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The hull slices easily through the warm summer Chesapeake Bay under the power of full working sail, almost burying the lee rail when a 20-knot puff hits. Somebody mentions reefing, but I’m still steering with only two fingers, so we don’t. The boat is the new Beneteau Oceanis 40.1, and it seems to be having as much fun as the crew.
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION
Our test boat was built in a highly automated factory in France, as all Beneteau sailboats have been since the U.S. factory in Marion, South Carolina closed. Although the 40.1 is a production-line boat with standardized parts, there are plentiful options to suit most buyers. In addition to keeping price point down, this kind of standardization is also an advantage when an owner needs to replace something…
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