Bene 311

[Mookie]

Good day,

My wife and I are first time boat owners. We are closing in on 60 and decided to literally get our feet wet and sail the Hudson. It's time to slow down and enjoy our local scenery.

Having said that, I know that water's wet and that's about it. We will take 10 hours of lessons this year and likely start next season the same way.

Contingent on the results of a survey, we are closing on a 2003 Beneteau 311 that is in excellent condition.

Do any of you big Bene owners have some advice for us baby Bene neophytes?

Regards,

Alex & Suzanne

 

[tweitz]

We are about your age, long time sailors and owners of a Beneteau 323. We have been very happy with our boat (the first one we bought new) and seriously considered a used 311 before we took the plunge. I think the 311 is a great choice and you will be quite comfortable with it. I hope you had a good survey done to point out any potential problems. You should also spend considerable time learning about the boat systems, so that you can avoid equipment problems and know how to fix them if they do arise. Sailing on the Hudson and as newbies, you want to pay particular attention to the engine, throughhulls and steering, and understand how to handle and reef the sails. My impression is that many of the Beneteaus, including the 311 can be a bit tender, and will sail better and faster if reefed early in a strong breeze, so you should be sure you know how to reef. Especially if you have the lines mostly led to the cockpit, the boat is easily handled by two, and in fact I single hand a fair amount as well. The two hardest parts of single handing are lowering the mainsail and docking. If you have an autopilot, lowering the main is not hard at all; docking can be tricky. I would recommend lots of reading, and there are some very helpful videos, including the Captain Jack series available at http://www.latsandatts.tv/how-to.php . Will you be up in Haverstraw? We live fairly close to the Hudson, in Bergen County, though we sail out on the East End of Long Island. Good luck and happy sailing.

 

[macmook]

Haverstraw

I was just at the Marina there. George Samalot was walking me around.
My wife taught elementary school in Rockland for 32 years. At Neary, Haverstraw and most recently Stony Point.

It's a small world!

 

[hfxns]

311

Good day,

My wife and I are first time boat owners. We are closing in on 60 and decided to literally get our feet wet and sail the Hudson. It's time to slow down and enjoy our local scenery.

Having said that, I know that water's wet and that's about it. We will take 10 hours of lessons this year and likely start next season the same way.

Contingent on the results of a survey, we are closing on a 2003 Beneteau 311 that is in excellent condition.

Do any of you big Bene owners have some advice for us baby Bene neophytes?

Regards,

Alex & Suzanne

I have heard good things about the 311. Its very similar to our 323, and is known for its performance. Its very similar to the First 31.7. We are very happy with our 323, and have not had any problems. I would suggest that you add a 2nd cabintop winch if it is not included, as it really improves sail handling ease.