Sailing Yacht – Lily Belle

‘Lily Belle’ is fitted with a Garmin 12′ GPS/chart plotter together with a depth sounder to help you navigate around the local waters, an Icom VHF DSC radio and full up to date safety equipment. Her stern drops down to extend the cockpit and a swim platform that you can mount a boarding ladder making swimming or snorkelling from the boat very easy.

A long-term resident of Falmouth, ‘Lily Belle’ can almost find her own way up to the famous ‘Pandora Inn’ at Restronguet where you can enjoy a waterside lunch, if the tides are right. She’s also perfect for venturing around onto the picturesque Helford River for the day or perhaps an overnight anchorage in one of the coves.

The more experienced charterer may take her out of Falmouth waters to voyage further along the Cornish and Devonshire coastline. Should conditions permit, then ‘Lily Belle’ is very familiar with the trip across to the gorgeous Isles of Scilly too, where you can spend a few days exploring this enchanting archipelago.

We keep ‘Lily Belle’ on a marina berth in Falmouth Marina where there is secure onsite secure parking and a delicious restaurant, the ‘Upper Deck‘. Perfect for easy access and a well-earned ‘last night of the holiday’ treat.

• Vessel's nameSailing Yacht – Lily Belle
• BuilderBavaria
• TypeCruiser 34
• Guests6
• LOA9.98m
• Beam3.42m
• Keel typeStandard bulb keel
• Draft2m
• Displacement6.3 tonnes
• RigBermudan masthead sloop
• Cabins/Berths3 Double Cabins, 2 saloon berth
• EngineVolvo / DM130 /29 hp
• Cruising speed (engine)5 kt / 6 kt
• Fuel capacity150L
• Water capacity150L in one tank
• Facilities onboard
  • Fridge
  • 2 burner & oven Gas Cooker
  • Twin Wheel Steering
  • 2.3 Hp Outboard (Optional)
  • 2.9m Tender
  • Sounder, Wind, Speed
  • GPS 12’ Chart plotter
  • FM Radio and CD
  • Running Hot & Cold water
  • 240v Emerson heater
  • Eberspacher Diesel Heater
  • New Sails in 2022
  • Electric Windlass
  • Auto pilot
  • AIS
• Permitted area of operationMCA Categories 2 – up to 60 miles from a safe haven

Bavaria Cruiser 34 review from Yachting Monthly – Chris Beeson

What’s she like to sail?

She was responsive and enjoyable on the helm, though I felt there was slightly too much weight on the twin wheels, but the view forward is excellent. The helm positions lack foot braces so, when going upwind, sitting is the only realistic option, but then the position of the backstay gets in your way. You can sit on top of the fold-down transom but it’s not broad and the pushpit rails push into your back so it’s not comfortable.

Off the wind, as she flattens out, it’s more comfortable to stand and steer. In the 10-20 knots of breeze we had, she really picked up the pace while still remaining in control and firm on the helm. I’m not wholly in favour the mainsheet being out of reach of the helm on what is essentially a family boat. But this is the trade-off with keeping the mainsheet out of reach of small or inexperienced hands.

What’s she like in port and at anchor?

Her 2.02m (6ft 8in) draught is quite deep for a 10m (32ft) boat. It adds performance but restricts where you can anchor, when you can get over sills of drying harbours etc. Also, with 34 written on the side, you’ll be constantly explaining to harbourmasters why you should pay for a 32-footer – I’d just disclose the metric length instead. Her 28hp engine had plenty of power to manoeuvre her into and out of situations.

Deck stowage around the cockpit is limited to just two sole-depth lockers in the aft cockpit seating; fine if you are cruising from marina to marina but not if you want to carry a dinghy and cruise for longer.

Below, the lack of a chart table adds space to the large saloon, and there is room enough to seat six or more around its table. Whether you need three double cabins is a choice only you can make, the port cabin does come at the expense of deck stowage and a vast heads compartment. The galley is adequate, although stowage and workspace are limited, and if you are intending to cruise with six people on board you may find the 150-litre water tank capacity a little restricting.

Would she suit you and your crew?

As an entry-level new boat, she’s great. She sails well, she’s easy to handle and offers a great combination of style, quality and value. If you do a lot of solo sailing you may find the main sheet located on the coachroof bit of a chore; it’s far easier to have it to hand when a gust hits. Obviously, choosing three cabins suggests you’ll be sailing with more crew, in which case this isn’t an issue.

In the car world, a model’s longevity is improved by adding a few new bits of restyled bodywork and more interior options. Bluntly, this is what Bavaria has done with the Cruiser 34. And that’s fine, as long as you buy the 34 with the full knowledge that it’s the Cruiser 33 with twin wheels and twin aft cabins. The curious thing is that the Cruiser 34 will soon be available in the two-cabin version, and the single-wheeled Cruiser 33 will have a vacuum-infused hull and continue to be sold. So the choice simply comes down to whether you want a twin- or single-wheeled 32ft yacht – and the mainsheet position required by that – and whether or not you need twin aft cabins.