1998 Beneteau 36 CC Oceanis

[Yorkshire Girl]

New to sailing and live aboard. I love the look and feel of the Beneteau, but a die hard Morgan fan is advising against buying for the look and feel of a boat and instead go for something sturdy and practical. I'm a girl and I want a boat that I like, with an open and airy feel, but I also want to be safe when sailing in South West Florida, down to the Keys and the Caribbean.
Is this a boat I will likely be able to sail myself?
Thank you in anticipation,
Carole.

[Calif.Ted]

The center cockpit adds a little challenge when docking, mooring or anchoring solo, but should be as easy as any other 36' boat to sail.

[Eleuthera 2014]

Hello Yorkshire girl,

Welcome aboard. The CC 36 is indeed a nice vessel. Center cockpit has challenges but only small ones; on the other hand, the cockpit is well protected and a huge bonus in heavy seas.

You stay a lot dryer...

[Vasco]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

The center cockpit adds a little challenge when docking, mooring or anchoring solo, but should be as easy as any other 36' boat to sail.

How is this? I've found center cockpits to be easier when docking and anchoring. The visibility is so much better, you don't have 36 feet (or more) of boat ahead of you and you're a bit higher. The only thing I don't like about them is that the cockpit is usually wetter when going to weather. The B36CC has a lot of room for a 36 foot boat.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Girl

New to sailing and live aboard. I love the look and feel of the Beneteau, but a die hard Morgan fan is advising against buying for the look and feel of a boat and instead go for something sturdy and practical. I'm a girl and I want a boat that I like, with an open and airy feel, but I also want to be safe when sailing in South West Florida, down to the Keys and the Caribbean.
Is this a boat I will likely be able to sail myself?
Thank you in anticipation,
Carole.

Are you really a Yorkshire girl? I'm a Brit from Sunny Poole, Dorset with a 1998 Oceanis 36 CC here in Florida. Not a liveaboard on this boat after I had a stroke when we lived aboard a 47ft trawler yacht and we went back to sail plus a condo dirt home instead. The Oceanis is very roomy and comfy below and handles easily. Ours has a shoal draught winged keel and 48ft air draught which is perfect for the skinny waters of the ICW, Florida Keys and Bahamas Back in the UK we owned a 41 foot Jeanneau Sun Legende, modified for long distance cruising and that would have made an excellent live aboard except that the draught was 7 ft and air draught also on the limit for the 65ft fixed bridges of the Ditch, but with the 48ft air draught of the Benny we don't panic .
Ours has a Yanmar 3GM30 engine which gives an easy cruise speed of 7kts it is easy to handle ahead and astern ( eat your heart out long keeled Morgan owners) which makes for stress free berthing in tight spots. We are both wrinklie pensioners ( I'm 70) and sail just two up so no fit crew to help. Because of my stroke I did have stern davits installed to carry a RIB as tender, easier and more stable. The 9.9hp motor stays on the RIB for calm waters use but we have a motor lift davit as well to raise it from the dinghy onto a pushpit bracket if we expect lumpy sailing.

We have in mast furling mainsail ( and the usual furling genoa) which is a first for me after 50 years of sailing back in Europe, another concession to my stroke and the two total hip replacements I had before leaving the UK to live here (my wife is American BTW)


Feel free to ask any specific questions about the Oceanis 36CC. Ours was built in France and shipped here for the original USA owner but I think they were later made in the USA also There is a Beneteau website with info on all models which is very useful and it has info from quite a few 36CC owners that you may find very useful. Google it on U tube too and there are some good videos one of 'Carolina Girl' IIRC under sail in California

Robin

[Yorkshire Girl]

Thank you Robin, it's great to speak with someone who owns what appears to be the exact same boat...yes, the engine is the same...and yes, I am really from Yorkshire. Lived in Sandgate on the south Kent coast for the past 8 years before coming out to Florida in March of this year

[Cheechako]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Girl

New to sailing and live aboard. I love the look and feel of the Beneteau, but a die hard Morgan fan is advising against buying for the look and feel of a boat and instead go for something sturdy and practical. I'm a girl and I want a boat that I like, with an open and airy feel, but I also want to be safe when sailing in South West Florida, down to the Keys and the Caribbean.
Is this a boat I will likely be able to sail myself?
Thank you in anticipation,
Carole.

