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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

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Beneteau's

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bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/05/2005 : 16:05:47

Would like to know pro's/con's of anyone's familiarity with Beneteau's. Hardly ever see them even mentioned on this forum. I was researching 31-36 foot, all makes. I also have a standup problem on my C250 being 6 ft tall, which is not the sole reason for "looking around" "THANX" for any info provided.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2005 : 18:02:29

I helmed a First 40 a few years ago. Very fast upwind boat. We rounded the mark 2 miles behind the leader (radar track)and finished second on a twelve mile leg. Very nicely appointed and roomy interior. Very stable - the friends who own the boat are in there mid 60's and cruise Lake Superior all summer.I looked at a 23 and 26 footers before I bought my C25. They are not cheap but you are paying for very good quality and a well designed boat.

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2005 : 18:22:58

The early Bennie Firsts have been problematic - I only know this from word of mouth.

Everything in the past 15-18 years has been stellar, I know someone who bought one out of the box, cellophane and all and he has been beyond pleased. I haven't heard a bad thing about these.

dw

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Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3324 Posts

Response Posted - 10/05/2005 : 19:02:07

We have at least 3 on the lake - a 310 First, a 321 and a 331. The owners are all delighted with them - but don't get the in-mast furling! I haven't raced on any of them as they are all in our Cruiser Fleet.
Derek

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2005 : 10:08:45

I had another friend who had a 34 foot Beneteau with in-mast furling. It had a Lake Michigan PHRF in the low 190's but sailed like a bathtub. He was always last to cross the finish line. Apparently the battenless main was the problem. I believe Doyle Sails now makes a main with full vertical battens. Although I haven't heard how it performs, I guess something is better than nothing.

Anyway, my friend was so frustrated he sold the Beneteau and bought a J105. He's now the scourge of our racing fleet. What a super boat.I'd love to put one of those retracting bowspits on my C25.

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Auburn80
1st Mate

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60 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2005 : 10:40:09

What about the Oceanis series? I see some 28's on Yachtworld from the mid 1990's that appear to be reasonably priced.

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existentialsailor
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1180 Posts

Response Posted - 10/06/2005 : 11:00:45

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">I'd love to put one of those retracting bowspits on my C25.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

As would I love to put one on my Capri. Love that set up after watching the J80 East Coast Championships last month.

http://www.lwsa.org/j-jamboree/index.php

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 10/08/2005 : 13:05:31

Yes, the sprit does wonders getting the symetrical/asymetrical cruising chute out from the shadow of the main and flying more easily.

An alternative is to use a spinnaker pole to secure the sails tack and extend it out beyond the bow. An added advantage is that it enables you to adjust the sail in front of the boat so you can sail more directly down wind rather than off wind. It works for cruising but I don't know if it's a legal rig for racing since we are limited in the length of pole we can use. To rig it you will probably have to have a longer tack line.

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Pokey uh da LBC
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2005 : 10:03:55

Sail Deep.
Put fewer miles on the old chassis.

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bear
Admiral

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USA
909 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2005 : 15:58:36

Since I have never seen a boat with an in-mast furler, how does this setup work with no battens? Or are there verticle battens ? Just curious about how sail shape is maintained if there are no battens.
"THANX"

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2005 : 16:58:52

bear,<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">... a boat with an in-mast furler, how does this setup work with no battens? Or are there verticle battens? Just curious about how sail shape is maintained ...<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">In-mast furling sails can be built either way. The point of having battens is to support the roach. If the sail is cut with a sufficiently hollow (concave) leach (as with most headsails), no battens are needed. Or, vertical battens can be used to support a roach that must furl around the luff (as with vertical roller furling mainsails).

-- Leon Sisson

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At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 10/14/2005 : 20:07:37

Long time friend and sailor gave me some sage advice a while back...he said never own a boat that has a name that ends in "eau."

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 10/15/2005 : 13:07:54

Some members of our sailing club have chartered Beneteaus out of Moorings in Tortola BVI. They report the boats were nicely appointed and equipped, but upwind performance was poor - they could not point closer than about 55 to 60 degrees off the true wind. However, this may not have been the fault of the boat's hull design but rather the sails, which might not have been in good condition (blown out), or may have been deliberately "detuned" by the sailmaker for charter service to prevent too-agressive sailing of the boat by inexperienced clients. Some of our members also said that they thought the boat's interior cabin layout was not as space-efficient as it could have been, saying that they felt the 36' Beneteau had only about as much room to move around in as a Catalina 320. Beneteaus are pretty rare in Northern California, so I have not had a chance to tour one in person.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 10/16/2005 : 01:16:55

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">However, this may not have been the fault of the boat's hull design but rather the sails, which might not have been in good condition (blown out)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Bingo.

I think the Beneteau/Catalina discussion is a Chevy/Ford argument. They basically deliver the same value, and have their own loyal following. They each have their pro's and con's.

I am a Catalina guy, but have chartered several Beneteau's. Yes the in mast furling costs measurable performance. The "First" racing series sail very, very well, but usually come with keels that will run you aground a mile outside the breakwall....

The only difference that I find notable is that the Beneteau's have a structural "pan" or hull liner, that severely limits access to the inside of the hull. Conversely, unlike in the Catalina's, post manufacture instalation of systems, ie snaking wires, tubes or hoses is not easy, and requires a lot more drilling.

In all of the Catalina's I've owned (30, 250, 42) I could snake a wire from stem to stern in minutes.

Captain Oscar, USCG/OUPV ATP/737-757-767
C42 # 76 "Lady Kay" (Ex. C-30 #681, Ex. C250 WB #618 )
Georgetown MD/Fort Lauderdale FL

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