In 5 years I will have plenty of serious ocean experience travelling on other peoples boats. I would like to know if other Beneteau owners think that a Beneteau is up to the task. If so, what size of boat with a crew of only 2. We are talking of a 2 year trip. Thank You...
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Why not?
Phil, there has been a number of similar questions on this site regardiang Beneteaus making long voyages and being cruisng boats. The simple answer is sure! I would suggest that you read or contact Liza Copeland. She and her family have cruised on a Beneteau First 38 (I believe) for a number of years. She would probaly be wealth of information. I think that Paul Ouellette mentioned in one of his posts about the number of Beneteaus in the ARC. So you might want to check out the arcives for that post. I know that at least one person that is a regular on this forum did the Bermuda race in his 361. Again it is going to depend on your skill, the condition of your boat and how ready it is for offshore sailing. I think you will find a wealth of knowledge from the people on this forum as you start to find and get your boat ready Good luck Charlie
Phil, there has been a number of similar questions on this site regardiang Beneteaus making long voyages and being cruisng boats. The simple answer is sure! I would suggest that you read or contact Liza Copeland. She and her family have cruised on a Beneteau First 38 (I believe) for a number of years. She would probaly be wealth of information. I think that Paul Ouellette mentioned in one of his posts about the number of Beneteaus in the ARC. So you might want to check out the arcives for that post. I know that at least one person that is a regular on this forum did the Bermuda race in his 361. Again it is going to depend on your skill, the condition of your boat and how ready it is for offshore sailing. I think you will find a wealth of knowledge from the people on this forum as you start to find and get your boat ready Good luck Charlie
Seriously...A Beneteau?
Looking for a serious reply to my question. Is a Beneteau a durable vessel for long distance voyages? I want to buy a boat that can make the trip, not get beaten to death and retain good value when I am done. Can a Beneteau do this? I will be away for over 2 years and want to know if the Beneteau product is up to the task. Forget all the hype that the borchure and the cheesy sales guys offer. I really want a solid answer. I mean really...the money is in my hand and I am buying a boat that will have to be up to the task... Regards
Looking for a serious reply to my question. Is a Beneteau a durable vessel for long distance voyages? I want to buy a boat that can make the trip, not get beaten to death and retain good value when I am done. Can a Beneteau do this? I will be away for over 2 years and want to know if the Beneteau product is up to the task. Forget all the hype that the borchure and the cheesy sales guys offer. I really want a solid answer. I mean really...the money is in my hand and I am buying a boat that will have to be up to the task... Regards
Yes, but not before some major improvements
By all means, after you improve on much of the factory defects. Lots of sloppy installations that will kick you in the behind once at sea. Chaffe problems mostly, combined with lack of watertight compartments and inadequate bilge pumping systems. I used to own a 1984 Hunter 34, for 8 years until I purchased my current 461. I would have taken that Hunter offshore before this vessel any day!
By all means, after you improve on much of the factory defects. Lots of sloppy installations that will kick you in the behind once at sea. Chaffe problems mostly, combined with lack of watertight compartments and inadequate bilge pumping systems. I used to own a 1984 Hunter 34, for 8 years until I purchased my current 461. I would have taken that Hunter offshore before this vessel any day!
Jose
Hey Charlie : Not only did Jose' participate in that Bermuda race, I think he said he came in 2nd !!! He makes us all very proud !! That, along with all the other Beneteaus that have sailed across the Atlantic with the ARC Rally, and all the Beneteaus that have sailed down to the BVI with the Caribbean 1500 make us proud as well. All that should say something about how our boats are, when they are put to the test. Just read about the Copelands. Our good friends Ken
Hey Charlie : Not only did Jose' participate in that Bermuda race, I think he said he came in 2nd !!! He makes us all very proud !! That, along with all the other Beneteaus that have sailed across the Atlantic with the ARC Rally, and all the Beneteaus that have sailed down to the BVI with the Caribbean 1500 make us proud as well. All that should say something about how our boats are, when they are put to the test. Just read about the Copelands. Our good friends Ken
Couldn't agree more
Paul I couldn't agree more. Maybe we need the people on this forum to call Beneteau and tell them what a great attribute a Hame of Fame would be as well as a heck of a marketing tool. Like you I have plans of long term cruising be it on Angels' Grace my B361 or another Beneteau. We have hit some nasty weather in the Atlantic and I have been thrilled with how she performed and I never felt unsafe. Beneteaus have proven they can do it!!!! BUT Descretion is always the better part of valor. Also I think we are beginning to get some great dialogue and interest in this site so let's keep it going.
