#TradeNews - Offshore yachting great Alex Thomson was on hand to unveil Beneteau’s new Oceanis 51.1 at the Southampton Boat Show this morning (Friday 15 September).

The most eagerly awaited Oceanis launch in a decade, the 51.1 sets up a very exciting winter for Irish broker BJ Marine – which has representatives on the floor to help secure your build slot as orders are already filling up fast.

Launched earlier this week at the Cannes Yachting Festival, which continues this weekend, the Oceanis 51.1 is being positioned at the first of a new generation for Beneteau’s Oceanis cruising yacht line.

Features including a new stepped hull, stylish deck plan and high-end performance options come with what Beneteau promises is a “cleverly designed, fast, spacious yacht that is exciting to sail yet easy to handle.”

The Oceanis 51.1’s stylish interior only adds to its high-performance design

And no one knows excitement quite like Alex Thomson, the Vendée Globe veteran who’s led the way in performance sailing aboard HUGO BOSS since 2003, and whose pushing of boundaries and record-breaking results make him the perfect partner for Beneteau to present the Oceanis 51.1 to the market at Southampton.

Next year's production of the Oceanis 51.1 is already selling incredibly quickly, and BJ Marine has teams in Southampton and in Cannes for the duration of both shows, to help owners get in on the action in time to hit the water next season whether at home or abroad.

The Beneteau Oceanis 51.1 has the option of having the boat rigged as a performance cruiser with carbon rig and deep keel

“The launch of the Oceanis 51.1 this week has meant a lot of travel for the BJ Marine team with clients travelling to both Cannes and Southampton to view her,” says James Kirwan, BJ Marine group sales manager.

“The hull design is stunning and the increase of interior volume has to be seen to be believed. This, combined with the option of having the boat rigged as a performance cruiser with carbon rig and deep keel, means that this model can be whatever our clients wants it to be. There are 700 possible configurations.

“It truly is a landmark launch for Beneteau and after 30 years representing the brand, it is as exciting a launch as we can recall.”

Find the BJ Marine team at the Beneteau stand throughout the 10 days of the Southampton Boat Show till 24 September. Other product launches like the world premiere of the New Swift Trawler 35 and a huge Beneteau outboard line-up make it well worth the trip for Irish customers.

Call James Kirwan for Beneteau Sail on 087 771 2223, David Hoctor for Beneteau Power on 085 887 3445 and Alan Corr for Monte Carlo on 087 253 3431.

As offshore sailors gather momentum for a new Olympic offshore discipline, the world's largest yacht manufacturer has unveiled the first images of a radical new one-design Figaro 3 with foils.

In the new Figaro 3, Groupe Beneteau is producing the first series-built production monohull with foils leaving no doubt that foiling is making it into mainstream sailing

The foils will make the new boat up to 15 per cent faster than its predecessor and are designed to replace the traditional weighty ballast tanks used on past Figaro models.

Described as ‘asymmetric tip foils’ they work by creating side force to supplement the keel and reduce leeway while causing minimal drag. An important factor is also that they are able to retract within the boat’s maximum beam.

Yacht broker Ancasta has announced its line up for Poole Harbour Boat Show 2017, which takes place from 19th to 21st May 2017. As one of the UK’s largest Beneteau power and sail dealerships, it will be presenting the Beneteau Oceanis 38.1 and 41.1 as well as the popular Swift Trawler 30 and 44 motor yachts.

Both the Beneteau Oceanis 38.1 and 41.1, which debuted in the UK in Autumn 2016, are designed with Finot-Conq hulls and Nauta interiors. The Oceanis range continues to offer a variety of different layouts, from number of cabins and bathrooms to a choice of galley layout, enabling clients to customise their boats to suit their style of sailing.

The Swift Trawler models at the show combine classic style and design with modern technology and boast incredible sea-keeping qualities for long distance or coastal cruising. Uninterrupted windows allow light to flood into the saloon. The Swift Trawler 30 is the newest in the latest generation of the range.

Poole Harbour Boat Show is open Friday 19th, Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st May from 10am to 5.30pm.

