I am considering purchasing a Beneteau 323. My last boat was really on the tender side. This made it uncomfortable when I had non-sailing guests aboard so I am looking to stay away from boats that are more tender. I don't want a boat that doesn't move either. I have been reading reviews on the 323. Practical Sailor felt the boat was tender. Yachting World? thought the ratios on the boat would suggest that it was stiff. So...for those of you folks who have actually sailed one, what is it? I would really appreciate your input.
323 tender or stiff
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tenderness and retractable keel
I have ordered a 323, and would be really interested in any replies, as I won't get to sail mine until Spring. I have compounded the confusion by ordering the retractable keel, very useful for the shoals before my dock, but likely to make it even more tender, at least when retracted. Any comments on the retractable keel on any boat would be appreciated.
I have ordered a 323, and would be really interested in any replies, as I won't get to sail mine until Spring. I have compounded the confusion by ordering the retractable keel, very useful for the shoals before my dock, but likely to make it even more tender, at least when retracted. Any comments on the retractable keel on any boat would be appreciated.
Son-
I have a 2005 323 with the shoal draft keel and I would consider it maybe a little on the tender side, but not bad. I have been in 20+ knot winds, while racing with my wife, with full sails. Usually when cruising we use the first reef around 15 knots when it is gusty, which is most always since we sail on a mountain lake mostly, and the second reef around 20-30 knots. If we have guests, who are a little skittish, we just reef until they are comfortable. The dual reef lines back to the cockpit are great. We can throw a reef in under a minute on the main and the roller furling jib is just as fast. I think if I were to order a 323 again I would get the swing keel. The reasons being we occasionally race and the boat will probably point better, this is just an assumption since a straight keel usually points better than a wing or bulb. It points pretty well now, but a little bit better is always a good thing. For a cruiser the shoal keel is probably the better choice. The other reason for choosing the swing keel is it would be easier to trailer, around 2 foot shorter, and launch. Hope this helps a little. Sail On... Terry
I have a 2005 323 with the shoal draft keel and I would consider it maybe a little on the tender side, but not bad. I have been in 20+ knot winds, while racing with my wife, with full sails. Usually when cruising we use the first reef around 15 knots when it is gusty, which is most always since we sail on a mountain lake mostly, and the second reef around 20-30 knots. If we have guests, who are a little skittish, we just reef until they are comfortable. The dual reef lines back to the cockpit are great. We can throw a reef in under a minute on the main and the roller furling jib is just as fast. I think if I were to order a 323 again I would get the swing keel. The reasons being we occasionally race and the boat will probably point better, this is just an assumption since a straight keel usually points better than a wing or bulb. It points pretty well now, but a little bit better is always a good thing. For a cruiser the shoal keel is probably the better choice. The other reason for choosing the swing keel is it would be easier to trailer, around 2 foot shorter, and launch. Hope this helps a little. Sail On... Terry
Not that tender
I have sailed my B323 for one season in Lake Michigan. It may be a little on the tender side but certainly not bad. I agree with the fat that it is easily controlable by lust letting out the traveller a bit, and then reefing as the wind picks up. ( I used to sail scows, tender to me is sailing on of those in a blast)
I have sailed my B323 for one season in Lake Michigan. It may be a little on the tender side but certainly not bad. I agree with the fat that it is easily controlable by lust letting out the traveller a bit, and then reefing as the wind picks up. ( I used to sail scows, tender to me is sailing on of those in a blast)
Racing question
If you race your B323, do you have additional sails?... What are you using for a Jib? Just curious.
