Let’s go back to the future with a strikingly modern yacht that pays homage to the pre-2007 concept of high-value boating. The S29 looks a complete sportscruiser, with four berths, a smart cockpit and 35-knot performance. But a starting price of around €130,000 sets this German yacht apart, can it really deliver the full cruising hit for day boat money?
Bavaria S29 Open Key Facts
- LOA 30' 5"
- Model Year 2023
- Cabins 1
- Max Speed 38 knots
- Status In Production
- Yacht Type Sportsboat
- Use Type Dayboating
Review Video
It doesn’t feel that long ago when the 8-10m market was saturated with small sporty cruisers offering fun and friendly packages for a family of four. American builders alone offered dozens of models and pretty much ruled the sector, with a few notable European rivals trying to muscle in. Then the financial world got turned inside out and one of the big losers was small sportscruisers.
There are, today, very few proper cruisers under 12m, let alone 10m, and fewer still that deliver that great, get-you-on-the-water mix of value, accommodation and performance while also delivering the kind of style that makes you feel like you’re winning. Enter the Bavaria S29. And for that matter its sister ship, the S30.
Both boats offer the same hull and interior with four-berths and a smart cockpit design that is basically a perfectly executed version of a 12m sports yacht. Our S29 test boat came with an extended swim platform leading to a standard sun pad. The cockpit lounge lies beneath a smart radar arch with downlights and, a rarity, there are actual, real side decks. The S30 only differs with full cockpit seating that pushes to the transom, instead of the sun pad, a layout that also creates a second helm seat to port.
Both boats reflect Bavaria’s ever-evolving self-belief and skill, with bolder branding across the boats, plenty of stainless steel work and a real neatness to the mouldings. The boldness also shows itself across Bavaria’s beefy modern exterior design. The aggressive gunboat looks of the powerful bows and topsides work to create the volume for the interior while delivering all the sports attitude you could want.
What sets this 9m design apart from other similarly-sized sports boats are two cabins that really can be used for days on end.
The layout can be viewed in two ways. If you’re using the boat as a couple, you have a lower salon and private cabin. The separate mid-cabin comes with a neat bench and two opening hatches, so this is a space you can spend time and not just lie down in.
As a four, you have a convertible dinette, easily dropping into a double berth, and that mid-cabin. Both scenarios work and are supported by plenty of stowage and good levels of light and ventilation with hatches, hull glass and skylights.
The interior of the Bavaria S29 and S30 are exactly the same and so competent is the overall design that it’s a lot easier to report on what it does not offer than what it does.
There is a toilet and shower but it is a single compartment, so you’ll need to dry it down after use. That’s it, the sole compromise. Maybe use the deck shower when the weather allows?
The galley features a fiddled countertop (larger boats, take note), deep sink (again, larger boats take note), two-burner hob, refrigerator and plenty of stowage. There is good ventilation above the galley but if you intend any serious stove-top cooking you’re always best to spec the cockpit wet bar with a grill.
Staying with the galley, if you want evidence of how hard Bavaria has worked to eke out every last centimetre of usable space look at the lower deck layout and particularly the angle of the galley. It’s as close to perfection as you can get across 30ft.
The single helm station comes with a snug bucket bolster seat with excellent lateral support and a good standing position for when you’re pushing past 30 knots. The simple console design has the compass and MFD centrally, but the near-horizontal position of the screen might suffer from light reflection regardless of any daylight-viewable properties.
If berthing costs are not an issue, the extended swim platform makes sense, allowing you to maximise the yacht’s LOA and enjoy easy, safe access from the stern where dual walkways lead to the cockpit or up to the port-side deck. Access to both decks is safe with shallow, recessed steps up and the stanchion rails stretching reassuringly aft.
Staying with the practical. While the brochures might lean into the social aspects of the S29 and S30 layouts their different functionality should be your focus. The S29’s sun pad is more than just a place to snooze, concealing a super-useful storage boot, the pad lifting on two decent gas struts. You can stow your lines, fenders, lifejackets and other gear in here, ready to be used in a moment. Similarly, the best thing about the S30’s all-seater design is the extra helm position. If you plan to spend a lot of time at the helm, having some company is important.
The radar arch plays an important role in the S29 and S30’s character. It means you can mount antennae and aerials but also adds some large yacht style, a set of downlights and works as the frame for canopies when the weather gets too much.
For once, possibly uniquely, the question of value and specification is straightforward. The S29 and S30 can come with twin petrol engines or a diesel option. There is also a Comfort package that upgrades the upholstery and adds some smart lighting across the boat. If you want to add these options then great, but the point is you don’t need to.
There is a strong argument to spec the base V8 350hp Mercruiser single sterndrive, add the navigational equipment you need and enjoy keeping the price as close to the base as possible, smiling as you consider it will roughly be half what the competition cost.
Our Verdict
There are other boats out there offering a similar 10m sportscruiser package, there may even be a few that are a little more dashing or innovative, but none can get close to the value package Bavaria has created here. Sporty looks, smart finish and a level of detail and quality are all delivered for a price that makes the S29 untouchable. On design, decks and value this is a solid, market-leading 5/5 boat.
Reasons to Buy
- Compact size with big-boat layout
- Proper side decks, rare at 9m
- Radar arch doubles as canopy frame
- Mid-cabin with near-standing headroom
Things to Consider
- Comfort pack needed for extras
- Helm console prone to screen glare
Looking to own a Bavaria S29 Open? Use YachtBuyer’s Market Watch to compare all new and used Bavaria S29 Open Boats for sale worldwide. You can also order a new Bavaria S29 Open, customized to your exact specifications, with options for engine choice and layout configuration. Alternatively, explore our global listings of new and used boats for sale and find your perfect boat today!
Rivals to Consider
The Cranchi E26 Classic is slightly shorter at 7.85m, but it plays in the same waters as a stylish, performance-led day cruiser. With petrol sterndrives up to 350hp, the E26 can reach around 36-38 knots, giving it a sharper sporting edge than the Bavaria. Its design leans heavily into the retro–luxury runabout feel, with a sweeping profile, open cockpit, and aft sunpad. Unlike the S29, the Cranchi has no mid-cabin so overnight stays are limited to a small cuddy berth in the bow. That makes it more of a day boat with occasional overnighting potential, but the appeal is clear: Italian style, pace, and a strong connection with the water.
Sharing the same hull as the S29, the Bavaria S30 Open stretches cockpit space further by running the seating all the way around the aft section. This configuration gives you a larger sociable area with the option to infill into a sunbed, but it sacrifices the fixed sunpad and the big storage boot that define the S29. Power options are similar: petrol and diesel sterndrives between 250-355hp, producing around 30-35 knots - so performance is closely matched. Below deck, the S30 keeps the same clever layout: convertible forward dinette, enclosed heads, galley and a separate aft cabin. It’s the cockpit choice that sets the two apart: more lounging space with the S30 versus more storage and a dedicated sunpad with the S29.
Considering a new boat? Explore Bavaria's entire current range to find the model that best suits your needs, and compare it with alternatives from competitors to ensure you make the perfect choice.
Specifications
- Builder Bavaria Yachts
- Range S-Line
- Model S29 Open
- Length Overall 30' 5"
- Beam 9' 10"
- Draft 4' 4"
- Hull GRP
- Cabins 1
- Berths 2
- Yacht Type (Primary) Sportsboat
- Use Type (Primary) Dayboating
- Cruising Speed
- Max Speed
- Fuel Capacity 137 Gallons
- Fresh Water Capacity 32 Gallons
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