Beneteau 331/ Oceanis 331

Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
Good evening, I am looking at (I think) a Beneteau 331, which is the boat I want. The nameplate in the cockpit says it is an Oceanis 331 (which I don't want). This boat is made in the USA.

How do I know what one I have??

Thanks,

Mike Casey, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
 
Mar 29, 2011
169
Beneteau 361 Charlotte,Vt
I may be wrong but I believe all Beneteau cruisers are named Oceanis. I have a Ocianis 361 by Beneteau. Their racing boat are named First. So if it says Ocianis 331 it's a Beneteau.
 
May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Is there actually a difference beyond branding? I know the newer 37 is branded as Oceanis in the US but I've seen it listed as just a Beneteau 37 in Europe.
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
?? They are the same boat. Finot (the designer) call it the Oceanis Clipper. For a while Beneteau played around with naming conventions, what where always historically Oceanis models sometimes became Oceanis Clipper, and sometimes just Beneteau.
 
Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
Then your looking at the right boat oceanis series was 281,300,311,321,323,331,343,351,352,361,370,373,381 etc
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Yes, they are one in the same. Produced from '99 to '05. They were built in a standard keel and shoal keel version.
Nice boat, I chartered it approximately 30 days over a period of years. Not quite sure what's the confusion; the "Oceanis" series is built for cruising. The "First" series is built more for racing; however, there was never a First 331 built, to my knowledge.
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
Same basic boat. What you want to determine is the history of the boat. Beneteau built a number of boats for charter fleets with different cabin configurations, etc. Some of them may have had a rough life. Others have been well maintained.
 
Dec 28, 2015
28
Beneteau Oceanis 31 Le Crouesty Brittany
I confirm that Bénéteau has 2 sailing boat lines. The First and the Oceanis.
The First line is more sport or race line. Unfortunately Bénéteau is dropping this line and only carry now the First 20 and 25 (new models for First 210 - 260 or First 21.7 - 25.7)
The Oceanis line is a family cruiser line, more confortable and well equipped for cruising.
The Bénéteau 331 is a Bénéteau Oceanis 331 (often Clipper 331 , which is a finish line).
If you are interested, I can join the owner manual in a next mail.
 
Jan 12, 2016
140
Beneteau 311 Seattle, WA
I have a Beneteau 311, but it does not have any text anywhere on it or in the paperwork that says Oceanis. I thought that most of/all of the Oceanis models were built in Europe, but I could be wrong. It sounds like some of the initial US ones had that naming? Or maybe it was just charter boats?
 
Dec 28, 2015
28
Beneteau Oceanis 31 Le Crouesty Brittany
Bénéteau used to build, up to 10/12 years ago, another line of cruiser boats called Bénéteau Cyclades. They looked like "cheap" Oceanis with less equipment and confort with more cabins. They were primary build for charter fleets.
To go back to the Oceanis 331, the french owner manual is named OM for the Oceanis 331 and the English version says "Bénéteau 331". But it is exactly the same boat.
 
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Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
Was looking at a Beneteau brochure from 2007. Apparently they dropped the "Oceanis" moniker by that time and only produced two design lines. One line that was more of a cruising design was named the "Beneteau Series" including the 323, 343, 373....thru 523. The other line that was more for racing and was named the "First Series" including the 10R, 36.7, 40.7,
and 44.7. Note that the "Beneteau Series" and "First Series" designations actually occurred before 2007. Because the 331 had such a long production run from '99 to '05, there were likely some name changes that occurred along the way, not to mention different names for European built boats vs USA built boats. As Gerard mentioned, there were also different names and number designations for those boats heading to charter fleets.
Not to add to the confusion; however, I just checked Beneteau's 2018 product line. Now Beneteau is using the "Oceanis" name again for cruising oriented boats and still using "First Series" for performance boats!!
Back to Mike's original post, if you are looking at a Beneteau 331, it is a cruising oriented boat regardless of the name!!
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
There has always been Firsts, racer/cruisers. First 260, First 36.7, First 40, etc.
Then there has also been First Class boats, more straight-on racers. First Class 7.5, First Class 10, etc.

