Beneteau has recently made a significant change in direction with the release of the Oceanis 34.1. In this article we will analyze the boat in detail and during the test at sea.
With a hull designed by Marc Lombard and deck, styling and interior by Nauta Design, the Oceanis 34.1 replaces the 2016 Oceanis 35.1, which in turn was a reinterpretation of the Oceanis 35. More than any previous model in this generation of designs, the Oceanis 34.1 represents the change of perspective enacted by Beneteau in recent years.
After trying to promote the idea of the deck arch and the comfort-only boat on the market, the French shipyard realized it was on a bumpy road, so it did a U turn and went back to basics, with a range composed of models, at least the smaller ones, that re-embrace the sailing tradition. Sail surfaces proportionate to the weight of the boat, low boom that allows to work on the mainsail, fast hull with a not moderate deckhouse, easy but efficient running rigging.
Quite the opposite of the previous model, which sported a very high boom above an unsightly roll bar, with a high center of gravity that made it roll more than it should at anchor and heel excessively when sailing upwind.
The mainsail area of the Oceanis 35.1 was 25.75 square meters versus 31.4 square meters for the mainsail of this model, which means about 20 percent more just for the mainsail. So now that we are talking again about sailboats and not of boats trying to be motor-homes, we can go back to talking about hulls, deck equipment, and performance. And indeed the Oceanis 34.1 stands out as a fast cruising boat, as we shall see in the sea trial section.
The hull of Oceanis 34.1
Before we get to the test, however, let’s talk a bit about the hull. It follows the lines already designed by Marc Lombard for the Oceanis 40.1,
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