Beneteau

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A Beneteau 473 (47.3') at anchor.

Beneteau is a French sail and motor boat manufacturer, with production facilities in France and the United States.

History

Shipwright Benjamin Beneteau founded his company in 1884, at Croix-de-Vie, France to build sailing trawlers. In the mid sixties Benjamin's grandchildren Annette Benneteau Roux and her brother Andre Beneteau introduced a line of fiberglass boats. Madame Roux is still active in leadership.

Beneteau Today

The company is a large and recognized boat builder, commanding a substantial worldwide market share for sailing yachts, predominately in the United States, France and the United Kingdom. It has five factories in the Vendée region of France and one US plant in Marion, South Carolina. The Beneteau USA plant opened in 1986; since then the factory has nearly doubled in size to about 250,000 square feet (23,000 m²), with roughly 25 million of total capital invested in the US. This is considered to be an advanced marine factory; it is newer than most of its competitors factories.

The Beneteau group also owns the following brands:

• Jeanneau
• CNB
• Wauquiez
• Lagoon
• O'Hara
• IRM
• Microcar
• EYB

Note in the models below that the First Series is much faster than the Beneteau Series (lower PHRF means a faster boat), the latter series have similar performance ratings to similarly sized Catalina models.

Beneteau Models

NOTE: PHRF shown is for Northern California Base Rate full keel standard mast unless otherwise described

First Series

These are racer/cruiser sailboats, with a higher emphasis on the racing aspects, yet are substantially equipped for comfortable cruising. Equipped with tall fractional rigs, high performance keels and upgraded deck hardware.

Current US Models:

• Beneteau First 10R (32.75 ft)
• Beneteau First 36.7 PHRF 81 (Southern California rating)
• Beneteau First 40
• Beneteau First 45
• Beneteau First 50

Current World Models:

• Beneteau First 21.7 S
• Beneteau First 25.7 S
• Beneteau First 27.7 S
• Beneteau First 31.7
• Beneteau First 35
• Beneteau First 40
• Beneteau First 45
• Beneteau First 50

Prior Models:

Beneteau Series aka Oceanis Series

These are cruising boats, though these boats are viable for Performance Handicapped Racing Fleet (PHRF) handicapped racing. In the US, they are referred to as the Beneteau series. In the rest of the world, they are referred to as the Oceanis series. Previously, these were referred to as the Oceanis series in the US, and much of the documentation still reflects this naming.

Current US Models:

• Beneteau 323 PHRF 144
• Beneteau 343 PHRF 151
• Beneteau 373
• Beneteau 31
• Beneteau 34
• Beneteau 37
• Beneteau 40
• Beneteau 43
• Beneteau 46
• Beneteau 49 (Called the Oceanis 50 elsewhere)
• Beneteau 54
• Beneteau 57 (formerly called the Flagship Series)
• Beneteau 58 (released June 2009)

Current World Models:

• Oceanis 31
• Oceanis 34
• Oceanis 37
• Oceanis 40
• Oceanis 43
• Oceanis 46
• Oceanis 50 (Called the Beneteau 49 in the US)
• Oceanis 54
• Beneteau 57
• Oceanis 58 (released June 2009)

Prior Models:

• Beneteau 393 PHRF 150
• Beneteau 423 PHRF 102
• Beneteau 50 (Beneteau flagship series 523 in the US)
• Beneteau 62

Lagoon Models

Lagoon 380 Catamaran cockpit

Lagoon Catamarans are the world's best selling production Catamarans^[1]. All of the boats are sloop rigs with spacious cabins in each hull and living space on the bridge deck.

• Lagoon 380, more than 500 boats
• Lagoon 410, more than 280 boats
• Lagoon 420, the first hybrid catamaran
• Lagoon 440, 250 boats built in three yars
• Lagoon 500
• Lagoon 570
• Lagoon 620
• Lagoon 67

See also

• List of sailboat designers and manufacturers

References

External links

• Beneteau Corporate website (France)
• Beneteau USA
• Beneteau in Spain
• Beneteau Owners' Association website
• Motor Boat and Yachting magazine