What company Beneteau going to break out of the shackles of the great recession and is moving full sail towards a brighter future, is well illustrated by the fact that during the exhibition season 2010-2011, the company unveiled not one, but two yachts from its new line of cruising sail yacht Sense.
Sailing yacht Sense 43 can boast the same number of additional functions, like her older sister, the recently released Sense 50, but it demonstrates the fact that the design concept of the yacht Sense can be successfully embodied in vessels smaller.
DESIGN
The design of the vessel very comfortable. The body is made of fiberglass and polyester resin. Deck has sandwichery design with balcoy and securely connected to the hull by bolts and glue. The keel is cast iron. The quality of the finish is no different from most modern yachts, put to mass production.
ON THE DECK
All that separates the extremely wide cockpit from the saloon is three low steps. A similar ramp is very wide, so guests can easily pass inside, without disturbing each other in the cockpit. Two control stations are located in the aft (here you will find a lifting transom platform, insuring you in case you accidentally stumble, being near the open transom, when you depart from the helm), so there is room for dialogue on this boat is more than enough. Draws attention to a folding table at the right side, the perimeter of which is a sofa that transformirovalsya in the Solarium.
All running rigging from the mast and boom goes to the stern to duplicate winches in front and rear of the cockpit where I can get to them very easy. Overhead boom-sheet is not here, but instead the mainsail is attached to the blocks on the big arch located above the cockpit and enter the salon. This mount is quite reliable, but I personally did not have a habitual working with sheets when the shoulder straps installed in the cockpit. Running rigging is hidden under a small two special panels on the coamings, and it is simply impossible to make sure that they were somehow separated from each other.
Perhaps the most successful elements of the cockpit are two huge lockers, located on each side. They will easily fit Jerry cans with fuel, sails, deflated and rolled-up rubber boats and outboard motors – in short, for active travelers, they will be extremely helpful. If necessary, it is quite comfortable to sleep on a bunk in the aisle – for the convenience of the locker at the left side is equipped with a folding hole under the manhole cover, which is breathable.
ACCOMMODATION
When creating these new yachts design team the Beneteau and the Berret Racoupeau boldly refused to follow the fact that has long been considered the main design rule of cruising yachts. Instead of trying to expand the passenger cabin and the space on the nose of the ship, literally squeezing all the amenities under the cockpit, the designers focused on expanding the main space in the public areas – salon and cockpit and a maximum approaching them to each other.
Yacht Sense 43 the cockpit and the cabin is 2/3 of the whole space of the vessel to the stern, and all the “bedroom” and one latrine is situated on the nose. The salon is very spacious and open, with excellent visibility and allocation of all space in all directions that can be found on catamarans. Large Windows look to the right and left side as well as on the aft part of the cockpit. To the front there is a small porthole on the bulkhead, overlooking the rest of the space under the deck.
The galley is on the port side, directly behind the island that separates the center compartment, and it seems very spacious. Two sinks are not too large and deep, but there is a lot of useful storage space and two excellent working surfaces on both sides of the plate. Saloon and settee on the inside just opposite the galley and look comfortable and spacious. For evening entertainment in the salon features a large flat-screen TV, which leaves the electro-platform island in the center of the cabin, just in front of the seats.
Chart table located along the part of the sitting area, which is closer to the stern, and which offers a nice view through the window straight into the cockpit – one of the best that I have seen on a conventional yacht of this size. Desk is quite long, and you definitely have enough space to lay out all the cards and paper. A lot can be placed in hinged glazed cabinets – they are well suited for the installation of additional electronic equipment.
Two cabins located in the nose, seem to be extraordinarily functional and spacious inside can accommodate double beds. Guest cabin on the port side, I think, would suit more for two single beds, which would open more space on the floor, and such planning this boat would be the perfect boat for couples with two children.
SAILING
As her older sister, sailing yacht Sense 43 shows good progress. Sharp cheekbones of the hull and two pen rudders provide extraordinary stability of the yacht in motion on the course even when the boat is heavily heeled. Changing sails, you can select the one that is needed for mild or moderate stroke. We tested the boat came with a short keel and was equipped grotto with a twist in the mast, the staysail and gennaker on the twist, which is located right behind the forestay. When the real wind in 10-12 knots in the center of Miami beach we were able to support the speed sailing the yacht in 5.7 – 6 knots in a steep wind in calm water and at an angle of 40 degrees to the wind. Moving away from the shore and deploying the gennaker we reached a speed of 7.6 knots. In shallow water the rate fell to 6.7 knots. At full wind, and when wind angle of 135 degrees, up to 4.7 knots.
It seemed to me that the wheel scrolls smoothly and is well balanced. Going cool wind with correctly set sails, I could never touch the steering wheel to 10 minutes, until the vessel had begun to drift. In a steep close-hauled under gennakers with the wind in 15 knots tended to operate the vessel to the wind. When fully wind the steering wheel remained in a neutral position.
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SHIP
Sailing yacht Sense 43, unlike her elder sisters, can not be ordered together with a new control system Beneteau for entry and exit of the Marina (Dock & Go), although today this model comes with a traditional bow thruster. During our testing the yacht’s engine 54 HP led the ship in calm water at a speed of 6.5 knots and 1,800 rpm and full power at a speed of 9 knots and 3 000 rpm. Two rudder provides good control in reverse, as long as the angle of deflection remained relatively small.
Unfortunately, not a very good situation with the access to the engine. If you need to quickly get to the engine, not-so-great steps of a similar ladder in the usual way, but the engine is not as close as I would like, making it difficult to access it. Laterally to get close to the engine through removable panels on the lockers in the cockpit. If you store a large number of gear in these lockers, you will have to pull all that stuff out, and then pull out the dipstick and check the oil.
CONCLUSION
Model Sense 43 will definitely attract those who want to see on your boat, a space for passengers in the style of a catamaran on single-hull vessel, which shows excellent performance characteristics and is easily operated. Couples or families with children will find quite a comfortable journey for quite a period of time. Thanks to its spacious cockpit sailing yacht Sense 43 can also accommodate noisy company of your friends during the trip.
OUR RATING
Advantages
– Bright and spacious interior
– Large, spacious cockpit
– Good stability on the course and excellent seakeeping characteristics of the vessel
– Attractive design
Disadvantages
– Awkward approach to the engine
– No carriage to boom-sheet.
Author: Charles George. Doesn
Source: Sail Magazine, January 2012
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