In The Office Counting Down .......

[Tern]

Hi all,

Just joined - I am 54 and reading this site more and more as I count down the years till I sail away...

I have experience at Bareboat Charter in Turkey/Croatia/BVI/Grenadines/Seychelles. Dont own a Boat yet - pointless as it would spend most of its time bobbing arouns in a marina given my work load .

My aim would be to cruise at least 6months of the year - I am UK based - many questions to come but one of my first would be are benneteaus as bad as my friends tell me thay are - they seen reasonably priced against a swan/Oyster etc -I know you get what you pay for obviously - but I am not into marina parading and brands - do thay fall apart as people suggest ??

Safe sailing all.........

[Lighthouse]

A hearty welcome aboard! Good to have you here.

I'm sure you will learn as much from this friendly crew as I do every day. Good luck with your plans.

[Auzzee]

Hi Tern and welcome to our forum. I had heard many people tell me that Beneteaus were too light, too tender, too this, too that etc. My only comments would be to buy a Beneteau which is designed for cruising.

I have friends who have cruised extensively on their Beneteau Oceanis 46 and have nothing but praise...their experience includes sailing through two severe cyclones off the coast of North Queensland in January last year. I recently met a family who had sailed an Oceanis 54 from England on their circumnavigation. Once again these people with true experience in the marque, had only the highest praise for their yacht

Some Beneteaus are designed only for protected waters. However, the fact that Bennys make up a high percentage of the world's charter fleets must say something about their toughness, and ease of sailing.

Cheers

David.

[Tern]

Originally Posted by Auzzee

David.

Great - thanks

[imagine2frolic]

Welcome,

I have to agree with David on his remark about so many Bentaues being chartered. The comparison against Oysters, and Swan is not fair at all. Most of the time in this world you get what you pay for. The high quality of those vessels are the reason for the price.

[JeanneP]

I can't resist telling another of my stories. In our second year of cruising we sailed to Trinidad to check out this "dangerous" island (another story). While there we met a couple from the UK sailing on their small wooden boat. This fellow, who was not an experienced boat owner and who bought the boat he was on because it was the only boat he could afford, told me that our boat was a terrible, poorly built boat. SV Watermelon is a Jeanneau Sun Fizz, a medium to light displacement "racer/cruiser".

If you read our logs, you will see just how far we went on this POS boat.

No, I do not think that a Beneteau is a POS boat. It is not the best sailing boat with regard to performance that I've seen, but I don't think anybody is taking their lives in their hands taking it across oceans. In my experience British sailors seem to be the most prejudiced against Beneteaus and Jeanneaus, perhaps because they're French? Perhaps because they are not heavy displacement blue water cruisers? Or, as one circumnavigator described them, "oyster crushers".

I do not believe heavy displacement "blue-water cruisers" are the end-all be-all of cruising boats, though I agree with some of the arguments in their favor. Friends of ours own a Swan but chose to crew for us in the 1988 Heineken Regatta, and these expert sailors' comment about Watermelon were very heartening.

When you buy a boat, it is important that it be structurally sound, something that is somewhat assured when you have a good survey done prior to purchase. One does not buy a boat, either new from the factory or used, and immediately set off on a blue water passage. All boats, new and used, have defects, glitches, and/or tired gear.

The individual's choice of a boat is so personal that I step far back from pronouncing "good" or "bad" to the choice. So long as the buyer is aware of both good and bad of cruising boats, and of the boat they most like in particular, I believe that the choice will work for that person. Knowledge, however, is gained through experience, not through wishful thinking. Having been guilty of mistakes made through wishful thinking in the past, I can understand it happening and so just warn you that it is such a human failing.

Fair winds,

[Tern]

Originally Posted by JeanneP

Fair winds,

thanks

[Nausikaa]

Hi Tern,

Let me also welcome you aboard. A little late perhaps but I have been away for a couple of days (not sailing unfortunately). Nonetheless, I am pleased to be able to say welcome and also to say keep those questions coming.

I am a long-keel, heavy displacement sailor and I would swear buy my choice of boat but, if I am to be strictly honest, sometimes I look at those "cockleshells" with a touch of envy as they zoom past me! In the end, everything about boats is a compromise. Its your money and therefore your choice. Listen to what others have to say, way up the pros and cons and then decide what YOU want. Whichever way you go it is worth remembering that great voyages have been made in traditional cruising boats but also in the less traditional. Shane Acton sailing arround the world in Shrimpy or Frank Dye voyaging from the UK to Iceland in a Wayfarer dingy are just two examples.

In my opinion, you need the boat you can afford and are happy with. Good luck in your search for just YOUR boat.

Aye // Stephen

[cartooncorpse]

how about an island packet or halberg-rassy? kinda pricey. beneteau's are like pontiac's to me (looks) lots of fluff with no function.