A demonstration of Beneteau’s Dock and Go steering system. It features a joystick control that syn- chronizes a 360 degree pivoting propeller with a bowthruster to move the boat forward, aft, or completely side- ways.
Accommodation
Life aboard the Sense 50 is divided into three areas – the easy outdoor living of the cockpit, the centralized social space of the saloon/galley and the quiet cabins forward. Three easy steps, angled at 45 degrees, lead down to the living area where interior design firm Nauta Design was clearly up to the task of continuing the innovative ideas and ergonomics. Sleek, angular and very Euro-chic, the “greatroom” living space is finished in alpi fruitwood with an oak laminated cabin sole. It feels very rich and comfortable. The straight-line galley runs up the starboard side and has great storage. Everything is built so it doesn’t interrupt the clean lines – even the stove has a slide-away door and countertop to hide when not in use. A pass-through cut-out is built into the aft port for direct communication between the galley and the cockpit. To port is a U-shaped settee that forms the seat to the sizeable aft-facing nav station, while also wrapping around a table that will seat 6-8 for dinner or drinks. The entire space is interrupted only by a center island, which serves as extra counter space but also hides a folding seat and a pop-up flat screen TV. Both face the saloon. The Sense 50 is available in two or three cabin
layouts. The master stateroom is forward with an island queen berth, a small vanity desk and a large, ensuite head with a stall shower. Two non-opening hull ports and a hatch overhead provide good light. Aft to port is a guest cabin with a double berth, and a second head with a separate stall shower. To starboard is a cabin that has either over/under bunks or can be made into a roomy office with a large desk and lots of cabinet space.
Performance & Options
The Sense 50 hasn’t been broadly available for test sails yet, but everything about the design suggests it will be fast but still manageable. It is designed to deliver maximum performance at 15 degrees of heel, rather than the normal 20 degrees. From the sleek light displacement hull (31,195 lbs) and low coachroof with angular windows, to the slippery underbody with a spade rudder and choice of keel drafts (6’ 11” or a bulb with 5’ 10”), this boat is almost more like an ocean racing Open 50 than a traditional cruiser. The double spreader rig supports 1313 square feet of sail area, 678 feet of which is in the mainsail, so good speed is expected. The base price of the Sense 50 is $398,000 but with all the upgrades available, sailaway can be more like $560,000. The options list is long and includes many items like a recharging station, multiple flat panel TVs, electric tables and blinds and upgraded tankage (from 110 gallons of fuel to 220, and from 140 gallons of fresh water to 190). For those who want a new kind of sailing experi-
ence but in a smaller package, Beneteau has a simi- lar 43 footer in the works with two cabins and one head. Light, spacious, flowing and close to the water, this cruiser is built with a well thought out hull to give a particularly reduced angle of heel, guarantee- ing not only great comfort when sailing but also a good speed through the
water.The Sense 50 is a game-changer for so many reasons, and a real argu- ment for tossing out old ideas and starting with a blank sheet of paper. It will undoubtedly revolution- ize yacht design inside and out, and possibly even re-energize a sluggish sailboat market.
www.beneteau.com DECEMBER 2010
YACHTWORLD.COM 9
ZUZANA PROCHAZKA
is a US Coast Guard Master with 20
years of boating experience. She is technical edi-
tor for Latitudes & Attitudes and a
regular contributor to
Boats.com. Her work also has ap- peared in Santana (where she previ- ously was editor) and the Sunday magazine of the Los Angeles Times.
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