Beneteau has announced the first of a new generation of Oceanis sailing yachts which promise to be faster than previous models and feature up to 35% additional sail area.
Fitted with an extra-long carbon or aluminium mast, the customisable Oceanis 51.1 was designed by Olivier Racoupeau and has a stepped hull which creates additional interior space without changing the shape of the bottom.
Beneteau marketing director, Gianguido Girotti, said: “We capitalized on our experiences with the First and the Figaro, which are boats that are more focused on racing. We brought their values into the heart of a cruising yacht.”
The boat has a 2.8m lead bulb keel which reduces weight and hydrodynamic drag and comes with the option of three different keel types and five rigging plans.
The furling mast, self-tailing jib and all the halyards and sheets on the standard model are brought back to a single winch at each of the helm stations. The vessel is also fitted with Dock & Go technology to simplify manoeuvring.
Oceanis 51.1 will be available to view at the Cannes, Southampton and Annapolis boat shows.
