Offshore sailing a Beneteau 50

[bene505]

I recently purchased a Beneteau 505, built 2000. She is the Moorings version of the Beneteau Oceanus 50.

I'm in the process of upgrading and would like any input on sailing one offshore, from anyone who has done so.

Also what adjustments were made for such voyaging.

Brad

[Ex-Calif]

Hi brad and welcome to Cruiser's Forum. You'll get plenty of inputs I am sure. Congrats on the new boat.

It might be useful to know you cruising plans. May not need a furnace if you aren't doing Southern Oceans too often ;-)

[bene505]

Originally Posted by Ex-Calif

Hi brad and welcome to Cruiser's Forum. You'll get plenty of inputs I am sure. Congrats on the new boat.

It might be useful to know you cruising plans. May not need a furnace if you aren't doing Southern Oceans too often ;-)

Yes, of course!

Sailing based out of Long Island, NY, CT and RI. Trip to Nantucket this summer. Trips to Bermuda in the future, both summer and winter.

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by bene505

input on sailing one offshore, from anyone who has done so.

It will sink.

[Hud3]

Welcome to the Forum, Brad! Hope you enjoy it here.

Based on my observations of Bene's in charter, they all seem to have a small bimini and no dodger. Adding a sturdy dodger, with an attached bimini, will improve your comfort level considerably.

[s/v Moondancer]

I actualy like 'Bendytoys' they are bang for the buck and the Oceanis 50's I have been on are not too badly built but then they were not the charter version. However, they are not as well built as traditional 'offshore' boats so you have to be conservative and be careful of weather windows which is why they were never on my possible boats to buy list; I would not want to be on one in the Gulf Stream in a winter northerly.

The charter boats I have sailed never have deep enough reefs in the main, so unless she has roller furling on the main I would add a very deep third reef (my boat actually as a 4th reef instead of a trisail, 125 sq ft on a 25 ton boat. It is good up to 50+ knots) and I would have a storm jib, a 'gale sail' from ATN is easier to fly than a traditional storm jib unless she as an inner forestay. If you have money to burn you could add an inner forestay and running backs so that you can fly a staysail...I love mine and fly it deeply reefed up to 45 knots instead of the storm jib and the time my back stay broke the running back helped keep the rig up.

The most important thing is that you have the skills to handle her offshore (by skills I mean being able to bang in the third reef at night in a 40 knot rain squall in less than 5 minutes or in the same weather being able to go forward and sort out a jammed roller furler with the jib and the sheets beating you to death) reef early and be conservative! Oh, and Bermuda is lovely in May but visiting it in winter or hurricane season is only asking for trouble.

Phil

[bene505]

Originally Posted by Hud3

Welcome to the Forum, Brad! Hope you enjoy it here.

Based on my observations of Bene's in charter, they all seem to have a small bimini and no dodger. Adding a sturdy dodger, with an attached bimini, will improve your comfort level considerably.

Yes. We have a very large bimini and a new dodger. They dodger is amazing, it's so much warmer and dryer under it.

[AnchorageGuy]

If you really press Beneteau they will tell you they never built these boats for offshore use. But there are lots of them out sailing around the world. You just need to be aware of their limitations and sail within those limitations. Be constantly vigilant for potential problems and keep up a good inspection and maintenance schedule.

[waterworldly]

But there are lots of them out sailing around the world. You just need to be aware of their limitations and sail within those limitations. Be constantly vigilant for potential problems and keep up a good inspection and maintenance schedule.


That is without a doubt the best advise I have ever seen on this forum, in general and in specific. Those that poo poo production boats should read it again and again, it´s the WEATHER and the MAINENANCE that really count on ANY boat, ANYwhere.

[bene505]

This is great and moves into a different category of question.What are the limitations that I need to be aware of?

[AnchorageGuy]

Limitations are mostly going to be in the construction of the vessel. The rigging attachment, rigging itself, keel attachment and hull stiffeners. As owner there is not much you can do about these other than perhaps upgrading the rigging and that means a big expense and throwing away perfectly good rigging. But the limitations to you would mean picking your passages and not pushing the boat hard in heavy weather. It will mean reducing sail sooner rather than later and perhaps running with heavy seas when encountered instead of hammering into them. It will mean sometimes sitting in the harbor when other cruising boats get under way. It might mean using a weather routing service to keep you out of serious situations and avoiding heavy weather.

[donradcliffe]

See if you can get in touch with Pizazz-- its a Beneteau 500 who has done one of the toughest offshore legs in the world--upwind from Panama to the ABC's.

Cruising Logs for the Coast of Colombia: Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao | Sailonline.com

[AnchorageGuy]

I am not sure I would call this one of the toughest offshore legs in the world. Any passage can be difficult if done under adverse conditions. We have cruising friends that have done this same passage in flat calm conditions because of lack of wind.

[bene505]

Originally Posted by Chuck Baier

Limitations are mostly going to be in the construction of the vessel. The rigging attachment, rigging itself, keel attachment and hull stiffeners. As owner there is not much you can do about these other than perhaps upgrading the rigging and that means a big expense and throwing away perfectly good rigging. But the limitations to you would mean picking your passages and not pushing the boat hard in heavy weather. It will mean reducing sail sooner rather than later and perhaps running with heavy seas when encountered instead of hammering into them. It will mean sometimes sitting in the harbor when other cruising boats get under way. It might mean using a weather routing service to keep you out of serious situations and avoiding heavy weather.

The rigging seems very beefy. Not sure about the other ones.


What is "heavy weather", Beaufort 6? 7? 8? 9?

[Pierremundo]

Nice Boat, Welcome to the forum. No 4 week Boat Swap? No, make the adjustments and come down . The boat can do it.