![]() ![]() The Beneteau Oceanis 35 has a 9/10 Sparcraft rig with discontinuous shrouds and single-line reefing. The deck is injection-moulded GRP, so while the interior finish of the deck itself is neat there are a number of areas that lack Beneteau’s usual finesse: the lights in the aft cabin for instance are mounted on a vinyl-covered board and attached to the deck, sadly the bolts these panels cover are still visible at the end.Īlso, all the panels that are attached to the deckhead have screws with plastic covers, some of which were popping off already. The optional arch keeps the mainsheet clear and add hand holds when going forward. There is nothing wrong with this, but it’s a bit unnerving to see a gap open behind the unit if you grab the fiddle and pull. The downside of this is that where usually a unit is attached to the hull, on the Beneteau Oceanis 35 some of them aren’t – witness the port-side hanging locker in the forward cabin. With the five different interior layouts available in three versions (both Weekender and Cruiser have the option of one or two double cabins aft), interior units can be added or removed at the time of purchase or later in the owner’s or the yacht’s life. ![]() Design & construction of the Beneteau Oceanis 35 I did note the system had little to no play in it, so it might have been over-tightened and may free up with use. Initially the blame was placed squarely at the door of the autopilot ram, but even with the ram disconnected it was little better. The wheels wouldn’t run free and the feedback was mostly absorbed in the mechanics of the steering system. With twin rudders, she heeds the call of the helm instantly, but unfortunately the feel on the helm of our test boat was very poor: like helming through gelatinous custard. ![]() The standard mainsheet layout sees it in the cockpit, but this prevents the option of the excellent deluxe cockpit table. The arch also supports the sprayhood and means the mainsheet moves onto the port coachroof winch. It adds handholds and does a good job of keeping the sheet clear, but the mainsheet suffered from friction. Our test boat had the optional GRP arch that gives crew in the cockpit the feeling of looking through a thick, white-rimmed glasses frame. The outboard seat is clear of the deck and bracing was limited to one foot block inboard of the wheel. I found the helm position of the Beneteau Oceanis 35 comfortable and with Harken 40 primary winches just forward of the wheel, tacking singlehanded is relatively easy. Under engine she made 4.8 knots at 2,000RPM and 5.7 at 2,500RPM. With her asymmetric spinnaker set at 75º off the 10.2 knots of apparent wind, she was making 6.5 knots. With a wide hull and twin rudders she didn’t heel too much, and even when she did there was no danger of losing grip. The performance of the Beneteau Oceanis 35 was transformed: much more respectable and enjoyable.Īs the apparent wind built from 15 to 18 knots, boatspeed jumped from 5.4 to a more engaging 6.8 knots. The second day, we had a few knots more and still flat seas. The first day of the test was blighted by light winds – a flat calm. It also comes in three different versions: the basic Day Sailer, the Week Ender (sic) and the Cruiser, which has the usual cruising spec you’d expect to find on a 34-footer. The good news is that Beneteau’s latest yacht in its ever-popular Océanis range has a removable forward bulkhead. Maybe until you have visitors, then the lack of privacy might leave you embarrassed. Wouldn’t it be better if you could remove the bulkhead and at least see the space? When you think about it, it seems a waste, doesn’t it? That space you’ve paid for out of sight and out of mind. This is something Beneteau is aiming to rectify with the Beneteau Oceanis 35. If there are two of you on a 35ft boat, the chances are you’ve got a cabin or two behind a bulkhead, lying redundant. Think about the space you actually use on board.
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