Beneteau Oceanis 40.1, Oceanis Yacht 54 teased ahead of official launch

According to Beneteau, the Oceanis 40.1 “distinguishes itself with a surprising amount of space on deck and volume below”, while the Oceanis Yacht 54 “reinvents movement in the cockpit and sets a new standard in terms of build quality, ergonomics, and trim options”.

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The 54’s “yacht” designation means it shares the same prestige status as the larger Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 62, the flagship cruiser in the sailboat line-up.

The Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 is designed to be a sailboat that is “exhilarating under sail, easy to shorthand, and comfortable both at sea and in port”.

“The Oceanis Yacht 54 paves the way for a new generation of cruisers by completely reinventing the traditional central cockpit into a space that allows for free-flowing movement, ample seating areas, and safety throughout,” Beneteau said.

“The yacht features cutting-edge technology such as Ship Control (a simple interface that accesses all the boat’s systems); Dock&Go (joystick harborside maneuvering); and Harken’s AST (automatic sail trimming), all of which firmly sets Beneteau at the vanguard of the industry and meets passionate sailors’ high levels of expectations.”

The new cockpit on the 54 takes up about a third of the boat’s deck space, while the sidedecks are free of clutter and bordered with high bulwarks and deep lifelines. All lines run aft of the cockpit lounge.

The three-cabin Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 54 is available with either a 2.5-metre draft as standard, or a deeper 1.95-metre draft, and with either a standard or furling mast.

The Beneteau Oceanis 40.1, meanwhile, keeps the same flared hull as the rest of the Oceanis range that increases the sailboat’s below-deck volume.

Again, it keeps the clean, uncluttered lines for the deck, with a First version featuring a taller mast and deeper keel available.

The boat is also versatile, coming in four different layouts to suit individual owners’ needs with two, three or four cabins.

Beneteau has increased cockpit space with this generation, and by moving the dual wheels further aft it has created a cockpit lounge space large enough to accommodate six people.

The owner’s cabin now features a shower, and a fold-down transom converts into a swim deck.

“Following the new generation of Oceanis 51.1, 46.1 and 30.1 cruisers, the 40.1 drives the concept home and clearly demonstrates Benetau’s resolve to be the leader and the gold standard of the cruising yacht market,” it said.

Through constantly searching to simplify manoeuvres and make movement on deck easier, Beneteau has reached a new milestone and achieved a much higher trim level.”