Sea keeping Ability

[Tony Batchelor]

I am currently investigating the purchase of a Beneteau 400, but many have told me that the light displacement of Beneteau's is not good at sea. Particularly in heavy weather and big seas. Conditions which are typically encounted when making passage from New Zealand. I feel sure some owners must have done blue water passages. I would be happy to learn how their vessels behaved. For example how well did it keep its course, did someone have to helm the vessel the whole time, was the autohelm effective were they able to use a wind vane steering system Etc.Tony Batchelorcaptaintonyb@hotmail.com

 

[Jack]

Read April Cruising World Mag

There is a wonderful article about a Swill couple who jus spent a year and a half at sea and just crossed the Atlantic in a 20 foot boat! Yes, I said 20 foot boat.Your worried about a Beneteau. The have been making boats for 150 years.Good Luck,JackBeneteau 411

 

[Ivan Edwards]

Hove-to on fin keel boats not so easy

The traditional sailing books all say to practice your heave to, its the safest way to respond in a storm.So, I tryed it with my Beneteau 285, and it is not easy to manage. So I did some reading, and discovered that these fin keel boats do not heave to very well. So, traditionalists say you need a full keel boat to be safe on the seas. However, others say you just need to use a different strategy in heavy weather conditions with a fin keel boat. The ones that stick out in my mind are to either point close to the wind and make slow way, or put out a droge and run before the wind. There is also a "rod to" manuver that some recommend. Anyway, you need to understand how to manage heavy weather in your boat.