Dear Folks, my search for a boat continues. I am currently considering a "430" - built 1989. Has several upgrades including electronic and charging system. My wife and I will be living on the boat. Some coastal cruising. I would very much appreciate comments on this boat - - pros and cons. Many thanks, bill brown
Beneteau Oceanis 430
- Thread starter bill brown
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Our 40 is like a palace for two; 43 would be even more so, but be aware that costs rise with the cube of the waterline length. Don't think that you're going to get away cheap.
We recently bought a 430 – love her to bits. I hope the following is useful:
They are roomy (for a monohull) and light. If it’s not the 3 cabin owner’s version you’ll want to convert the two front cabins into one big one – I’m getting ready to do this with mine and will be posting a note for any tips in another thread.
1. Keel Bolts: Check these. If they have not been replaced since building they will certainly need replacing by now. Even if no saltwater gets in via the keel/hull join, Beneteau’s let a lot of rainwater in through the mast that flows over the bolts en route to the bilge and rusts them away.
When we first looked at ours, the hull/keel join was sound, the bolt heads were covered in flowcote and we thought they would be fine. The surveyor however peeled back the flowcote and they were cheese. Some were so bad they just crumbled in place and had to be ground off then drilled out after the boat was hauled and the keel dropped. While it’s very true no Beneteau has ever lost a keel from rusted bolts, you don’t want to be the first. 6.5 tons of cast iron keel is not easy to retrieve from the sea bed.
When you replace them make sure they use galvanised steel and not stainless as there is no oxygen down there to prevent the stainless from corroding.
2. Chain plate support bolts: these rust away badly as well. You’ll find them at the end of the chain plate supports, located under the sinks in each head, fastening to the side stringers. As access is very limited you’ll need a digital camera to take pictures of the nuts on the hull side of the stringers.
Removing them involves dismantling the sink enclosure and using some heavy duty hardware. Some of ours had to be ground out. Stainless replacements are fine here.
3. Check the foredeck for delamination. It’s not only a prime site for dropping heavy things like anchors, but the babystay bolts allow water to leak in under the glass and pop it off the wood core, and the storage locker hatch bends the glass off the core near the hinge. If there is a life raft here, remove it and check – you don’t want the raft disappearing over the side with half the foredeck glass in a heavy sea.
4. Check the metal eye for the bitter end of the anchor chain has not rusted away to nothing.
5. Check the Genoa for signs of wear from the spreaders and babystay.
6. Fill the water tanks one at a time, pressurize and check the plumbing for leaks. There are 4 tanks on the 430; two under the forward cabin bunks, one under the starboard saloon seat, and one under the port gear cupboard aft of the stove. Open the inspection hatches and have a good look inside, the fibreglass develops many little stress fractures that are great for growing this creepy green stuff. If they are looking hairy give them a good dose of bleach and flush well.
7. Check your electrical joins, especially in the bilge. By this age corrosion will have really taken its toll if they have not been regularly maintained.
8. Check the coachroof skylight for leaks with a hose. Remove the soft cover from the skylight to do this, and while you're at it check for cracks. Beneteau no longer stock replacement glass for these so if you need a new one you’ll have to find someone who can fabricate it.
9. If there is a holding tank installed it will be an after market one, probably located in the underbunk stowage in the forward cabins as there is little space elsewhere. If this is the owners version you will be sleeping here and you don’t want a poorly installed holding tank infusing the night air with its dank peppery musk, especially if you are living aboard
. You may need corrective work or a replacement done. On the subject, the heads are small and need careful use and super regular cleaning to remain smelling sweet.
430's were built without vented loops in the heads, so you'll want to put these in to avoid flooding.
10. The rudder is big on 430’s. Check the bushes for lateral movement and replace them if there is any more than a small wiggle.
A word of warning on the rudder and wheel – the throttle is positioned forward starboard of the wheel. The easiest way to grab it is straight through the wheel spokes. Do not do this. When you throw her into reverse, the water catches that big fat rudder very quickly and spins the wheel around – hard enough to fracture your wrist (just ask my wife!). So, do NOT grab the throttle through the wheel – go around the side instead.
They sail beautifully. Ours has a 150% genoa that only comes all the way out under 18 knots of wind – this is the limit the boat can take before weather helm makes her a huge strain to control. Make sure you have your cars positioned before pulling the genny out. Be careful with the furler as well – the sheet is very long to reach all the way down the vessel and easily gets tangled up if you are not gentle with it. Untangling it involves a very unpleasant half hour of manually unthreading the entire drum and rewinding it – made even more difficult if the genny is flogging in the wind at the time. In light winds it pays to have an MPS, as the genoa is big & heavy and does not fill well under 8 knots.
Only two reefing points on my main, yours may be different. First reef goes in at 20 knots and pull in the genoa 20%, up to 30 knots pull the genoa in gradually, second reef goes in at 30 knots and pull in the genoa at least 50% (thats on a 150% genoa, remember) . I haven't had her out in over 35 knots so can't offer any insight here at this point. All reefing lines are handled at the mast rather than leading back to the cockpit – handy if you are solo.