Everything else has been mostly a cruiser, and depending on what the marketing department thought at the time, was called an Oceanis, or just a Beneteau. Sometimes on these boats they will add Clipper or Cyclades to the designation, mostly to note boats outfitted for the charter service.

Now to add to the confusion, Beneteau now adds the moniker 'First Line' to current Beneteau cruisers with a full performance Pack, and the only actual Firsts in the lineup at the moment are the 20, the 22, and the 25.
 
Jan 10, 2018
260
Beneteau 331 Halifax
Thanks everyone. We closed on the boat today and I am pretty excited. The side of the boat and the original sales docs all say "Beneteau 331". What got me going was on the plate in the cockpit, that is where it referred to "Oceanis".

I believe the "Clipper" is a different boat, a lighter model.

This has a shoal keel. It seems to me that may be lead as opposed to iron. Anyone have one that could tell me?

Thanks!
 
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ToddS

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Sep 11, 2017
248
Beneteau 373 Cape Cod
I'm the new owner of a Beneteau 373, and I've seen the same confusion... in various places it is referred to as:
  • Beneteau 373
  • Beneteau Oceanis 373
  • Beneteau Oceanis 373 Clipper
  • Beneteau 373 Clipper
I think most of my documentation says Oceanis on it (I don't have the docs in front of me or I'd check), but I don't think that branding appears physically on the boat itself anywhere... I'm pretty much just chalking it up to some indecisive marketing team who went back and forth over how to brand the boat over the years they produced it. I believe some of these 373s were made in France, and some in South Carolina, so perhaps the two locations making the same product weren't in complete synchronization, and maybe they the branding differences follow that pattern...? I don't know.
 
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Nov 23, 2009
437
Beneteau Oceanis 361 Clipper --
[QUOTE="Bluenose, post: 1444602, member: 140374

I believe the "Clipper" is a different boat, a lighter model

Thanks![/QUOTE]

Not a different boat neither a lighter model. It’s the same Beneteau Oceanis with some factory fitted extras added (at least for the French models).
 

DougM

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Jul 24, 2005
2,242
Beneteau 323 Manistee, MI
It just seems that Beneteau only used one label sheet universally and didn’t have individual labels for the name differentiation on the same platform.

Here is another question:
Did Beneteau use the same hull mold for the 331, the 323, and anything else?
the differentiation being a different deck mold/cabin layout. Just curious.
 

Wojtus

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Aug 2, 2020
7
Beneteau 331 Chicago
I am thinking about upgrading the fixed prop on my 2001 westerbeke 331 to a Max-Prop feathering prop. Has anyone done it and can anyone give me opinion and specs that work well with this boat? What feathering prop have you opted for?
 
Jan 7, 2011
4,727
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
I dont have a Bene, but I have just gone through the process of sizing a MaxProp. If you submit your boat info on their website, they will give you the recommended size and pitch.

One of the best reasons to go with MaxProp is the fact that the pitch can be adjusted. Get the size right and pitch close, and you can tweak the pitch some to dial it in.

Greg
 
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Mar 20, 2016
594
Beneteau 351 WYC Whitby
I am thinking about upgrading the fixed prop on my 2001 westerbeke 331 to a Max-Prop feathering prop. Has anyone done it and can anyone give me opinion and specs that work well with this boat? What feathering prop have you opted for?
Depends how much you want to spend ,the best bang for the buck and fully adjustable 1/2 the weight , no bearings or gears to wear out,and each blade is independant to move in water is a Kiwi prop, everyone who has bought them loves them, my boat came with one . I upgraded the blades to newer style that they come with now 300 bucks
 
Jun 21, 2004
2,532
Beneteau 343 Slidell, LA
I am thinking about upgrading the fixed prop on my 2001 westerbeke 331 to a Max-Prop feathering prop. What feathering prop have you opted for?
The PO of my boat installed a Volvo 3 blade folding prop. I am very satisfied with it’s performance.
 
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