It was to be one of the first boat tests that the YACHT editorial team was able to produce abroad after the coronavirus crisis. Last week, the brand new Oceanis 40.1 from industry leader Beneteau was available to us in Gruissan in the south of France for an extensive test run. The important twelve-metre vessel is aimed at both owners and the charter market and is particularly universal in its design.
The new model is available in versions with two to four double cabins and a choice of one or two toilet rooms. The customer is also offered a rare variety of deck equipment with different mast heights, self-tacking jib or overlapping genoa, conventional rigging or inmast furling.
The visually striking design comes from Marc Lombard's studio and features a distinctive, continuous chine. This creates even more volume below deck and should also improve the sailing characteristics thanks to the high dimensional stability. In the YACHT test in ideal conditions with wind speeds of 12 to 15 knots, the test boat delivered a convincing performance with its simple standard sails. And when it comes to handling on deck, the simple but functional layout, which is also largely suitable for single-handed sailing, is pleasing.
The detailed test of the Oceanis 40.1 will be published in YACHT, issue 17/2020. Until then, you can find the first pictures by our photographer Gilles Martin-Raget in the test gallery below.
