- The Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 impresses with its unique design
- Unrivalled variety: three keels, two rigs, two interiors
- The Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 covers a wide range
- Sailing with the Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 is like driving a kart
- Sober interior with high living comfort
- Measured values Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
- YACHT review Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
- Technical data Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
In this article:
Hardly any large shipyard is precise when it comes to model designations in the ten metre hull length class. The entry-level Bavaria, which was once launched as the Cruiser 32 and later became the Cruiser 33, has long since become the 34 for marketing reasons. Dufour even calls its boat 360 with an almost identical length, and the new Oceanis 34.1 fits in well in this environment.
The hull designed by Marc Lombard is actually only 32.8 feet long. However, the high freeboard and wide bulkhead shape make the boat appear larger from a distance. In terms of room layout and volume below deck, it not only feels larger than the competition, it actually is. You could call it a "false giant", even if this term has negative connotations.
The Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 impresses with its unique design
Like its sister models from the same manufacturer, the Oceanis 34.1 has chine edges that extend from the aft, where they are softly moulded, all the way to the front. While the wetted area remains small in a neutral position as a result, the boat offers more usable width in the interior.
The hull is slightly chamfered towards the deck, which provides a little more stability and a small weight advantage. Above all, however, it looks more contemporary and conceals the high freeboard. Twin rudders are now obligatory at Beneteau, unlike the competition. And it is almost surprising that Marc Lombard did not extend the largest beam of 3.57 metres all the way aft. In fact, the stern is slightly retracted, which is good for the design visually.
The Oceanis does not need a backstay because the mast is braced by two wide, strongly swept-back pairs of spreaders. This allowed the steering columns to be moved far outwards and to the stern, which in turn increases the cockpit area. The endeavour to maximise space utilisation runs through the entire boat.
Unrivalled variety: three keels, two rigs, two interiors
And then there is something else that takes the 34.1 to the extreme: its truly unrivalled versatility and variability. It is available with three different attachments alone, including a swivelling keel for tidal areas or berths with shallow water depths, which is rarely offered in this class.
There are also two different rigs (standard or furling mast) with three different sail plans and two layout options: Aft, there is a choice of two double cabins or a single cabin, which is then opposed on the port side by a larger wet cell and a huge forecastle.
The wish programme is far from over. The list of extras and option packages will soon comprise 100 lines, supplemented by 20 footnotes on which optional extras can and cannot be combined with which version. Finding exactly the right option from this wealth of possibilities is a real challenge for prospective buyers and dealers alike. However, this is what makes the Oceanis what it should be: a boat for the whole world.
There are also extras that are not available elsewhere for ten-metre yachts. These include a compact air conditioning system from Dometic, which can be operated using lithium batteries and inverters and is not dependent on shore power or a generator. A highly attractive innovation for the Mediterranean or the Caribbean, which we will be presenting separately and in detail in one of the next issues of Skippers magazine.
The Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 covers a wide range
It was its unrivalled versatility that secured the 34.1 the nomination for European Yacht of the Year in the year of its premiere. It ranges from the variety of possible components to its fundamental design. A good indicator of this is the sail carrying capacity. If you choose the most comfortable version with furling mast and self-tacking jib, the Oceanis achieves a value of 3.8, which does not exactly promise temperament. In the standard version it is 4.0, while in the highest configuration with a wide top in the main and genoa it is an almost sporty 4.5 - an extreme spread.
The highly recommended first-line version was available to us for the test. However, it was not equipped with the matching 27 square metre genoa, but with the self-tacking jib (18.3 square metres). On the wind, the sail carrying capacity is therefore slightly higher than the basic version (4.1 instead of 4.0), but remains well below the maximum possible potential. Regardless of this, the boat was fun to sail.