Hey Paul and Mary, Linda and I are going to hold you to those drinks!!! Charlie
Paul I couldn't agree more. Maybe we need the people on this forum to call Beneteau and tell them what a great attribute a Hame of Fame would be as well as a heck of a marketing tool. Like you I have plans of long term cruising be it on Angels' Grace my B361 or another Beneteau. We have hit some nasty weather in the Atlantic and I have been thrilled with how she performed and I never felt unsafe. Beneteaus have proven they can do it!!!! BUT Descretion is always the better part of valor. Also I think we are beginning to get some great dialogue and interest in this site so let's keep it going.
Hey Paul and Mary, Linda and I are going to hold you to those drinks!!! CharlieNo Problem with the Boat
I think I would want a 36 to 40 boat just becasue two years is quite a while and a little extra space is always welcome. But the short answer is that the Beneteau Crusiers are very well engineered boats and in all most every case the new boats will be build to a higher level than the captain and crew have sailing skills. That being said a 2 year passage is a major trip and you will need to be familiar with your boat and all your systems. If it is on a boat it can break but I would have no problem taking a Beneteau production boat of 36' to 40' on Ocean passage once I have become familiar with it and it's systems. --Dan
I think I would want a 36 to 40 boat just becasue two years is quite a while and a little extra space is always welcome. But the short answer is that the Beneteau Crusiers are very well engineered boats and in all most every case the new boats will be build to a higher level than the captain and crew have sailing skills. That being said a 2 year passage is a major trip and you will need to be familiar with your boat and all your systems. If it is on a boat it can break but I would have no problem taking a Beneteau production boat of 36' to 40' on Ocean passage once I have become familiar with it and it's systems. --Dan
Paul, thanks for the honor
Actually Ipanema arrived second in her class of 14 boats where she was the smallest boat and 12th overall in corrected time. The wind was 25+ for most of the gulf-stream but fortunately in a broad/beam reach and in the direction of the stream. The waves were large but not as steep as when the wind blows against the current. As for the boat, there is no question that you need to invest time in preparing it, as you would any other boat. In fact, my previous and only other race to Bermuda was as a crew on a two-year old Hinckley 55 in which we lost the transmission on the way to the starting line and the 150 genoa on our way out of Buzzard’s Bay and that was after the owner had spend lots of $ preparing her. I am surprised to hear that Rob had such a bad experience with his 461 and I am even more surprised that he felt more secure on his old Hunter boat, a brand well known for loosing its mast offshore when the going gets tough. I have a good friend who owned a Hunter and was very unhappy fixing all kinds of problems until he sold it several years later. My experience with Beneteau USA has been very good even though I did not buy an American made boat. The warranty department was very efficient at providing me with the few spare parts that I needed, having problems fixed at a yard, and sending me a check for those parts I bought directly. As for long distance cruising, you should know that all the Beneteau boats that you can charter in the Caribbean sailed there from France. The boats are well designed and build to last.
Actually Ipanema arrived second in her class of 14 boats where she was the smallest boat and 12th overall in corrected time. The wind was 25+ for most of the gulf-stream but fortunately in a broad/beam reach and in the direction of the stream. The waves were large but not as steep as when the wind blows against the current. As for the boat, there is no question that you need to invest time in preparing it, as you would any other boat. In fact, my previous and only other race to Bermuda was as a crew on a two-year old Hinckley 55 in which we lost the transmission on the way to the starting line and the 150 genoa on our way out of Buzzard’s Bay and that was after the owner had spend lots of $ preparing her. I am surprised to hear that Rob had such a bad experience with his 461 and I am even more surprised that he felt more secure on his old Hunter boat, a brand well known for loosing its mast offshore when the going gets tough. I have a good friend who owned a Hunter and was very unhappy fixing all kinds of problems until he sold it several years later. My experience with Beneteau USA has been very good even though I did not buy an American made boat. The warranty department was very efficient at providing me with the few spare parts that I needed, having problems fixed at a yard, and sending me a check for those parts I bought directly. As for long distance cruising, you should know that all the Beneteau boats that you can charter in the Caribbean sailed there from France. The boats are well designed and build to last.
Beneteau Rules!
Three years ago when we were considering our first midsize boat, we were impressed with a slightly used, but well equiped B321. During the research process I read an account of an Englishman who crossed the Atlantic 3 times and cruised from Maine to Argentina with stops in the Islands on the way, with out a single major system or component failure. Not bad for a 32' coastal cruiser! Equip them right and Beneteaus will take you anywhere, if you have the skills!
Three years ago when we were considering our first midsize boat, we were impressed with a slightly used, but well equiped B321. During the research process I read an account of an Englishman who crossed the Atlantic 3 times and cruised from Maine to Argentina with stops in the Islands on the way, with out a single major system or component failure. Not bad for a 32' coastal cruiser! Equip them right and Beneteaus will take you anywhere, if you have the skills!
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