The Oceanis 60 is the flagship of the Beneteau fleet, designed by Berret Racoupeau with help on the interior by Nauta Design. This is a very good-looking boat in the European modern style punctuated by a mainsheet arch over the cockpit.

It’s clear looking at the plan view of the hull that a nicely tapered stern is a thing of the past. There are too many benefits to a broad beam carried aft. I don’t think this stern tapers in more than 12 inches from the beam max point. This is a relatively light cruising boat with a D/L of only 134. You can choose from two draft options—8 feet 10 inches and 7 feet 3 inches. With the deep-draft keel, the ballast to displacement ratio is 29%. If you go with the heavier shoal-draft keel, the B/D is 33%. This is a far cry from the 40% B/D we looked for in the old days and is made possible by keels with much lower centers of gravity and additional beam. 

The L/B of this design is 3.47. Note the near vertical leading edge of the rudder blade. If you look at the little bowsprit that is designed to hold the anchor and keep it away from the stem, you may wonder why they didn’t just extend the bow with a bit more overhang. This would do away with the sprit and probably save money. But that near-plumb stem is the rage today.

If you’re not comfortable in this layout I don’t think you are going to be comfortable on any boat short of 135 feet LOA. The well-designed interior has lots of elbow room and generously proportioned components. There are two staterooms tucked in under the cockpit aft with a double berth to port and singles to starboard that convert into a double. 

Each stateroom has its own head with shower stall. The large keyhole-shaped galley is to port and a large nav station is to starboard. Wet gear hangs in the locker conveniently placed at the foot of the companionway. 

In the saloon, there is a deep settee to port and a huge U-shaped dinette to starboard. There is a small centerline bench seat for the dinette. There is lots of room to sprawl in the main cabin. Forward of the saloon is the owner’s stateroom with a centerline double berth, vanity and a large head with a shower stall. There are even stacked single berths in the fo’c’sle along with a head for crew or kids. Of course, I imagine the fo’c’sle will be filled with sails most of the time. There is an optional layout that splits the forward stateroom into two smaller, double staterooms each with its own head. Even I can’t find anything to complain about in this layout.

The most interesting part of the deck design is the stern. Typically these days the dual steering stations would be as far aft as possible with the helmsman sitting almost on top of the transom. But the 60’s steering stations are forward about 6 feet to leave room for an aft sunbath area. I like this feature. It provides for a place where passengers can be totally out of the way of any sail handling duties, but still stay on deck. It looks like the perfect place for napping. 

The fold-down swim step folds nestles into the space provided by the sunbath area. The helm stations place the helmsman high above those sitting at the long bench seats. The view forward, under the arch, is unobstructed. The arch clears the mainsheet off the deck and the rigid vang reduces the mainsheet load on the arch.

There is a long, centerline drop-leaf tale in the cockpit. This is a very clean deck. Hatches are all flush and lines running aft from the mast are under cover.

This looks like a very comfortable boat above and belowdecks.

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LOA 59’10’’; LWL 53’11’; Beam 16’9”; Draft 8’10” (deep), 7’3” (shoal); Displ. 48,000 lbs. Ballast 14,200 lbs. (deep), 15,800 lbs. (shoal); Sail area 1,794 sq. ft.; SA/D 21.8; L/B 3.47; D/L 134; Auxiliary Volkswagon 140-hp shaft drive; Fuel 127 gal.; Water 190 gal.

Our best estimate of the sailaway price: $900,000

Beneteau America, 105 Eastern Avenue, Suite 201, Annapolis, MD 21403

410-990-0270

www.beneteauamerica.com