Beneteau Sailboats Review

Summary

Beneteau is the largest and most successful company making sailboats in the world today. The USA branch is based in its factory in Marion, South Carolina where they are using state-of-the-art equipment to produce thousands of about ten different models of Beneteau sailboats. They will also import other models from their parent company. So far, the South Carolina location has produced over 7,000 sailboats and yachts for buyers all over the North American continent. As a testimony to her work, Beneteau received the CSI award in 2009 from the National Marine Manufacturer’s Association for customer satisfaction. She was the only sailboat builder to receive such an award.

Beneteau takes advantage of some of the most modern engineering programs in the world to make her designs as precise as possible and reduce the margin of error down to very small levels. In the Beneteau laboratory all the resin, gel coat, and fiberglass are thoroughly tested to make sure that all the hulls are properly treated to withstand years of sea travel. Beneteau sailboats have also abandoned the stringer for a grid system which bonds to the hull for greater strength. All the woodwork is carefully crafted and treated with a special UV-resistant varnish to protect it for those long hours in the sun. The deck and the hull are chemically and mechanically bonded together and when everything is ready, the boat is placed in a float pool and put through a battery of tests to insure that everything is working correctly.

Benjamin Beneteau first started his shipbuilding in Croix de vie, France in 1884. Though there have been a lot of changes from then till now, Beneteau sailboats continue to be at the top of their class.

 Pros

• Long-standing tradition and reputation for excellence.
• NMMA CSI award for quality and customer satisfaction.
• Beautiful styling and shape.
• Luxurious interiors.

 Cons

• Not very economically priced.
• Some sailing experience required.

 Featured Manufacturers

Beneteau 31, Beneteau 34, First 10R, Beneteau 373, Beneteau 37, Beneteau 40, First 40, Beneteau 43, First 45, Beneteau 46, First 50, Beneteau 49, Beneteau 54,Beneteau 323, Beneteau 343, Beneteau 57, First 36.7.

 Conclusion

Beneteau sailboats can be a very fine way to get out and get away from it all. For someone who enjoys the sea and the art of working with his hands, sailing can be a very relaxing and rewarding experience. While the price might set you back a little, a Beneteau sailboat is a work of art and an investment that you can pass on to your kids. If you have never really tried sailing now might be just the time to take it up. Before buying one of these sailboats, you ought to consult a local dealer you trust and try to take one out for a trial run.