If you race your B323, do you have additional sails?... What are you using for a Jib? Just curious.
racing 323
I am just a recreational racer, not too serious with my 323. The main reason I have raced it was to better learn the boat. I use the standard sails with the genneker option. The genneker is a blast if you like flying a spinnaker. With a rating of 180 I can stay around the middle of the pack in a open class. The head sail is the biggest problem since the shrouds are on the edge of the hull and this won't allow a larger headsail to be close hauled for pointing. Off the wind the boat can haul. Sailing downwind at around 8 knots with the standard sails and not surfing is pretty good since the hull speed is around 7.2 knots. We cruised on the boat for 3 weeks in the San Juan Island, and it was great. If I wanted to race only with a Ben without the cruising comforts I'd have a 36.7 or the new 10R. I have a lightning class and a thunderbird sailboat both which are more tender. But you can put your rails in the water with the 323 if you wish also. If you've had diesel fuel spill out of the starboard vent pipe you know what I mean. That's my kind of sailing
Sail On... Terry
I am just a recreational racer, not too serious with my 323. The main reason I have raced it was to better learn the boat. I use the standard sails with the genneker option. The genneker is a blast if you like flying a spinnaker. With a rating of 180 I can stay around the middle of the pack in a open class. The head sail is the biggest problem since the shrouds are on the edge of the hull and this won't allow a larger headsail to be close hauled for pointing. Off the wind the boat can haul. Sailing downwind at around 8 knots with the standard sails and not surfing is pretty good since the hull speed is around 7.2 knots. We cruised on the boat for 3 weeks in the San Juan Island, and it was great. If I wanted to race only with a Ben without the cruising comforts I'd have a 36.7 or the new 10R. I have a lightning class and a thunderbird sailboat both which are more tender. But you can put your rails in the water with the 323 if you wish also. If you've had diesel fuel spill out of the starboard vent pipe you know what I mean. That's my kind of sailing
Sail On... Terry323
Ted I don't think you will want to sail with the keel up. This works for centerboard dinghys downwind, but you have a little to much boat for that. Next spring when you get the boat on the water post to the forum how it sails. I'd like to know if the dual rudders helps with weather helm and how the swing keel works. Sail on... Terry
Ted I don't think you will want to sail with the keel up. This works for centerboard dinghys downwind, but you have a little to much boat for that. Next spring when you get the boat on the water post to the forum how it sails. I'd like to know if the dual rudders helps with weather helm and how the swing keel works. Sail on... Terry
lifting keel and weather helm
I agree, except for passing the sandbar to get to my dock I expect to sail keel down almost all the time. One question that occurred to me is that is is certainly possible to put the keel down part way. Since the keel is hinged at the forward end, if it is down part way I would think the center of lateral resistance would be further aft, thereby producing weather helm. Actually, the swing keel could be used as an adjustment to make the helm more lee or more weather. Don't have any experience so I will have lots of experimenting to do. There is someone at a nearby marina with a slightly older Bene of fairly similar size (I forget if 311 or 331) who has the lifting keel and dual rudders and likes it.
I agree, except for passing the sandbar to get to my dock I expect to sail keel down almost all the time. One question that occurred to me is that is is certainly possible to put the keel down part way. Since the keel is hinged at the forward end, if it is down part way I would think the center of lateral resistance would be further aft, thereby producing weather helm. Actually, the swing keel could be used as an adjustment to make the helm more lee or more weather. Don't have any experience so I will have lots of experimenting to do. There is someone at a nearby marina with a slightly older Bene of fairly similar size (I forget if 311 or 331) who has the lifting keel and dual rudders and likes it.
Swing Keel
Before buying the 323 we had thought about a 311 with the swing keel and tested one on a small lake in Colorado. At this time it seems the dealer thought Ben recommended the keel either be all the way up or down. It seems any position in between wasn't locked and there wasn't any indicator of where it was in the travel. An interesting benefit of the dual rudders is if you happend to be close ashore on a sandy beach with the keel up and the tide went out, the boat would rest on the keel and the rudders would keep it upright. Sail on... Terry
Before buying the 323 we had thought about a 311 with the swing keel and tested one on a small lake in Colorado. At this time it seems the dealer thought Ben recommended the keel either be all the way up or down. It seems any position in between wasn't locked and there wasn't any indicator of where it was in the travel. An interesting benefit of the dual rudders is if you happend to be close ashore on a sandy beach with the keel up and the tide went out, the boat would rest on the keel and the rudders would keep it upright. Sail on... Terry
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