2009 Beneteau 40 "behaviour"

[JohnB40]

Hi all
About to buy a great 2009 Beneteau 40 but still wonder how tender she will be. Had a test sail in light air .... up to about 12 knots and sailed very well. I see the ballast/displacement ratio is just over 25% compared to many similar cruising boats being 30+%. I have friends with Bene 393s which seem somewhat tender and do round up fairly readily in wind gusts/waves.
Can any 40 owners let me know of their experience with gusts and how she should sail in say 20 kts. She has in mast furling.
many thanks, JohnB40

[beanctr56]

Google has a very good Beneteau "group". You may be able to search or ask there.

Rick

[MJBrown]

John, go for it the 40 is a very nice boat. While I own a 43 I have also sailed the 40 and they're similiar. We did a 2 day run on a 40 on Chesapeake Bay with winds in the high teens with gusts to 25. They do carry a fair amount of sail area but any tenderness or issues with rounding up can be easily managed with proper sail trim, working the traveler or reefing either sail. The 40/43s like to be sailed flat and when you do they respond with a good turn of speed. In 15-20 kts winds I can easily exceed hull speed. The boats are roomy and comfortable; I think you'll enjoy her. Let me know if you have other questions.

[PCP]

For an impartial view about the Beneteau 40 I would PM Janders. He is an experienced sailor that now sails a better boat, a Dehler 43 and is still looking for the perfect boat as many of us. He had an Beneteau 40.

I would say that he has a good impression of the boat taking into account the type of boat. Yes it is a bit tender, I believe the ballast ratio is 27% but the ballast is all down on a bulb. If you reef early and maintain the boat with a 15%/17% heel would be alright on most of the situations, but it would not be the type of boat to try to sail upwind against a lot of wind and heavy seas. Mostly a coastal cruiser with a good interior.

Originally Posted by JAndersB

... since sailing for me is also bringing with me what I need for the trip and enjoying the scenery at anchor or beeing able to watch TV with more than 2 people onboard and our feets up on the sofa (strange, no one seems to think about that aspect among the designers).

...The Oceanis was a wonderful boat to sail if winds and waves where constant. I have given many "racer cruisers", for instance Arcona 400, a match in open sea and windy but steady conditions, but they very very seldom stay that for a longer time. So you pass the optimal 15 degrees of heel and you need the rudders to stay in control since not even dumping the main helps if you have the sail area you want for a thrilling ride. The Oceanis with double rudders though would have prevented me from selling it and I even talked with a yard about rebuilding it. I already had rebuilt most of the deck set up to make it work as a sailing boat, not a caravan.
...
Anders

Regards

Paulo

[MJBrown]

PCP I think Janders had a different model than John is looking at. The B40 isn't referred to as an Oceanis and only has one rudder. As I mentioned in my earlier post they like to be sailed flat. The B40 does best when heel is limited to 10-15%.

John BTW there is a B40/43 forum group at www.seaknots.com A site created by B43 owners that sailed to Spain from the NE US and are still there.

[PCP]

Originally Posted by MJBrown

PCP I think Janders had a different model than John is looking at. The B40 isn't referred to as an Oceanis and only has one rudder. ...

Oceanis is how it is called in Europe the Beneteau that are not (Beneteau) First or (Beneteau) Sense.

Oceanis 40 / Oceanis / Sailing Yachts / Accueil - BENETEAU - Voiliers et bateaux Ã* moteur - Site officiel

He is not saying that the Oceanis 40 (Beneteau 40) has two rudders. He is saying that he wished they had .

Regards

Paulo

[MJBrown]

Definately the same boat. The two rudder comment caused a bit of confusion on my end.