That boat is fine for your use. Many of us on this forum, and elsewhere believe in older design, sturdy boats, but we think in terms of sailing across oceans, for years etc.
Many people sail the oceans in Beneteaus. Old boats are great but can be major work ....and continual work too.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by Yorkshire Girl

Thank you Robin, it's great to speak with someone who owns what appears to be the exact same boat...yes, the engine is the same...and yes, I am really from Yorkshire. Lived in Sandgate on the south Kent coast for the past 8 years before coming out to Florida in March of this year

The u tube video is here

[Polux]

I am not sure if the Beneteau 36cc has the same hull of the Beneteau 361, the dimensions match, the designer is the same and they come to the market at about the same time 1998/1999.

Both boats are very similar except on the configuration, one is a Center cockpit the other is a aft cockpit, the built and seaworthiness is similar and in what regards sailing comfort there are advantages and disadvantage: The center cockpit offers a bit more protection to spray but being on a higher position and more away from the CG the lateral movement is bigger up there than on a lower cockpit.

What these center cockpit offers (Bavaria had also one that had the same hull as the "normal" version) is a lot more interior space. There are sometimes the idea that these boats are more strong or more seaworthy than the versions with the aft cockpit but that has not any substance.

[Emmalina]

Originally Posted by Calif.Ted

The center cockpit adds a little challenge when docking, mooring or anchoring solo, but should be as easy as any other 36' boat to sail.

I personally find it a lot easier

[LaMer]

Yorkshire Girl,
A good question you posted is safety. Beneteau boats fall under the building and construction materials that have " CE " certification which is also a third party inspection as apposed to most US built under " ABYC " guidelines. My advice is to compare these to form an opinion in regard to safety. Under CE cert. most European builders follow this in order to comply with " ISO " standards and require a third party to certify that this was adhered to.
Regards,
Mike

[1234 Thunder]

Originally Posted by LaMer

Yorkshire Girl,
A good question you posted is safety. Beneteau boats fall under the building and construction materials that have " CE " certification which is also a third party inspection as apposed to most US built under " ABYC " guidelines. My advice is to compare these to form an opinion in regard to safety. Under CE cert. most European builders follow this in order to comply with " ISO " standards and require a third party to certify that this was adhered to.
Regards,
Mike

As someone very familiar with "CE" standards and ISO certification, there is no way that someone can read these specs and decide which boat is safer. Most companies have to hire consultants to interpret the specification for them. Not to mention the incredible boredom of the reading. That alone could kill you -- negating any safety advantage.

[Robin3]

Originally Posted by 1234 Thunder

As someone very familiar with "CE" standards and ISO certification, there is no way that someone can read these specs and decide which boat is safer. Most companies have to hire consultants to interpret the specification for them. Not to mention the incredible boredom of the reading. That alone could kill you -- negating any safety advantage.

You cannot 'buy' safety, or specify it in ratios or other figures it is a state of mind nor do you sail by artificial CE numbers, or drive a boat like a driverless Google car.

The biggest influence on performance and safety at sea is the nut holding the wheel or tiller

[Polux]

Originally Posted by Robin3

You cannot 'buy' safety, or specify it in ratios or other figures it is a state of mind nor do you sail by artificial CE numbers, or drive a boat like a driverless Google car.

The biggest influence on performance and safety at sea is the nut holding the wheel or tiller

I agree but only partially. Not all boats are the same in what regards scantlings and stability, even if they are the same size. I agree also with the previous poster that said that it was not through being CE approved or ABYC approved that you know about a boat seaworthiness. Those are just minimums.

Also when we talk about a used boat wit 10 or 13 years it should not be analyzed in what regards security as if it was a new boat. Other concerns like if the rig was changed?, the seacocks have been changed? the boat has been grounded hard? The boat structure and bulkheads are in perfect condition and the bonds are in perfect shape?, the keel bolts are tight? how many hours has the the engine? it has been well maintained according to the chart maintenance?the rudder has been taken out regularly and maintenance has been done properly? are just some items that has to do with security, that you don´t have to check on a new boat but that are indispensable to check on a used boat with 10 or more years.

[Oliyeates]

Hey everyone.
I’m trying to understand the load capacity for the savors that are installed on my 1998 Beneteau Oceanis 36cc. I.e how much weight can the davits hold?

I have check inside the boat and it appears that the davits are original from the factory build as the starboard davits bolts and backing plate are mounded into the fiberglass.

There are no markings on the davits etc so I am not sure who built them (Beneteau or another company for Beneteau)

Does anyone have this old capacity info?

Many thanks

Oli