Sailing with the Beneteau Oceanis 34.1 is like driving a kart
At 3 Beaufort and despite a choppy sea, the Oceanis cruised cheerfully through the water at around 6 knots. Under Code Zero and on a more open course, at around 60 degrees to the true wind, the boat really came to life. On the one hand, because the increase in sail area leads directly to an increase in speed. Secondly, because the boat reacts very directly to rudder impulses. It's almost like driving a kart, at least in rough seas. This requires novices to get used to it, but it is also fun, especially as its directness is not accompanied by nervousness.
On the contrary: the 34.1 sails stiffly, is easy to control and is not tricky. It also conveys a structural strength and solidity that seems above average: no twisting, no trembling in the waves and, on top of that, hardly any noise from the extension. This is all the more surprising given that she is one of the lighter yachts in her genre; compared to her predecessor, the 35.1, she weighs almost half a tonne less with the same volume.
Under engine power, the Oceanis remains inconspicuous. The test boat equipped with the optional 29 hp Yanmar three-cylinder engine ran at a top speed of 7.5 knots, which is hull speed; at cruising speed it was still 6.6 knots. The manoeuvring characteristics proved to be unproblematic, despite the twin rudders not being directly powered. Here too, the manoeuvrability favoured by designer Marc Lombard comes into play. As under sail, the boat reacts directly and agilely, making it easy to manoeuvre through crowded harbours and into narrow gaps.
Sober interior with high living comfort
Anyone looking for wellness on the water rather than the joy of travelling will also be happy with the 34.1. The stringency and minimalism of its interior, designed by Nauta Design, is not exactly homely, and in grey skies and drizzle it is downright sober. Beyond the atmospheric, however, there is virtually nothing to criticise.
In fact, no competitor offers so much yacht in the same length: headroom, storage space and berth dimensions are perfectly acceptable even in the version with two aft cabins. The forward accommodation is extremely comfortable in all versions.
If you want to treat yourself to something special, choose just one cabin aft, where you can enjoy almost the same sleeping area as in the foredeck, plus a wet room with separate shower and around 2.5 cubic metres of extra storage space in the forecastle. In combination with the first-line rig, this is the most comprehensive option - one that is capable of inspiring many owners.
Measured values Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
Sailing performance
without drift and current, wind speed: 8-10 kn (3 Bft.), wave height: offshore approx. 0.5 metres
* With code zero ** With gennaker
Potential
The 34.1 carries little sail in the Standard Line and relatively much sail in the First Line (STZ 4.5)
1: Dimensionless number. Calculation: 2√S/3√V. The higher the value, the more sail area (S) the ship has in relation to the displacement (V).
Berth dimensions
YACHT review Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
Bulky on the outside, slightly undercooled on the inside - the Oceanis 34.1 is not one of those boats that you immediately fall for. But the sum of its secondary virtues ultimately results in a pretty good whole for almost every taste
Design and concept
- + Very versatile configurable tourer
- + Efficient hull lines
- + Currently the most modern yacht in its class
Sailing performance and trim
- + Direct and lively on the rudder
- + Good performance with first-line rig
- - Sometimes tedious line management
Living and finishing quality
- + Good space utilisation
- + Proper processing
- - Sober ambience below deck
Equipment and technology
- + Very extensive option list
- - Scarce standard equipment
Technical data Beneteau Oceanis 34.1
- Designer: Lombard Design
- CE design category: A
- Hull length: 9.96 m
- Width: 3.57 m
- Draught/alternative: 2.0/1.5, 1.25-2.55 m
- Weight: 5.5 tonnes
- Ballast/proportion: 1.6 t/29 %
- Mainsail: 31.0 m2
- Self-tacking jib: 18.7 m2
- Engine (Yanmar): 15 kW/21 hp
Hull and deck construction
- Hull: GRP solid laminate using the hand lay-up method
- Deck: Vacuum injection with balsa wood core
Price and shipyard
(as at: Q4/2021)
- Base price ex shipyard: 129710 €
- Price ready to sail*: 150740 €
- Comfort price*: 168920 €
- Guarantee/against osmosis: 2/2 years
- Shipyard: Chantier Beneteau, 85850 Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie (France); www.beneteau.com
* How the prices shown are defined can be found here!
