Mr. Lucky, you don't tell us where you are based or what plans you have for the boat...and IMO those are major factors in trying to answer your question. The Beneteau model you are considering, again IMO, lacks suitable tankage and deck
hardware for even regional cruising in some areas, and there are additional problems with it if wanting to cross an ocean. OTOH if your plans are like 98% of other owners, it's probably as good as any other comparable choice out there. (What a great
marketing slogan: "Our boat is no worse than the other guy's...")
Re: all these AWB's, I think it's when you begin looking at the details that questions arise. As just one simple example, check the deck
hardware associated with
anchoring. The plate thickness used for the
anchor roller is usually 1/8", the roller is cantelevered forward of the bow, fasteners are inboard and few in number, the platform's bail does not accommodate anchors of larger sizes, the roller cheeks may not be rounded, and the nylon snubber for an all-chain
rode (not expected by the builder) lacks a fairlead to a suitable cleat. None of this is a major problem for the weekend sailor but these
anchor roller assemblies bend or fail altogether when doing more serious cruising. Eventually, such limitations can even make themselves known if e.g. living on the hook in the
Caribbean or
Baja. Imagine how many systems there are on a boat carefully built to a price which may include similar compromises.
One last thought: I recently spent 9 weeks in a boatyard of superior capability, watching them try to
repair used AWBs. The generic problem they kept having was that all these cost-conscious build choices worked against long-term longevity of the systems and made
repairs difficult and expensive. Beneteaus distinguished themselves in this regard: hull/deck joints split,
mast step/rig loading structures rusted, welds broke, and they had to be removed and junked,
fuel was found to have migrated inbetween the
hull laminates of foam-cored First series hulls, the
fuel came from leaky manifolds that couldn't be easily repaired since they were built of plastic and not accessible for
removal, keels lacked a good match-up with their hulls'
keel stubs (I could easily place my hand in the gap on one boat), and the list went on. In one case, a 2-year old 600K Euro Beneteau began to have its
keel crack horizontally, Beneteau wouldn't answer the
phone or examine the boat, lawyers were involved, etc. This is hardly a distinguished
record and the implications of building to a price go way beyond 'springy decks'.
Still...most Beneteaus probably provide good
service to their owners because they see very little use. If your plans are similar, then it's all about a careful
survey with a small portion of luck thrown into the mix.
Jack