A First 375 has appeared on Afloat's Boats for Sale this week and there’s a timeless elegance to the general appearance and lines of the First 375 which suggests something beyond basic naval architecture in her creation writes W M Nixon. So it’s no surprise to learn that designer Jean Berret was a student at a very distinguished art school before his love of sailing, and offshore racing in particular, steered him into the professional designing of boats which he’d like to sail himself, and in 1985 the First 375 for Beneteau was signed off from his drawing board.

This 1988-built First 375 is based in Howth Yacht Club Marina, and is for sale through Leinster Boats. She certainly seems to have done what’s expected of her, as she has had only two previous owners. But as she is largely unchanged from new – including the original 28hp Volvo Penta diesel auxiliary – her sensible price of €31,950 reflects this, as some potential owners might think in terms of an early engine upgrade for this 28-year-old boat, planning on installing a more powerful yet lighter type of motor.

Against that, I was with a couple of happy co-owners on another cruiser of a certain age the other day who still cruise with their original vintage Volvo, and they wouldn’t dream of having anything else. Its weight gives it endurance, and it’s tops on fuel consumption too – “It would run on the smell of an oily rag” I was assured.

In this version of the First 375, the accommodation has been so arranged that you could sleep eight if needs be, but as there’s only one toilet that might feel a little crowded, and a more civilized approach would be no more than six with the saloon settee berths used only as settees. For four, she would be decidedly commodious, a very civilised fast cruiser which could give a good account of herself in local racing. As for her looks, you’re almost into “Spirit of Classics” territory here, she looked good when she was new, and she still looks good.

Read the full advert on Afloat's Boats for Sale here

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust have proudly been handed ownership of their highly anticipated new yacht, which will enable them to better support young people from the North of England and Scotland particularly those with mobility issues resulting from their cancer treatment.

Dame Ellen MacArthur, who founded the Trust with the aim of rebuilding young people's confidence in their recovery from cancer, joined Ash Overton of Ancasta, and Head of Charities Clara Govier from People's Postcode Lottery on the boat at the 2016 Southampton Boat Show to receive the keys.

The purchase was made possible after the Trust received an additional £200,000 at the People's Postcode Lottery Charity Gala from players of People's Postcode Lottery to invest into a yacht to improve the experience of young people at their newest base in Largs, Scotland, which opened in early 2013. With advice and support from Beneteau, Ancasta and Hamble Yacht Services Refit and Repair the boat was carefully selected, purchased and modified to best support the requirements of the Trust's young people.

Ellen expressed the charity's gratitude, "It's been a big day for the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust, it's a step that wouldn't have been possible without the massive support from players of People's Postcode Lottery, the Ancasta Group, and Beneteau so a huge thank you!" She continued "A magnificent job really has been done".

This is an important purchase for the Trust and the young people it supports, as it will improve the quality of the experience for those with mobility issues. The Trust supports a number of young people who have suffered from brain tumours and sarcomas, treatment of which affects their coordination, balance or may result in an amputation, limiting their ability to move around a boat.

Modifications made by Hamble Yacht Services Refit and Repairs to the boat, such as the fitting of extra handrails and altering the cabin space, will allow young people with these issues to have a better quality experience. The stern of the boat also lowers to pontoon height to enable easier access when the young people are embarking and disembarking from the boat.

Further to this, the yacht will expand the Trust's capacity to be able to offer 'Day Sails' for the families of young people who are too ill to join the four day trips.

Ancasta, the largest yacht brokers in Europe, have supported the Trust from the start of the purchase process enabling them to secure the Beneteau Oceanis 45. Ash Overton of Ancasta commented, "It has been a wonderful project to be involved with, working closely with the Trust to select and modify a yacht perfect for their needs. We can't wait to see it in action".

The yacht will now make its way up to the Largs base where it will join the Trust's operations ready to start the sailing season in spring 2017.

The Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust is a national organisation set up 13 years ago by internationally renowned yachtswoman Dame Ellen MacArthur that gives young people in recovery from cancer the opportunity to take part in sailing trips to rebuild their confidence. The Trust works with every young person Principal Treatment Centre in the UK and a growing number of Designated Units in the UK. It receives no government funding and relies entirely on voluntary donations to provide sailing trips free of charge to the young people.

