NASailor had a chance to explore the Beneteau Oceanis, and we liked what we saw in our visit. So it is with interest that we saw Practical Sailor’s latest boat review. Somewhat hard on the marketers of Beneteau, Practical Sailor critiqued their marketing photography – “long-stem wine glasses that would scatter like pins in a bowling alley when the first gust hit” but they also communicated a grudging sense of respect for the way Beneteau has embraced the modern, wide-hull design aesthetic.
In our opinion, the most notable design criteria is the wide, flat run of the hull which carries all the way after, similar to the Beneteau Sense line. In fact, one of the most common questions during the show was “what differentiates the two lines.” Ultimately, the cockpit and interior configuration is a bit more traditional in the Oceanis, while the Sense line truly was built to generate a catamaran experience in a monohull’s hull.
Practical Sailor commented on the hull as well:
The Oceanis 41 features a new hull shape and a new cruising perspective—a design that focuses on style, comfort, and ease of operation. It’s clearly an effort to make mid-size cruising boats more user-friendly…
They also discussed the inevitable broach which comes from an overpowered, wide and flat hull design such as this one. They note:
You deserve the big surprise that comes with a spin out. Even then, the Oceanis is well behaved as it politely rotates into the wind without a neck snapping auto tack.
Another things we noted in our visit at the Annapolis boat show include the pushbutton operation of the swim platform / transom. While it is now a common practice (see our upcoming Tartan 4000 review), it is much appreciated by the swimmers among us – or just those who prefer not to have to climb a long ladder while provisioning. The Hunter-esque roll-cage style arch – not our favorite feature – at least makes sense for this boat’s targeted, cruising, audience.
In the end, Beneteau has another comfortable cruiser packed with a lot of value for their target audience.
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