Design and Construction
The 37 is a product of predictable quality, with a narrow-chord fin keel externally fastened with stainless steel bolts and backing plates and coated with anti-corrosion treatment anchor. Below the waterline, a free-standing rudder blade carries a beefy stainless steel stock, and the propeller exits the hull through a molded skeg that removes the need for an external strut. The companionway hatch was strikingly refined into a bolt-on, all-in-one contrivance: the top slide and drop board are articulated yet separable, so the slide can be opened while the drop board stays in place, and when connected the slide carries the drop board, which pushes up to stow underneath anchor. The companionway ladder hinges just above the third of four steps and is held by gas struts, swinging up to expose the entire front of the engine, while panels in the head and aft cabin open onto service points along the sides.
Rig and Handling
The 37 carries a 9/10 fractional rig with a loose-footed main on a midboom traveler, and more area sits in the foretriangle than in the mainsail itself anchor. A 105-percent furling genoa is standard, the shrouds are inboard for tight sheeting angles, and all running rigging except the topping lift leads aft to the cockpit through jammers. Writing in Cruising World, Jeremy McGeary found her lively to sail and a handful in bigger puffs: taking the first reef in the main tamed the helm immediately upwind, yet she was still demanding in the gusts, and she embarrassed boats of greater waterline length on the wind despite the in-mast furling mainsail anchor. Off the wind the large headsail gave solid performance across a wide range of angles. Under power the 37 responded well in normal maneuvers with a conventional-shaft propeller far enough aft to get useful thrust off the rudder, though the rather under-pitched folding prop made a full stop from full ahead slow.
Accommodations
Nauta Design shaped the svelte interior décor, and the two-cabin, one-head arrangement makes intelligent use of the volume. Dropping below, the L-shaped galley lies immediately to port and is necessarily compact to permit access to the sleeping cabin aft of it; it holds centerline double sinks, a gimbaled stove and oven, and a front-opening 12-volt refrigerator that leaves the countertop intact, though full-size dinner plates will not fit in the slender outboard cabinets and no drawers are provided for utensils anchor. To starboard, the commodious all-in-one head and shower presents easy-clean white gelcoat with slanted mirror-front cabinets above the sink, and the chart desk sits forward with a facing-aft nav station that passes the chart-book size test. The saloon mixes rectilinear settees with square corners that invite multiple sitting and reclining postures, a straight starboard settee with storage below, and a U-shaped port settee around a table; the fore-and-aft overhead grabrail is absent, and the stainless-steel shelves are neither fiddle nor handrail. Forward, the owner's cabin gives 6 feet 3 inches of headroom and an island-style double berth, while the aft cabin is reached through the galley and holds a genuine athwartships double with sitting headroom, a hanging locker, and three opening ports including one in the transom.
Known Issues
The space between the aft bulkhead and the transom creates extra stowage but appears to give access to the steering system without doing so; reaching the steering gear seems to require some dismantling of the overhead anchor. The cockpit helm bench seats a family of four side by side, and its center section hinges open on a gas strut to reach the transom platform, yet the aft steering access limitation remains a real service consideration.
Refits and Ownership
Engine access for routine service is genuinely good: the hinged companionway ladder and the side panels in the head and aft cabin expose the Yanmar on three faces. The standard 29-horsepower Yanmar diesel is very fuel efficient and pushes the 37 at more than 6 knots in protected waters, with a 40-horsepower option available. Rotomolded water tanks total 98 gallons under the berths, an 80-amp alternator feeds a 110-amp house battery and 70-amp start battery, and the 52-gallon fuel tank was judged ample for a season.
The Verdict
The Beneteau 37 is a well-thought-out 37-footer that adds speed and sensations to the Oceanis range while serving up comfort at rest. She combines sprightly sailing with generous accommodations and a predictable build, and the Finot-Conq hull proves genuinely quick on the wind even with furling gear aloft. The galley compromises and hidden steering access are real, but the overall package is a compelling midsize cruiser.
Pros
- Lively, quick upwind performance that embarrassed longer boats despite in-mast furling
- Excellent engine access via hinged ladder and side panels
- Thoughtful companionway hatch and secure cockpit-to-galley descent
- Generous two-cabin layout with standing room in forward cabin
Cons
- Steering system access appears to require dismantling the overhead
- Galley lacks drawers and full-size plate stowage
- No fore-and-aft overhead grabrail in saloon
- Under-pitched folding prop made stopping slow under power
