Premium Performance And The Price Is Right
WE MAKE no bones about revisiting the Beneteau Oceanis 50, which we briefly sailed in light wind last year in Valencia. With the first new 50 arriving in Scotland recently, when we visited the north of Britain’s Beneteau agents at Clyde Marina to sail the new Oceanis 46, it would have been churlish to pass up the chance to sail the big sister in some decent breeze, writes racing editor Andi Robertson. Indeed having now sailed the boat in the zephyrs of the Med and the brisker, more solid winds of the Clyde it is easy to conclude how well suited this boat is to both. Which is gratifying, because the Oceanis 50 is an ideal candidate for the go anywhere blue-water cruiser, and all at a sensible price. Improvements to the production techniques mean the new 50 – launched last year – is actually cheaper than the boat it replaces, and in my opinion it is much more appealing. First and most lasting impressions are of a big, light, airy and simply executed interior and a good, meaningful all-round sailing performance. It will work hard for her owners, eating up the miles, but it remains a relatively simple and easy boat to sail for her size. Our test boat owners, Niall and Jane Dempster of Northern Yacht Charter, mostly sail their ‘50’ Cuchulainn themselves and although they clearly have a good few sea miles between them, the boat is well set up with electric winches, furling headsail of course and – as I would specify under most cicumstances – a decent fully battened mainsail system. The Oceanis 50 is very much at the forefront of the growing genre of go-anywhere blue water cruisers that offer a high degree of comfort, space and light, but reaches the market at a price which is within reach of those who have moved up the Beneteau range. From a financial perspective, the relatively low cost for a refined, well designed and executed product means that while this may represent the final step in the boat buying lifespan for many, it is within reach of financial mortals. It is by no means in the Oyster or Swan class, but it fills the increasingly enlarging niche where it is on receipt of the company sale profits, the retirement nest egg, or the final consolidation of the personal property portfolio, that the chance to sail off into the wide blue yonder finally arrives. The Beneteau Oceanis 50 blends a good all round sailing performance with a spacious interior plus a strong ambience. The 50 errs more towards the performance end of the market than say the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey DS’s, but stops well short of competing with the First 50. It firmly addresses that European market for a big, spacious luxury boat which does not cost the earth, which will be the summer villa in the Med, the country cottage in the UK and Ireland, and yet the beauty is that you are not tied to the one location. One summer in the western Med, the next one the Adriatic, Greece, Turkey, the possibilities are endless. Indeed one market it will satisfy would be those looking to the ARC and beyond. It has the space and accommodation but also a performance orientated hull which is easily driven and well balanced. The hull and deck are by Berret Racoupeau while the interior is by renowned Italian super-yacht specialists Nauta. The new 50 adds something that was lacking previously for this line: a defined style. The slight blister coachroof and squared off elliptical windows and the three eyeline ports in the hullside may echo bigger, grander superyachts, but the effect is appealing. The boat drew admiring glances and interest from within the alinghi base, and there was a steady queue of local Spanish visitors and possible customers desperate to take a look. That styling carries through the proportions and the details. The cockpit is big and roomy, but it feels safe as well as sociable. The stern has a patented walk through gate, and the transom houses a big liferaft garage, with an offset bathing ladder. In the cockpit the twin wheels are both well proportioned and well sited, with the main primary winches easily at hand. There is a central table which is functional and of a sensible size, containing an oddments locker, bottle storage and with a good handrail around it. Cockpit size is excellent, spacious and with a natural split to the helm’s area. Access to the sidedecks is also good and there is plenty of spacious working areas on the teak decks. The main sheet track runs across the front of the companionway serving the single line sheet which runs forward paralleling the vang before coming aft to the clutch on the coachroof. The rig is pretty standard for the genre, nine tenths with twin aft swept spreaders. The standard main is fully battened with lazyjacks and a stacking system which works well and is ideal for this size of boat, while the standard genoa is a 140% overlap. The boom is quite high off the deck for shorter crew to pack away the main, but with a little care as the sail comes down and cooperation from the helm it is not too much of a problem. We had a good 14-20 knots of breeze for our short sail on the 50, but it was a peach of a day, and one where as soon as the boat was settled it would have been tempting to head south for Ireland, or north for the islands for a few days of comfortable cruising. What we learned over our Valencia sail is that the Oceanis 50 is no slouch and carries her sail well. Upwind we were making a comfortable 7.1 to 7.2 knots on Cuchulainn, retaining good steerage in the bigger puffs and squalls. She would feather quite well when we really pressed her, retaining a good balance and enough grip on the rudder to power away when the pressure eased slightly. Clearly the 50 seemed to have good form stability, and enjoyed being pushed, although shortening sail was prudent, easy and actually improved the performance. So you would conclude that the boat will stay in shape when the squalls come without too much panic, but rolling in some headsail or tucking in an early reef is rewarded with more efficient sailing. Easing sheets and she goes like a train. Light enough on the helm and tracking well, the 50 has a good turn of speed and felt happy in the quartering seas. Moving around the cockpit, working relatively hard and smoothly was easy with generally good ergonomics in every area. It is a boat which is designed to sail and be sailed, rather than simply an apartment with sails or a glorified day sailer which some of this type and size very definitely are. The 50 has ample sail area for the lighter winds, and it is a boat which will reward persistence when the breeze drops rather than simply prompting the early use of the mighty 110hp Yanmar engine. Below decks is really where the Oceanis 50 comes into its own though. The styling is wonderful, and clearly has the modern superyacht touches. The main saloon is ultra-spacious, but laid out to keep things useful and compacted, thus there are no dance-floor areas, but instead there are long, deep and excellent linear settees and a big offset table to port. There are two good sized island stools which are removable opposite the starboard settees. It is clearly a big and accommodating area to entertain, whiling away those evening hours at anchor. The table drops to convert to a double berth. Aft and to starboard is the good sized nav station, well up to expected size and spec for this size of boat. The nav table is completely unobstructed forward, that is to say that all the instrumentation is mounted outboard and, as such, it forms an additional seating area when the boat is busy, or it remains a good area for those who maybe need to take their day-job work afloat with them. To port the galley is set quite well back in the boat, using the base of the companionway steps as the double sink and additional work top area. Again there is plenty of good working space. All the essentials are there: a 130 litre front opening fridge and a deep, 100 litre ice-box plus a big cooker with twin burners, oven and grill, a good sized sliding racked vegetable cupboard, ample drawers and cupboards. The dishwasher, microwave and freezer are all extras. There are two layout versions, one with two double cabins aft and two heads, or the two cabin version which offers one big aft stateroom with an offset angled double berth. Up front the double is centreline and spacious. The forecabin is really excellent with a sit down vanity area opposite the big en suite toilet and shower room, and offers plenty of stowage space. And the aft cabins are every bit as good. All the way through the boat, especially in the saloon, natural light is excellent, really heightening the feeling of space. Overall the Oceanis 50 is an immensely desirable, but very pragmatic package. It’ll appeal to those moving up through both the First and the Oceanis range as a moderately quick, but safe and predictable cruiser which will go anywhere with enviable style, and in terms of value for money it gives a lot of bang for your bucks at £235,000 inc VAT, delivered, launched and commissioned at Clyde Marina.