Beneteau 343 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common find, though both layouts are available and ex-charter boats turn up frequently. The interior maximizes the 11-foot 5-inch beam for a sense of spaciousness at the expense of deep storage lockers, with the galley to port, nav station to starboard, skipper's quarters aft, and crew quarters and head forward. The aft stateroom holds 6-foot 6-inch headroom and an athwartships double berth, while the forward cabin offers a triangular double with 6-foot 1-inch headroom. The saloon's port settee expands to a berth for two adults; the starboard settee suits only a child when converted. Cabinet backs on U.S.-built boats are lined with wood and cut with ventilation slots.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Commonly fitted gear on the used Beneteau 343s includes chartplotter, autopilot, bimini, and cockpit shower. Often seen are heating, solar, furling main, swim platform, dodger, and radar. A frequent owner upgrade or less common factory fit spans air conditioning, inverter, hot water, teak decks, AIS, short-handed setup, lithium batteries, and spinnaker. The boat's standard deck-stepped roller furling mast and Neil Pryde furling main and 140-percent genoa remain, with Profurl headsail furling; the patented pivoting wheel and helm seat, emergency tiller in a cockpit locker, and fixed transom swim ladder are part of the original layout. A drop-leaf cockpit table was an option, and an electric windlass appeared as a factory option on some boats.

What to Inspect

Documented issues center on access and storage compromises. Engine access is via a panel at the foot of the aft berth, and storage below that berth is reduced by the battery bank and the 19-gallon poly plastic fuel tank located there. Potential storage behind the port settee is compromised by plumbing runs on the hull, and the mainsheet and traveler controls sit on either side of the companionway, a big stretch from the helm when sailing shorthanded. The fiddles on the bookshelves flanking the saloon are small. The composite rudder stock is noted as common practice but drew reviewer wariness, and the cast iron keel is bolted externally to the hull.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The 343 is typically available in the United States, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Canada, and Türkiye. For a shopper, the practical checklist is: confirm aft-berth engine panel access and battery/fuel layout, check port-settee plumbing intrusion, verify rudder stock condition, and test reach to the companionway-side mainsheet and traveler from the helm. Favor examples with the commonly fitted navigation and cockpit comfort gear already installed, and expect often-seen heating or solar as a bonus rather than a baseline.