There are many sides to the story of this Beneteau Idylle 13.5 writes W M Nixon. Some are happy, some are less so, but all are interesting. She’s a 45-footer which dates from a magic era in the 1980s when the classic yacht design skills of German Frers were combined with the technical expertise of Beneteau to produce the Idylle range, three fine performance cruiser – 10.5, 13.5 and 15.5 – which were built with trouble-free and comfortable yet fast cruising in mind. In an era when weird high volume craft with vast retroussé sterns were beginning to dominate the market, they continued to look like proper yachts, and they still do.

This Galway-based example of an Idylle 13.5 has a proven cruising record, but a recent illness – from which he has happily recovered – has meant that the owner has been unable to commission the boat in recent years. Now that he is contemplating getting afloat again, he’ll be starting in a smaller scale, and is prepared to take a 7.5 to 8.5 metre RIB in part exchange against the asking price of €55,000.

Though built in 1985, the boat wasn’t launched new until 1987, and has remained in the original ownership ever since, an example of loyalty which is rare these days. However, one item of equipment which hasn’t been included in the overall theme of loyalty is the original engine, as it has been replaced with new 60hp Perkins 4108 Lowline with new transmission, which will be a huge plus for any prospective purchaser.

The onset of illness led to the cancellation of cruising plans which had seen an investment in sails which are still virtually new, so clearly there are great opportunities here for someone looking for a cruiser with sound basic equipment and large enough for long liveboard periods, for she doesn’t stint on spacious comfort below. As for her hull profile – with the prop shaft emerging from a skeg rather than relying on an often troublesome P-bracket – here again we find suggestions of a genuine intention for serious cruising. Definitely worth a look. See the full advert on Afloat Boats for Sale here

Have you got a boat for sale? List her on Afloat boats for sale at a cost of €10 for 60 days 

The boat show model of the Beneteau 41.1 sailing cruiser has been sold off the Beneteau stand at the Dusseldorf Boat Show today by Irish broker BJ Marine. The brand new design is priced at €215k VAT paid.

The Oceanis 41.1 was launched in Paris only a month ago and has already sold in excess of 50 boats. 'She has a superb sailing performance, complimenting a massive cockpit and really spacious interior for a 41ft' says BJ Marine Sales Director James Kirwan.

BJ Marine opened its fifth office, in Cardiff, prior to the German show and the County Wicklow headquartered firm has had a busy week as agents for Beneteau in all of Ireland, Wales and the Med.

#allwalesboatshow – Irish Yacht Broker BJ Marine is making good on its latest base on the Irish Sea by becoming the largest exhibitor at the All Wales Boat Show, opening in Pwllheli this morning and running til Sunday.
Having opened its office in Pwllheli in December, General Manager James Kirwan told Afloat.ie  'we are very proud of the display we have put together with 11 boats at the show'.

The BJ Marine boats exhibited are some of Beneteau's newest and most popular models (list below). BJ also has 200 boats promoted at its brokerage stand ashore. BJ Marine has a six strong team on site for the duration of the show and look forward to welcoming all visitors.

The move in to Wales gives BJ Marine waterside locations and facilities at Bangor marina in County Down where it operates the marina boatyard, its head office at the new Greystones marina in Wicklow and now on the far side of the Irish Sea at Gwynedd in North Wales.

The marina in Pwllheli boasts 400 berths and storage for a further 200 boats ashore, which played a big part in BJ Marine's commitment to set up office there.

Beneteau are dealers for Beneteau power and sail, Monte Carlo yachts, Sea Ray and Fountaine Pajot. They have offices in Ireland, UK and Malta.

