Beneteau vs Jeanneau handling

[Calypso79]

Hi everyone! Long time lurker, first time poster.

I am new to sailing and have spent the last couple years doing ASA sailing certs and whatnot. I have been on motor boats forever and I even used to teach ship handling in the Navy, so I know how to drive. We have chartered a number of boats and are looking for our first sailboat.

I chartered a Beneteau 34 a couple times and most recently a Jeanneau 44. We had the Jeanneau for 4 days and it handled so much better than the Benny did. The Beneteau had a lot of weather helm and I did my best to trim it out, but no luck. It was also a handful when we were docking. The Jeanneau was the polar opposite.

I realize this not at all a fair comparison but would the difference be in the size, the hull or something else. Sorry if this is a noob question. Appreciate the input.

[Tillsbury]

Different boats handle differently. And with such a big difference in size there will be another major difference there. It's not necessarily a brand issue, just two different boats. I've sailed Beneteaus that sail well and other that sail like a pig. The quality of the sails and how the boat is set up also makes a huge difference.

That said, I'd usually take a Jeanneau over a Beneteau if it were my money. But look at lots of different boats.

[Sailmonkey]

The hull form on these two boats is so similar, I feel that what you experienced is a combination of size difference and sail/rig tubing difference.

[Calypso79]

Thanks everyone. I just thought it was strange that a much larger boat handled so much better than a smaller one. Appreciate the responses.

[Tillsbury]

I'd say it's common for a more expensive boat to handle better than a cheaper one. And bigger boats are usually much more expensive. An expensive small boat might handle very well, but will often be more twitchy and responsive for a more experienced sailor. Bigger modern boats tend to be more predictable, especially if you're new to it.

[surf_km55]

Every single ruddered small boat [up to 36'] I've ever been on suffered from varying degrees of weather helm. The shorter the boat, the greater the feeling of being taken over. The 1st time I sailed a small twin ruddered boat, the lack of weather helm was quite noticeable. YMMV.

Unrelated, but maybe interesting:
Coming from a surfing background, I have 2, 3, & 4 fin surfboards.....and I have yet to meet a single-fin board that can compete with any of them on the same wave. The difference is night and day.

[JC Reefer]

When you say “handled better” do you mean nimble?

The boats are different because they are different, but I want to understand the experience a bit more.

What was difficult about docking? What was easy?

[Calypso79]

Originally Posted by JC Reefer

When you say “handled better” do you mean nimble?

The boats are different because they are different, but I want to understand the experience a bit more.

What was difficult about docking? What was easy?

Aside from the weather helm, it was slow to turn, didn't respond well to the helm and a bit tricky to dock. The Jeanneau was 10 ft longer and the beam was roughly the same but the difference was amazing. Zero weather helm, good response and docking was a breeze. We pulled into Cape Charles and the dockmaster asked us to back it in - in a very tight area. Not only did it just spin on the keel but backed in like nothing. For my first day on the boat it blew me away how easy it was.

I am sure it has nothing to do with the brand, but I am sure the length to beam ratio has something to do with it. Maybe the relative size of the rudder and the distance from the screw to the rudder? Maybe I just expected more out of a smaller boat.

We are in the market for a boat and because of this experience we are looking between 40 and 44 ft.

[Lost Horizons]

I used to own Beneteau 34. Very positive experience. Very little weather helm, if not reefed timely, tight turning radius, and easy to dock in moderate conditions. The only docking problem was, it would drift rather fast in a cross wind, somewhere between half-knot and a full knot in a 20-something knot beam wind. I sailed J44DS once. It was a little more intimidating to dock it because of its size, but everything was happening slower. Helm response was not outstanding in any way, just normal.

[Fbfisher]

10 feet longer and nearly 2 feet wider are big differences between these boats. As was said before, what you experienced has almost nothing to do with the brands given so many other variables in the mix. Apples to Oranges in way too many ways to draw the conclusions you’re insinuating.

As to weather helm, it is likely that a smaller boat will get overpowered before a big boat will in the same conditions.

[Calypso79]

I understand. It was just a question from a sailing noob. Appreciate your thoughts.

[NCWDave]

Kind of in the same topic here, I am looking for my next boat. There are a few things I like about the voyage 12.5. High on my list is the ability to point up to windward well. Compared to a C&C 41 would she hold her own, with in a few degrees or have to fall off significantly. Right now my short list is in the 42-50' range, including the C&Cs, Beneteau First and possibly Voyage 12.5 or similar. ty!

[boatman61]

Never been on a large Jeaneau however from my experience with my Bene 331 and a similar size Jeaneau..
The Bene was the better cruiser, bigger and better laid out interior however the Jeaneau was the better sailor.. pointed better and seemed that bit more responsive.

[Dockhead]

It's easier (and happens more suddenly) to get a little boat overpowered. With this kind of hull form, weather helm is always (I started to write "almost" then thought there is no "almost") because of being overpowered, and/or overtrimmed somewhere -- mostly oversheeted mainsail. A baggy mainsail will exacerbate the problem. Those little Benes are nice boats and I'm sure with practice you could get it to sail well.


That being said, a 40-odd footer of similar design is always going to be faster and more stable, even dramatically so.

[Kd9truck]

I had a Benie 1990 285 first and now have a 2010 Jeanneau SO 44i. The Beneteau was a great boat responsive and it made you a better sailor because you knew when you missed a que from the vessel. It was a great first boat, I had it two years. I bought the Jeanneau and it was paid for before the sea trial. It sails better than every other vessel I have been on. I am not going to bash other vessels, if you like the size 40-45 ft Jeanneau makes a great vesssel. I do think they sail a little better than most AND they do not disappoint in the living spaces or curb appeal and to me that matters as well. Both the Jeanneau’s and Beneteau’s have huge on line support groups. Cheers