Achilles 9 Metre was built in Swansea from 1978 as the big sister to the Achilles 24.  Not many were built, but they are excellent sailing yachts if you are on a budget.  Offered as a fin keel or a triple keel (fin with two bilge plates).

The Albin Ballad was designed in 1970 by Peter Norlin and built by Albin Yachts of Sweden.  This 30-foot half-tonner was a sucessful club cruiser/racer and they have very nicely fitted-out interiors.

The Albin Express was designed in 1978 by Peter Norlin, one of Sweden's most famous yacht designers. Most of the Express boats were built by Albin Marin during the years 1979 to 1982. More than 1100 boats have been sold. Most of these are today sailing in Swedish waters, but there are also many boats in Norway, Finland, Denmark and Germany. Especially, the Norwegian class association has been growing recently.  The Express class was a response to the more internationally known J/24, which has many common features. The Express is somewhat longer and slimmer, and has a heavier keel, which results in a somewhat better stability.

The Anderson 22 is another tough yacht designed by Oliver Lee, like the Achilles 24.  A good all-round yacht that could be trailed.  Lifting keel was introduced in 1974.  They also made an Anderson 26.

I inspected this home-completed Anderson 22 in the owner's garden.  He had taken twenty-three years to build it.

The Anderson 26 was designed by Oliver Lee as a big sister to the Anderson 22.  They perform well and are strongly made with good accommodation and a lifting keel.  Like the Anderson 22, they could be bought in kit form for home completion, so internal fit-out standards vary.  The Anderson 26 was introduced in 1980.

The Atlanta 25 is a recycled Hurley 24/70 design that was built by Atlanta Marine of Southampton after the demise of Hurley Marine in 1974.  I have noticed marks amidship on the hull of the Atlanta 25s that I have surveyed where the mould has been cut and extended by 10''.  They sail well and are good-looking inexpensive yachts, but interior standards vary, as they were offered in kit form for home completion.

The Atlanta 850 is a development of the Macwester 27 that was built by Atlanta Marine of Southhampton who bought the moulds when Macwester went out of business in the late 1970s.  Mouldings were often bought in from Colvic Craft and sometimes they were offered for home completion.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 9.76m 32’0”

Length W.L. 8.32m 27’3”

Beam 3.38m 11’0”

Draft 1.87m 6’2”

Displacement 4,700 kg 10,380 lbs

Sail area 51 sq m 547 sq ft

Year of construction hull moulded in November 2005

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau GMBH, Germany

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta D1-20F 18-hp marine diesel

Fuel capacity 90 litres 20 gallons

Accommodation four berths in three cabins

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 35’5” 10.8m

Length W.L. 30’10” 9.5m

Beam 11’6” 3.5m

Draft 5’9” 1.85m

Displacement 10,125lb 4,500kg

Year of construction 2008

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau, Germany

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta D1-20 18-hp three-cylinder marine diesel

Fuel Capacity 150 litres

Accommodation six berths in two cabins plus a saloon

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

According to my records, the Bavaria 34 was introduced in 1994?

They built a 'S' for 'Speed' version between 1994 and 1997.  The 'S' had 

tiller steering and one aft cabin.  Perhaps the 34 came out a year earlier 

but was not introduced into UK until 1994.

The Bavaria 34 replaced the 350 that was introduced into UK in 1991.  The 

350 was a previous breed of Bavaria and was heavier at 11,000lbs. The 34 was 

9.932lbs.

The Bavaria 34 is actually 35'5"

The 350 was 35'3"

The Bavaria 34 was well built and good value for money, but you had to add a 

lot of extras, as they were basic in standard form, just like German cars.

They have the same layout and style with saildrive as later models and set 

the trend for later Bavarias.

The cockpit is spacious and comfortable and the side decks are wide and easy 

to get around.

The interior is spacious but like many Bavarias, the woodwork is dark 

mahogany.  Big heads compartment and good layout below.

The big advantage of a Bavaria is that they handle very well at low speed 

and are incredibly easy to park on a marina; going astern better than any 

other yacht.

The yacht would do you well for south coast passage making, cross-channel 

trips and races.  However, I would draw the line at the Fastnet!  They are 

rather light and I'm not sure that I would want to be caught in rough 

weather.

Having said that, Plymouth Sailing School run a fleet of them and I have 

seen them out sailing in January in a Force Eight!  So they must think that 

they are ok.

I surveyed a Bavaria 34 in Weymouth earlier this year and took it from 

Weymouth to Portland to be lifted out.  The weather was rough and windy and 

I have to say that I felt uneasy!  The boat almost became uncontrollable, 

even after being reefed right down.

