It is by far the most important new release in Beneteau's most important programme. And this is probably one of the reasons why the world market leader waited so long to present the Oceanis 40.1. The twelve-metre yacht, which is set to set new standards in terms of volume, living comfort and variability, will be launched this summer - as the fourth and foreseeably most popular model in the current cruising boat range.
The "signature" of the new Oceanis series now looks familiar. Since the premiere of the Oceanis 51.1 two and a half years ago, the strong upturn of the hull in the foredeck has become a recognisable feature - as has the elongated, relatively flat cabin superstructure and the large cockpit. All of this also characterises the 40.1, although more compromises had to be made here between sheer aesthetics and practical utility.
The new boat replaces the previous Oceanis 41.1, whose hull had almost identical dimensions in length and width, but a far less fully utilised surface area. It may also make the 38.1 obsolete. From the owner's version with two compartments and a huge walk-in storage space on the port side aft to the charter boat with four cabins and two heads, she offers a variety that is unrivalled in this size. You could even go so far as to say that she is many boats in one.
In addition to four different cabin layouts (see photo gallery), owners of the new Oceanis 40.1 can also choose between three rigs, three keels and two types of wood for the interior - as well as seven (!) different equipment packages and other individual extras.
Like the Oceanis 46.1 and 51.1, the standard version has a furling main and self-tacking jib, which minimises the operating effort, but also the sail carrying capacity. Here, the 40.1 is orientated towards the lower end of what is usual for cruising boats today.
With a value of 4.1, it offers very little sail area in relation to its displacement. Even with the higher performance rig and a slightly overlapping genoa - both of which are optional extras - it only achieves an average value of 4.4. By comparison, the Bavaria C42, which is also new, has more potential even in its basic configuration with a sail carrying capacity of 4.5.
Damien Jacob, responsible for the development of sailing boats at Beneteau, explains this design as follows: "We deliberately wanted to keep the Oceanis 40.1 easy to handle. From our market research, we know that many sailors on yachts around twelve metres in length are beginners or have little experience. That's why the boat shouldn't overtax anyone."
Jacob is adamant that the 40.1 will still have good sailing characteristics and sufficient performance. "In Marc Lombard, we have engaged one of the top designers who has designed many highly efficient yachts, including one of the fastest Class 40s currently available." Lombard is also the architect of the Sun Odyssey 410 from Beneteau's sister shipyard Jeanneau. However, the two boats are separate designs; they simply share the same rudders and keels.
With a base price of 198,970 euros, the Oceanis 40.1 remains comparatively affordable. This is a good 10,000 euros more than the Bavaria C42. However, it will only be possible to say how attractive the entry-level model really is once the equipment has been removed from the comparison. This will follow shortly in the detailed YACHT test.
It will also be exciting to see whether the new model can build on the success of its two predecessors. The Oceanis 46.1, presented in 2018, won the European Yacht of the Year Award in the cruising boat category a year ago, while the Oceanis 30.1 only won it in January. A triple would be a first - and not just for Beneteau. No shipyard has ever achieved this in succession.
Tomorrow you can read all about the Oceanis Yacht 54, which is also new and is based on the sporty First 53, whose hull it takes over. However, it will have a heavily modified deck with a higher cabin superstructure and a cockpit that is closed aft - another highly interesting addition to the market.
