The yacht builders at Beneteau have apparently been quietly developing a new boat for the small entry-level class. To everyone's astonishment, the Oceanis 30.1 will make its debut at the trade fair in Düsseldorf. Now, shortly before the première, the first information and drawings have become public. Beneteau is apparently going for the surprise effect.
With this, the French want to complete the current Oceanis "0.1" series at the bottom and, in the medium term, probably also take the long-standing bestseller Oceanis 31 out of the programme. What's more, the new concept has some amazing surprises in store. Not only will the Oceanis 30.1 be the smallest boat in the entry-level class with a hull length of less than nine metres; with a beam of just 2.99 metres, it will also be significantly slimmer than the competition (Dufour 310 Grand Large, Hanse 315, Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319). The hulls of the competitors are slightly larger, but over 3.30 metres wide.
With the slimline Riss, Beneteau wants to offer a boat that fits into harbour boxes, which are often limited to three metres, especially on inland waterways. And with a special licence, the boat can also be transported by road. With a weight of just 4.0 tonnes, the Oceanis 30.1 is also significantly lighter than competitor boats.
The small Oceanis is also characterised by its high level of versatility. The boat is available with different keel variants, with a fixed L-shaped keel, as a centreboard and in a version with a swing keel. Thanks to the double rudder blades, the version with variable draught can also fall dry. The customer can also choose whether to equip it with a self-tacking jib or an overlapping genoa. A fixed bowsprit for gennaker and code zero is already fitted to the small Oceanis from the shipyard.
The rig comes without backstay, stands on deck and can be folded using a hinge. This should also work by hand. And as an alternative to standard tiller steering, Beneteau's newcomer can even be equipped with two steering wheels, despite the limited width of the boat. This means that the Oceanis 30.1 is currently the smallest production boat with dual steering. A small, folding bathing platform provides easy and convenient access to the water, while the bathing ladder is attached to the side of the stern.
Two double cabins forward and aft, a generously proportioned head compartment and an L-shaped galley offer sufficient touring comfort for the family. The saloon berth on the port side is over two metres long and can be used as additional sleeping accommodation. This means that up to five adults can sleep comfortably overnight.
The price for the Oceanis 30.1 has not yet been communicated; the dealers do not seem to know it either. Beneteau has only said this much: It is expected to be significantly lower than that of competing boats. The official announcement will be made at the latest on the occasion of the presentation at the trade fair in Düsseldorf.
The new Oceanis 30.1 can be seen as a world premiere in the Hall 16 at stand B42
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Michael Good
Editor Test & Technology