Even with observing correct trimming technique, 430’s are big boats and it can get tiring maintaining a course in a bumpy sea. An autopilot is a great investment if it doesn’t already have one.
They are great boats, solidly built and easy to live on. I hope it all works out for you!
They are roomy (for a monohull) and light. If it’s not the 3 cabin owner’s version you’ll want to convert the two front cabins into one big one – I’m getting ready to do this with mine and will be posting a note for any tips in another thread.
1. Keel Bolts: Check these. If they have not been replaced since building they will certainly need replacing by now. Even if no saltwater gets in via the keel/hull join, Beneteau’s let a lot of rainwater in through the mast that flows over the bolts en route to the bilge and rusts them away.
When we first looked at ours, the hull/keel join was sound, the bolt heads were covered in flowcote and we thought they would be fine. The surveyor however peeled back the flowcote and they were cheese. Some were so bad they just crumbled in place and had to be ground off then drilled out after the boat was hauled and the keel dropped. While it’s very true no Beneteau has ever lost a keel from rusted bolts, you don’t want to be the first. 6.5 tons of cast iron keel is not easy to retrieve from the sea bed.
When you replace them make sure they use galvanised steel and not stainless as there is no oxygen down there to prevent the stainless from corroding.
2. Chain plate support bolts: these rust away badly as well. You’ll find them at the end of the chain plate supports, located under the sinks in each head, fastening to the side stringers. As access is very limited you’ll need a digital camera to take pictures of the nuts on the hull side of the stringers.
Removing them involves dismantling the sink enclosure and using some heavy duty hardware. Some of ours had to be ground out. Stainless replacements are fine here.
3. Check the foredeck for delamination. It’s not only a prime site for dropping heavy things like anchors, but the babystay bolts allow water to leak in under the glass and pop it off the wood core, and the storage locker hatch bends the glass off the core near the hinge. If there is a life raft here, remove it and check – you don’t want the raft disappearing over the side with half the foredeck glass in a heavy sea.
4. Check the metal eye for the bitter end of the anchor chain has not rusted away to nothing.
5. Check the Genoa for signs of wear from the spreaders and babystay.
6. Fill the water tanks one at a time, pressurize and check the plumbing for leaks. There are 4 tanks on the 430; two under the forward cabin bunks, one under the starboard saloon seat, and one under the port gear cupboard aft of the stove. Open the inspection hatches and have a good look inside, the fibreglass develops many little stress fractures that are great for growing this creepy green stuff. If they are looking hairy give them a good dose of bleach and flush well.
7. Check your electrical joins, especially in the bilge. By this age corrosion will have really taken its toll if they have not been regularly maintained.
8. Check the coachroof skylight for leaks with a hose. Remove the soft cover from the skylight to do this, and while you're at it check for cracks. Beneteau no longer stock replacement glass for these so if you need a new one you’ll have to find someone who can fabricate it.
9. If there is a holding tank installed it will be an after market one, probably located in the underbunk stowage in the forward cabins as there is little space elsewhere. If this is the owners version you will be sleeping here and you don’t want a poorly installed holding tank infusing the night air with its dank peppery musk, especially if you are living aboard
. You may need corrective work or a replacement done. On the subject, the heads are small and need careful use and super regular cleaning to remain smelling sweet.430's were built without vented loops in the heads, so you'll want to put these in to avoid flooding.
10. The rudder is big on 430’s. Check the bushes for lateral movement and replace them if there is any more than a small wiggle.
A word of warning on the rudder and wheel – the throttle is positioned forward starboard of the wheel. The easiest way to grab it is straight through the wheel spokes. Do not do this. When you throw her into reverse, the water catches that big fat rudder very quickly and spins the wheel around – hard enough to fracture your wrist (just ask my wife!
). So, do NOT grab the throttle through the wheel – go around the side instead.They sail beautifully. Ours has a 150% genoa that only comes all the way out under 18 knots of wind – this is the limit the boat can take before weather helm makes her a huge strain to control. Make sure you have your cars positioned before pulling the genny out. Be careful with the furler as well – the sheet is very long to reach all the way down the vessel and easily gets tangled up if you are not gentle with it. Untangling it involves a very unpleasant half hour of manually unthreading the entire drum and rewinding it – made even more difficult if the genny is flogging in the wind at the time. In light winds it pays to have an MPS, as the genoa is big & heavy and does not fill well under 8 knots.
Only two reefing points on my main, yours may be different. First reef goes in at 20 knots and pull in the genoa 20%, up to 30 knots pull the genoa in gradually, second reef goes in at 30 knots and pull in the genoa at least 50% (thats on a 150% genoa, remember) . I haven't had her out in over 35 knots so can't offer any insight here at this point. All reefing lines are handled at the mast rather than leading back to the cockpit – handy if you are solo.
Even with observing correct trimming technique, 430’s are big boats and it can get tiring maintaining a course in a bumpy sea. An autopilot is a great investment if it doesn’t already have one.
They are great boats, solidly built and easy to live on. I hope it all works out for you!
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