Oceanis – The Alternative Investment!
Andi Robertson heads for Marseille, where the flagship Beneteau Oceanis 54 delivers in all departments and earns a place in the racing editor’s affections. ONE MAN’s dream is another man’s reality. For most though, the grim reality is that there is seemingly no escape from the financial woes of the world, but what better way to insulate yourself than to sail off to sunny, pleasant places in a large and comfortable boat. Real recession proofing is sitting at a quiet anchorage worrying if you have enough ice in the freezer, safe in the knowledge that, for all that has gone on in the last 20 years or so, a boat still represents a good long term investment. It may not make you money, but you will have a great deal more fun. It is the passport to real contentment, more so than if your hard earned cash pile is accumulating not very much in the bank. The Beneteau Oceanis 54 is the new flagship of the range, launched in the UK at the Southampton Boat Show. It is a good looking, well proportioned boat, but what it really does is make that dream a little bit more tenable. At 54ft the new Oceanis is not going to find many customers in the north of Britain who will keep it permanently in home waters, however it would be ideal to sail at home for a few weekends or weeks perhaps – but kept it mainly in the Med. It is a great boat for Palma, or cruising Croatia and the Adriatic to Greece, Turkey and beyond. Indeed, keep it in Marseille, where we tested the boat as part of the annual Beneteau media programme, and you could do much worse. Direct cheap flights from Scotland, 15 minutes from airport to boat and the Med’s your oyster! To date I have always retained a special place in my heart for the Sun Odyssey 54DS but after sailing the Oceanis I’d have to say these two French 54 footers now have an equal share in my desires and affection. The deck saloon sneaks ahead for live aboard ambience, but for me the Oceanis has the legs in the sailing department. It feels more of a sail boat than the pleasant and beautifully finished home from home that is the strong suit of the 54 DS. The truth is that at this size I can’t see any reason to choose anything else at all, unless you want to go racing. Most of all the proportions of the Oceanis just feel and look right. It is not too big to sail relatively short handed over extended distances, to manoeuvre around smaller anchorages and marinas and has the legs to cover distance effectively, as we found out when the breeze was up. And yet it does feel spacious in every department from on deck comfort – sunbathing and lounging around, sitting in and around the cockpit – to each of the cabins and living areas. It is nicely executed and well thought out. The cockpit is excellent, styled in the modern idiom with a rounded, high wrap-round coaming. Space is never at a premium, but neither do you feel lost or isolated if you are sailing the boat with friends and family who are perhaps less interested in participating. We sailed with six bulky adults on a breezy day on one occasion, and on another when it was full 30 knots of Mistral, there were at least ten media aboard for a hurl around the Rade Sud. There is a full width bench seat behind the twin wheels and ample space for the helm to work and a lifting seat in the stern allows access. The main cockpit table is sleekly styled, cleverly supporting and protecting the main plotter and nav display. The cockpit is kept completely free of clutter with only the jib sheets entering the cockpit itself, otherwise the mainsheet is with the halyards which are neatly led in good deep channels either side of the companionway. Mostly on a boat of this size and comfort now you would specify powered winches. The deck area is also kept simple, nicely enhancing the subtle lines of the boat. Access to the cockpit from the deck is not great with the optimum route always back on to the deck and moving back to where the coaming tapers. Up front there is the option to forego the large sail locker and have a separate crew cabin if that is a requirement. FEEDBACK Sailing the boat? Well our allocated slot was short and occasionally sweet but it was also good to receive feedback and see the Oceanis 54 out on the water while we were sailing the two other boats on offer. Needless to say the 54 did not disappoint in any department, it left me with that desire to carry on sailing and enjoying this long legged, comfortable performer. It is an efficient, easy boat to sail, rewarding in most areas and offering that balance between good cruising speeds and predictable, safe handling. Upwind it appeared to track well and, once settled, could be almost left to do its own thing. It answered the helm positively, even when over-pressed and seemed to benefit from good form stability, at all times keeping the crew dry in quite brisk conditions. And while it seemed close winded enough, especially with a little work and keeping the headsail area at an optimum, the speed jumped as soon as the sheets were eased a fraction. This new 54 footer will eat up the miles reaching. With a long effective water line and powerful sections the helm required little attention and the Oceanis 54 just trundled along as if on rails. Overall there is a good, base level sailing performance and while you may not want to go for first level, this is definitely an excellent platform to spend a few extra pounds on decent brand sails; certainly a good, fully battened mid tech main and genoa and a choice of spinnakers. Still, with the basic package, it is easy to sail short handed. The interior offers two main options, a four cabin version which has two symmetrical cabins up front or the three cabin version which we sailed in Marseille. One of the most pleasing aspects of this boat is the use of space and the carefully applied proportions. The central forecabin is fabulous, nicely finished with plenty of living space and stowage for extended cruising. The two cabins forward are both en-suite, while the owner’s forecabin version has a bathroom which most houses would be proud of. The main saloon has a lovely ambience and finish, spacious but convivial and adaptable. The main table is to port with wrap-round seating on three sides, a straight bench settee opposite the table and a comfortable two seater settee to starboard. One feature I especially like on a boat of this size is that it really does start to give you genuinely decent sized working spaces as well. The nav station is not so much a small area dedicated to that sole purpose, but ideal for those owners who perhaps will work on board more regularly. The galley is also commodious, with the sink space inboard at the bottom of the companionway steps, and an excellent level of space, working area and stowage overall. So, as you would expect of the marque’s flagship the Oceanis 54 is a rewarding development of what has gone before, ensuring it is a step up, not just in size, but also in what this exciting new boat delivers in every department. • Northern UK Beneteau dealers Sunbird International offer the brand new Oceanis 54 at £395.000 incl VAT and boasting a high spec cruising package including inmast furling, radar, teak decks, generator, sprayhood etc. Delivered Ardrossan, turn key and go…