On Display in Wales
Beneteau Oceanis 48
Beneteau Oceanis 38
Beneteau Oceanis 35
Beneteau First 40
Beneteau First 30
Beneteau Antares 30
Beneteau Antares 780
Beneteau Barracuda 9
Beneteau Antares 580
Beneteau Swift Trawler 44

James Kirwan (left) and Bernard Gallagher at the BJ Marine brokerage stand this morning at the All Wales Boat Show

#dbsc – BENETEAU 31.7 Echo- 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Levante (M.Leahy/J.Power), 3. Extreme Reality (P.McSwiney/E.O'Rafferty)

BENETEAU 31.7 - 1. Prospect (Chris Johnston), 2. Levana (Jean Mitton), 3. Crazy Horse (F Heath & I Schuster)

CRUISERS 0 Echo - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Aurelia (Chris Power Smith), 3. Wow (George Sisk)

CRUISERS 0 - 1. Tsunami (Vincent Farrell), 2. Wow (George Sisk), 3. Aurelia (Chris Power Smith)

CRUISERS 1 - 1. Ruth (L Shanahan), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 1 Echo - 1. Ruth (L Shanahan), 2. Jalapeno (P Barrington et al), 3. Something Else (J.Hall et al)

CRUISERS 2 Echo - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Antix (D Ryan), 3. Peridot (Jim McCann et al)

CRUISERS 2 - 1. Jester (Declan Curtin), 2. Peridot (Jim McCann et al), 3. Jambiya (Ryan & Lattimore)

CRUISERS 3 A Echo - 1. Hard on Port (F O'Driscoll), 2. Quest (B Cunningham), 3. Cries of Passion (B Maguire)

CRUISERS 3 A - 1. Quest (B Cunningham), 2. Hard on Port (F O'Driscoll), 3. Cries of Passion (B Maguire)

CRUISERS 3 B - 1. Asterix (Counihan/Meredith/Bushell), 2. Cacciatore (M Ni Cheallachain), 3. Taiscealai (B Richardson)

CRUISERS 3 B Echo - 1. Jiminy Cricket (M Tyndall), 2. Small Wonder (H Kelly), 3. Saki (Paget McCormack et al)

Combined Classes Echo - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Jester (Declan Curtin)

Combined Classes - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Jester (Declan Curtin)

DRAGON - 1. Diva (R.Johnson/R.Goodbody), 2. Phantom (D.Williams), 3. Zinzan (Daniel O'Connor et al)

FLYING FIFTEEN - 1. Ignis Caput (David Mulvey), 2. Betty (D & S Gorman), 3. Fflogger (Alan Dooley)

GLEN - 1. Glenmiller (P Cusack), 2. Glenmarissa (F.Elmes), 3. Glendun (B.Denham et al)

RUFFIAN 23 - 1. Shannagh (S.Gill/P.MacDiarmada), 2. Diane ll (A Claffey/C Helme), 3. Bandit (Kirwan/Cullen/Brown)

SB20 - 1. Venuesworld.com (Ger Dempsey), 2. Sin Bin (Michael O'Connor)

SHIPMAN - 1. Jo Slim (J.Clarke et al), 2. Euphanzel lll (M Muldoon), 3. Gusto (Heath, Miles, Crisp, Duggan)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Leeuwin (H&C Leonard & B Kerr)

SIGMA 33 - 1. White Mischief (Timothy Goodbody), 2. Rupert (R & P Lovegrove), 3. Popje (Ted McCourt)

SQUIB - 1. Perfection (Jill Fleming), 2. Sidewinder (R&R Westrup), 3. Femme Fatale (V Delaney)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS Echo - 1. More Mischief (Eamonn Doyle), 2. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 3. Just Jasmin (Philip Smith)

WHITE SAIL CRUISERS - 1. Persistence (C. Broadhead et al), 2. White Lotus (Paul Tully), 3. Act Two (Michael O'Leary et al)

#dbscturkeyshoot – A Beneteau First 50 is being chased hard by two J109 designs for the overall lead in DBSC's Turkey Shoot fixture. The fifth race of the series is this Sunday and after four races sailed and some changing handicaps, the overall scores are getting very interesting.  

Mermaid IV has an overall lead of six points from Dear Prudence. A J/109 sistership and Turkey Shoot regular, Indecision, is third by a single point.

The overall scoresheet for the 67–boat fleet is downloadable below.