Great value boats, rugged, good looking and spacious.  Fine in good weather 

but not a heavy-weather yacht, in my opinion.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 10.4 m 33’9”

Length W.L. 8.32 m 27’3”

Beam 3.38 m 11’0”

Draft 1.87 m 6’2”

Displacement 4,700 kg 10,380 lbs

Sail area 51 sq m 547 sq ft

Year of construction 2002

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau GMBH, Germany

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta MD2020-D 18-hp marine diesel

Accommodation six berths in three cabins

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 10.45m 34’3”

Length W.L. 9.0m 29’6”

Beam 3.35m 11’5”

Draft 1.80m 4’11”

Displacement 5,400kg 11,880lb

Year of construction 1996

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau GMBH

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta MD2020B  18-hp marine diesel

Accommodation six berths in three cabins

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 37’5” 11.48m

Length W.L. 30’10” 9.40m

Beam 12’0” 3.59m

Draft 6’3” 1.91m

Displacement 12,125lb 5,500kg

Year of construction 2002

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau, Germany

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta MD2020 18-hp triple-cylinder marine diesel

Fuel capacity 150 litres

Accommodation six berths in three cabins plus a saloon

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 11.5 m 37’10”

Length W.L. 10.1 m 33’8”

Beam 3.9 m 12’4”

Draft 1.8 m 5’9”

Displacement 8,360 kg 15,817 lbs

Ballast 1,780 kg 3,924 lbs

Fuel capacity 150 litres 33 gallons

Year of construction 2006

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau GMBH, Germany

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta D1-30 three-cylinder marine diesel

Accommodation eight berths in three cabins plus a saloon

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer's handbook.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 12.34m 39’10”

Length W.L. 10.26m 33’8”

Beam 3.86m 12’8”

Draft 1.7m 5’9”

Displacement 8,533kg 9 tons

Ballast 2,100kg 2 tons

Year of construction 2003

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau GMBH

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta MD2030-D three-cylinder marine diesel

Fuel capacity 150 litres 33 gallons

Accommodation seven berths in three cabins plus a saloon

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer's handbook.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 46’2” 14.4m

Length W.L. 39’9” 12.2m

Beam 14’1” 4.25m

Draft 6’7” 2.05m

Sail Area 331 sq ft 91.5 sq m

Displacement 22,388 lbs 10,580 kg

Year of construction hull was moulded in March 2008

Builder Chantiers Beneteau, La Rochelle, France

Designed by Berret and Racoupeau

Engine Yanmar 4JH4-TE four-cylinder 55.2-kw marine diesel

Accommodation nine berths in three cabins plus a spacious saloon

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 32’6’ 9.9m

Length W.L. 25’0” 7.62m

Beam 10’4” 3.15m

Draft 4’9” 1.45m

Displacement 13,500 lbs 6,844kg

Ballast 2.45 tons 2,535 kg

Sail area 480 sq ft 44 sqm

Year of construction circa 1972

Builder F.C. Mitchell & Sons Ltd, Parkstone, Poole

Hull moulded by Robert Ives Ltd, Lymington, Hampshire

Designed by Walter F. Rayner

Engine Mercedes Benz OM636 42-hp marine diesel

Accommodation six berths in two cabins plus a saloon

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.

The Barbary was the last addition to the range of beautiful 'Power' ketches designed by Walter Rayner.  It was a GRP development of the timber Cape Class which were a smaller version of the better known Atlantic Power Ketch.  The yacht would originally have been fitted with a Mercedes OM636 42-hp diesel engine.

The Barbary Class was also offered as a sloop and also built with a fully enclosed wheelhouse/deck saloon, which was known as the Falkland 33.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A.   29’6” 9.11m

Length W.L. 22’10” 6.81m

Beam 9’6” 2.89m

Draft 4’6” 1.37m

Sail Area 390 sq ft          36 sq m

Displacement 10,176lb          4,572kg

Ballast                          5,040 lbs    2,286 kg

Water                           35 gallons    204 ltr

Designed by                  John Sharpe

Builder                          Barbican Yacht Company, Plymouth

The Barbican 30 was a development of the Halmatic 30 and was designed by John Sharpe.  Halmatic used to layup the Nicholson 32 MkX and MkXI for Camper Nicholson and used the same hull mould to build the Halmatic 30.  (The Nicholson 32 MkX is a very different looking boat to Mk I to Mk IX)

The Nicholson 32 Mk X was developed into the Nicholson 31 and was similar to the Barbican and Halmatic 30.

The transom of the Barbican 30 was sheer like a Folkboat or Twister.  The transom of the Nicholson was slightly counter giving the extra hull and waterline length.

The Barbican 35 was introduced in 1988 but before that was built by Upham’s Boatyard of Brixham and then called the Super Sovereign.  These are exceptionally good-looking yachts that are considered to be well-mannered and comfortable passage-makers.

Principal approximate dimensions* and parameters:

Length O.A. 9.76m 32’0”

Length W.L. 8.32m 27’3”

Beam 3.38m 11’0”

Draft 1.43m 4’9”

Displacement 4,700kg 10,380lbs

Sail area 51 sq m 547 sq ft

Year of construction 2007

Builder Bavaria Yachtbau GmbH, Germany

Designed by J & J Design

Engine Volvo Penta D1-20 18-hp marine diesel

Accommodation four berths in three cabins

*All the dimensions listed are approximate and taken from the manufacturer’s brochure.