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REVIEW
OCEANIS 51.1 The power of a new generation
Incredibly comfortable and much faster than any of her forerunners, the Oceanis 51.1 promises to be bang on trend and the most customisable and cruising yacht on the market. The first cruiser developed under the supervision of Beneteau’s marketing director, Gianguido Girotti, epitomises the exuberant energy of a new generation. Although the
To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the range, Beneteau will shortly reveal the first of a new generation of Oceanis sailing yachts to the international arena.
high level of sea-keeping and comfort that forged the reputation of this leading range is still present, Beneteau has turned their racing performances to their advantage, enhancing the Oceanis 51.1. “We capitalised on our experiences with the First and the Figaro, which are more focused on racing, by bringing their values into the heart of a cruising yacht,” Girotti explains. From bow to stem, indoors and on deck, at anchor and at sail, the Oceanis 51.1 is elegant, smart, comfortable and performs majestically. Innovative architecture The architectural choice, by Olivier Racoupeau, of a stepped hull, extending over a third of the hull, is a major element in the development of the range. In addition to the interesting aesthetics of this flared shape, the new hull creates additional interior space without changing the shape of the bottom, essential for a good performance under sail. This allows for exciting new layouts on a boat this size. The variety of colours available for the hull is the first of the many attractive customisable features. Smartly elegant With clean lines characteristic of Nauta Design, the Oceanis 51.1 emphasis on taut cruiser lines and she is a joy to move around and reassuringly safe. The furling mast, self-tailing jib and all the halyards and sheets on the standard model are all brought back to a single winch at each of the helm stations, making her simple and easy to sail. As for harbour manoeuvring, Dock & Go technology simplifies everything. She is an ingenious sailing yacht, with no less than four different interior layouts, five rigging plans, three different keel types, and a choice of 150 available options out of 700 possible combinations – promising an individually unique Oceanis 51.1 to any future buyer.
