BoatsBavaria Yachts 51

Bavaria Yachts 51

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · First built 1993

A 15.6-metre masthead sloop with a 2.4-metre draft, designed for high-volume cruising and steady offshore speed

Designed by Axel Mohnhaupt.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Bavaria Yachts 51, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Epic Navigator

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a narrow beam gives 30 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 30
CoastalBluewater

1.91 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.91
LightHeavy

193 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 193
EasygoingPowered-up

18.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.1

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Heavier than ~77% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~82% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~84% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1571 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Bavaria Yachts 51, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Bavaria Yachts 51 is a Masthead Sloop designed by Axel Mohnhaupt and built by Bavaria Yachts since 1993, featuring a fin keel with a spade rudder, a 15.6-meter LOA, and a 2.4-meter draft. Aboard *Epic Navigator*, a Bavaria 51 demonstrated Mediterranean mooring challenges in Antiparos, Greece, where 40-knot winds and a crowded marina required three attempts to secure the boat stern-to.0:46 Crew communication failures, particularly regarding anchor chain deployment, led to a near-collision during the first two attempts.8:54 The crew learned to use 70 meters of chain and precise engine control for successful stern-to mooring in high winds.12:05 In Serifos, Greece, the same crew found anchoring difficult due to katabatic winds and rocky seabeds, experiencing multiple failed attempts to set a Delta anchor with 80 meters of chain.4:10 They recommend heavy ground tackle, such as a 32-kg anchor and 12mm chain, for the area.6:01 Departing a dock in Antiparos in 30–35 knot beam winds, the crew used a long stern line to control the stern swing and coordinated engine thrust with line release to exit safely from between two other vessels.0:48

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 3 times across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Bavaria Yachts 51 on video

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.1
Displacement / length
192.6
Comfort ratio
29.7
Capsize screening
1.91
Hull speed
8.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2265
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Iron
Production
Years built
First built 1993
Units built
19
Designer
Axel Mohnhaupt
Builder
Bavaria Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Dufour Yachts 4815.29 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 15.29-metre performance cruiser with a 4.85-metre beam and a 2.35-metre draft for offshore stability
Dufour 48 - Preview of the 2025 Genoa Boat Show0:12from SVN solovelanet
Beneteau First 53f515.90 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Bruce Farr performance cruiser styled by Pininfarina, featuring multiple cabin layouts and an optional shoal wing keel
Sailing Croatia with 4 Beautiful Crew | 1.5 Hour Adventure Film2:11from Sailing Doodles
Baltic Yachts 5115.52 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 15.5-metre cruiser produced through the 1980s, offering a powerful sail-area-to-displacement ratio for its size
From Brittany to Norway - Sailing and Winter Storms0:48from ArcticStern Ocean Sailing
Beneteau Oceanis 51015.29 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop also marketed as the Moorings 510 and Stardust 515
we BUILD a PRIVATE marina in the middle of NOWHERE! [ep 210]from Lauren Landers Sailing
Saga Marine 4815.94 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop built for performance cruising with a stiff 33% ballast ratio
Saga 48 // Boat Shopping18:16from 59° North Sailing
Beneteau Oceanis 50015.32 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop with a wing keel, widely produced as the Moorings 500 and Prestige 500
The Wind Vane Snapped! Atlantic Crossing in 19 Days2:11from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 51A J&J-designed masthead sloop built for high-volume cruising with a balanced sail-to-displacement ratioBavaria Yachts 350A 10.74-metre masthead cruiser with a 36% ballast ratio, built for steady performance and comfort since 1991Bavaria Yachts 1130A masthead-rigged cruiser of 11.28 metres, built for steady offshore passage-making with a 1.89-metre fin keelBavaria Yachts 47A 14.65-metre cruiser featuring a fin keel with bulb and spade rudder, produced throughout the 1990s

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