The Beneteau 523, also called the Oceanis 523, is a French sailboat that was designed by Groupe Finot as a

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several roles. The term "cruiser", which has been in use for several hu ...

and first built in 2001. With a list of optional equipment as standard, it was sold as the Oceanis Clipper 523.

Production

The design was built by Beneteau in France, starting in 2001, but it is now out of production.

Design

The Beneteau 523 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of

glassfibre Fiberglass (American English) or fibreglass (Commonwealth English) is a common type of fiber-reinforced plastic using glass fiber. The fibers may be randomly arranged, flattened into a sheet called a chopped strand mat, or woven into glass cloth ...

, with wood trim. The hull is solid fibreglass and the deck is balsa-cored. It has a fractional

sloop A sloop is a sailboat with a single mast typically having only one headsail in front of the mast and one mainsail aft of (behind) the mast. Such an arrangement is called a fore-and-aft rig, and can be rigged as a Bermuda rig with triangular sa ...

rig and aluminium spars. The hull has a slightly raked stem , a reverse transom with a swimming platform, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by dual wheels and a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb or optional shoal draft keel. It displaces and carries of ballast. The boat has a draft of with the standard keel and with the optional shoal draft keel. The boat is fitted with a Japanese Yanmar 2GMF Yanmar 2GM20 diesel engine of for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds and the

fresh water Fresh water or freshwater is any naturally occurring liquid or frozen water containing low concentrations of dissolved salts and other total dissolved solids. Although the term specifically excludes seawater and brackish water, it does include ...

tank has a capacity of . The design was built with a range of interior configurations. Typical is one with sleeping accommodation for eight people, with a double

"V"-berth A berth is a bed or sleeping accommodation on vehicles. Space accommodations have contributed to certain common design elements of berths. Beds in boats or ships While beds on large ships are little different from those on shore, the lack ...

in the bow cabin, a forward cabin with a double island berth, a U-shaped settee and a straight settee in the main salon and two aft cabins, each with a double berth. The

galley A galley is a type of ship that is propelled mainly by oars. The galley is characterized by its long, slender hull, shallow draft, and low freeboard (clearance between sea and gunwale). Virtually all types of galleys had sails that could be used ...

is located on the starboard side of the main salon. The galley is Z-shaped and is equipped with a three-burner stove, a refrigerator, freezer and a double sink. A navigation station is aft of the galley, also on the starboard side. There are four

heads A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may no ...

, one for each cabin. The design has a hull speed of .

Operational history

In a 2006 ''Cruising World'' review, Jeremy McGeary wrote, "under sail, the Beneteau 523 reveals its racing genealogy, making an effortless 8 knots or so in the 12 to 15 knots of breeze we encountered on Chesapeake Bay and showing no inclination to fight the helm. The inboard sheeting, aided by shroud bases in the middle of the side decks, helped the boat tack easily through 90 degrees. Given the wholesome traveler, the full-battened mainsail, and the 7-foot-6-inch draft (a 6-foot-2-inch draft is an option), a crew intent on making the anchorage by lunchtime would have no problems." In a 2006 review for ''Sail'' magazine, Bill Springer concluded, "the 523 shows that a new boat design doesn't have to be revolutionary to be effective. Its lines are pleasing, traditional, and nonthreatening. The accommodation plan makes excellent use of the available interior volume (especially in the master cabin)—not by reconfiguring a traditional layout, but rather by skillfully executing subtle refinements and enhancements. The boat is manageable enough for a cruising couple and big enough to accommodate three cruising couples. Its long waterline and light displacement promise good speed potential."

References

External links

* {{Beneteau Keelboats 2000s sailboat type designs Sailing yachts Sailboat type designs by Groupe Finot Sailboat types built by Beneteau

Production

Design

Operational history

See also

References

External links