420 Fly (2013-2024, 13.60 metres) is the flybridge version of the Virtess 420 — still a motorboat, between €385,000 for a 2016 in Croatia and €650,880 incl. VAT for a new 2026 model.

Focus on the Bavaria 42 Cruiser: the cruising sailboat everyone is looking for

The Bavaria 42 Cruiser deserves detailed treatment because it is the most active model in the second-hand market on this page — and because its popularity generates precisely the confusions that cost poorly-informed buyers dearly.

The Bavaria 42 Cruiser is one of the best-selling 13-metre family cruising sailboats in the history of production boatbuilding. Easy to handle, generous in habitability, with a simple and well-documented powertrain, it has convinced thousands of European owners since 1999. The Nice-based owner listing his 2005 example at €105,000 with the phrase "after more than 10 years of complete satisfaction on our previous Bavaria 39" is representative of this brand loyalty.

Its primary strength is the consistency of the offer: all Bavaria 42 Cruisers from 2000 to 2008 share the same broad characteristics — same J&J hull, same Volvo 55 hp powertrain, same basic interior layout, same strengths and same vigilance points. Buying a Bavaria 42 Cruiser from 2005 without a surveyor is an acceptable risk if you know what to look for. The inter-generational evolutions are well documented, predictable, and the vigilance points are consistent across the range.

The Volvo Penta SailDrive: the central issue on all Bavaria models of this generation

This is the vigilance point we repeat on every Bavaria page of this era — and it is the only one that consistently deserves systematic mention because it is the one that makes the difference between a good purchase and a costly one.

The Volvo Penta SailDrive bellows joint is the sealing piece between the inboard engine and the hull. On a Bavaria 42 Cruiser from 2000-2008, this joint is between 17 and 25 years old. It must have been replaced at least twice in accordance with the manufacturer's schedule — once at around 5-7 years, once at around 12-15 years. Always demand the date and invoice of the last replacement before any serious viewing. The Lignano listing that mentions "SailDrive steering set 2022" is a good example of seller transparency — this is exactly the type of information that should feature in every Bavaria listing of this generation and is often absent.

A neglected or end-of-life bellows joint means progressive seawater ingress that can dampen the engine bilge without the owner noticing immediately. Preventive replacement costs €600 to €1,200. Replacing a SailDrive damaged by prolonged ingress costs several times that amount.

The 3-cabin or 4-cabin version: a difference that changes everything

The Bavaria 42 Cruiser was sold in several interior configurations, and this distinction is central for the buyer — it is often under-explained in listings.

The 3-cabin version is the owner's configuration: forward owner's double cabin, two aft double cabins, two heads. Interior space is more generous, cabins more comfortable, and the central saloon more open. This is the ideal version for family cruising.

The 4-cabin version is the charter configuration — a fourth cabin is added by partially sacrificing the size of the other cabins and the saloon. The 2000 Bavaria 42 Cruiser at €70,000 in Italy listed as "4 cabins, 2 heads" is typically a former charter fleet unit. These boats have navigated intensively, and their condition warrants all the more rigorous inspection.

Focus on the Bavaria C42: the current market reference

The Bavaria C42 represents what Bavaria offers today in this size — and it is a very different boat from the Cruiser on every point that matters.

Cossutti Yacht Design styling gives it more modern lines and a more performance-oriented hull than previous generations. Its sail plan and rig are optimised for short-handed sailing. Its Yanmar 57 hp powertrain (replacing the Volvo 55 hp of the Cruiser) aligns with current market standards. And it benefits from the habitability improvements Bavaria has progressively introduced since the C series: increased natural light, improved circulation, more refined interior finishes.

Second-hand C42 examples from 2021-2022 between €260,000 and €285,000 incl. VAT represent the sound purchase for the buyer who wants the modernity of current design with a slight discount from new. As we write, this is still the only real C42 second-hand market — the first 2020-2021 examples are only now beginning to come back onto the market.

Bavaria 42 market prices in 2025-2026

Indicative ranges, market May 2026. VAT included unless otherwise stated.

Our verdict

The "Bavaria 42" page is one of the richest and most confusing in the French second-hand sailing market — precisely because it groups six distinct boats under one name. The primary value of this guide is to help you avoid wasting time viewing the wrong boat.

For an accessible family cruising sailboat: the Bavaria 42 Cruiser from 2005-2008 between €90,000 and €125,000 is one of the best habitability-to-price ratios on the 13-metre second-hand market, provided the SailDrive bellows joint is documented and the 3-cabin configuration matches your use.

For a modern sailboat with the latest Bavaria innovations: the C42 from 2021-2022 between €260,000 and €285,000 is the right answer — new in terms of design, with a slight discount from the original subscription price.

For a quality motorboat in this size: the Virtess 420 deserves to be studied on its own page, away from the confusion with sailboats.