Beneteau Oceanis Clipper 473

Happy is probably an understatement of the way the owners of this test yacht feel about their new boat. Having previously owned and loved the distinctive timber sloop Helmsman for 18 years, their decision to buy a Beneteau was clearly not taken lightly.

Equally evident, during the course of this test sail, was the couple's pleasure in their new boat's amenities, sailing performance and cruising potential.

The Oceanis 473 is certainly a very impressive package. It's handsomely styled, well equipped and likely to surprise anyone who thinks that Beneteau's cruising yachts are for enclosed waters only. If that was ever the case with previous generation Oceanis models (and there have been many over the past 15 years), it's certainly not a restriction on the new models.

Beneteau has upgraded with deeper keels and bigger rigs for its most recent Oceanis models - the 473 and the 393 (tested in TAB, June '01). Sailing performance and oceangoing capabilities have benefited as a result.

The test yacht's owners raced to Noumea in their previous yacht and hope to cruise again in those Pacific waters in their new 473. Some of the options they have selected reflect this intent, eg: an upgrade from the standard 60hp diesel auxiliary to a 75hp Yanmar engine, the addition of electric power for the primary and halyard winches, the inclusion of 200lt freshwater tankage extra to the standard 600lt capability, and the addition of a 110 Amp alternator and extra battery to bolster the yacht's power supply systems.

NAME DROPPING
Beneteau maintains a policy of employing top-name designers, in this case the French company Groupe Finot, whose Jean Marie Finot has designed dozens of production yachts, as well as (with Pascal Conq) some of the highest profile Open 60 single-handed round-the-world racing craft.

With the 473, Groupe Finot has come up with a powerful-looking hull with a distinctively full, raised bow. Besides providing greater interior volume, this could be expected to improve the yacht's seakeeping qualities in rough conditions.

Hull construction is in solid fibreglass laminate, with an inner moulded structure bonded and laminated into the hull and supporting the interior joinery.

The deck is balsa-cored for thermal and sound insulation as well as its strength to weight ratio.

The keel-stepped aluminium mast is masthead-rigged and has two sets of swept-back spreaders, stainless steel standing rigging including shrouds, lowers, forestay and babystay and twin backstays (no runners).

There is a rigid boom vang adjustable from the cockpit, as with all the halyards, reefing lines and other sail controls. As with most of the modern production cruising yachts, the mainsheet traveller is on top of the coachhouse, which means you can't get at it from the helm, but leaves the cockpit far more open.

In this case a handsome timber fold-out table takes pride of place in the centre of the cockpit, and can be removed leaving a stainless steel grabrail when sailing rather than socialising.

Standard Dacron sails supplied with the boat are a fully-battened mainsail with slides, lazy jacks and cover and a 140% overlap furling genoa with anti-UV strip.

The Facnor FD260 furler is located above the deck at the bow There is also an electric windlass up here, in the anchor hatchThe driver is spoilt for choice with two steering wheels and lots of comfortable spots to sit or stand with good forward vision around the transom. Teak cockpit seats and floor are standard issue and the moulded cockpit coamings also provide comfortable seating.

The test yacht was set up with optional electric winch-power for the primaries (Lewmar 54s) and and halyard winches (Lewmar 44s), a great option which must be hard to live without once you've become accustomed to its labour-saving virtues.

TWO, THREE OR FOUR
First impressions when stepping down the companionway are a very handsome, comfortable and spacious interior. Finished in cherrywood timbers and veneers and blue and white soft furnishings throughout, the look is traditional without being dated and the general ambience is warm and inviting.

While raised deckhouse cruising models have been proliferating, Beneteau has chosen to stick with a more streamlined coachhouse, but, as with the smaller 393, it has included large windows at the forward end of the saloon to increase light below.

Ventilation is catered for with many opening hatches and dorade vents.

Two, three and four-cabin versions are available; the two cabin layout is standard but the most popular option is likely to be the three-cabin version, as seen on this test yacht.

The two and three-cabin versions are essentially the same, with the modifications confined to the aft starboard quarter. The two-cabin version dispenses with the double cabin in that area in exchange for a large sail and equipment storage area and extra allocation of space to the aft end of the galley, as well as to the portside double cabin, which becomes a transverse sleeping arrangement.

The test yacht had a very large forward cabin with its own ensuite bathroom, double V-berth, hanging locker and settee, as well as hullside shelf storage space. The forward bathroom includes a separate shower stall with full standing headroom, as well as the marine toilet and vanity unit.

The saloon houses a dinette area to starboard, with a centrally located bench seat as well as the U-shaped settee, plus a two-three seater settee on the port side.

Aft of this is the nav station to port, ahead of the second bathroom. On the test yacht this was set up with a Raritan Lectra/San electric toilet and treatment control unit.

The nav station has a comfortable, curved seat with storage space underneath, a reasonably sized table and space on the hull wall for instruments, including on this boat a Brookes & Gatehouse chartplotter, CD/radio, Icom IC-M45 VHF radio and the electrics panel, with 12 and 220V systems.

Opposite is the L-shaped galley, which includes a stainless steel double sink in the forward-facing section, with hot and cold pressurised freshwater supply via mixer tap, plus foot-pumped fresh and saltwater supply.

Along the hull side of the galley area is a 220lt fibreglass icebox with 12 volt Frigomatic refrigeration and top and front openings and the gimballed Eno double-burner stove and oven behind a stainless steel guardrail.

The two mirror-image aft cabins include double berths, hanging lockers and hullside shelf storage.

The modifications are more substantial for the four-cabin version, which divides the bow into two separate double cabins, moves the galley over to the port side of the saloon and places the two heads either side of the companionway, dispensing with the separate shower stall. This version is intended mainly for charter applications.

CALL OF THE BLUE
This was one of those days when the vast blue space stretching beyond Sydney Heads was truly beckoning. In a 5-10kt breeze and flat seas, the Oceanis 473's bow happily pointed east.

The boat showed steady acceleration, to reach and maintained hull speed without any apparent effort. The helm was positive and direct and all-round steering vision was excellent, in spite of the front of the cockpit being protected by a very cosy dodger.

Unfortunately, this was also one of those days when no sooner do you get going than the wind dies. Facing a complete glass-out, we motored back into the harbour and up to Rushcutters Bay, the 75hp Yanmar (driving a three-bladed Autostream stainless steel feathering propeller) providing ample power in reserve and also good manoeuvrability when it came time for berthing.

The owners intended to spend the night aboard somewhere on the harbour, and who could blame them?

The Oceanis Clipper 473 is a luxury waterfront apartment, at a fraction of the price most Sydney real estate fetches these days. From around $483,000 without instruments and other options, but including the Clipper package of equipment, galley utensils, etc, the boat also looks to be very well-priced compared to other cruising yachts in its size range.

Which may explain why Beneteau - Vicsail has already taken some 10 orders... Expect to see a 473 coming to a Pacific cruising hideaway near you soon...