Beneteau 49 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Beneteau built the 49 predominantly of fiberglass with wood trim, giving her a slightly raked stem, a walk-through reverse transom with a teak-decked swim platform, and an internally mounted spade rudder steered by twin wheels. The fixed fin keel carries a weighted bulb, with an optional deep-draft version available. A thoughtful piece of cockpit architecture is the athwartships seat across the back that folds up, down, and out of the way to open a passage between the twin wheels, while a large centerline cockpit table with fold-up wings anchors the social space and carries a swiveling chart-plotter pod at its aft end so the helmsman keeps a clear read on either tack. The transom itself hides a latching insert sized for a life raft—remove it and a generator slides in—and louvered companionway doors ventilate the cabin well, though they would need modification for offshore use.

Rig and Handling

The deck-stepped anodized-aluminum mast rises 63 feet 6 inches from the waterline and carries double swept-back spreaders with stainless steel wire rigging, while a rigid vang holds the main in check. The cockpit is arranged for shorthanded sailing: Lewmar 65 primary winches sit just forward of the wheel so the person at the helm can trim without calling crew across the boat, and all halyards and control lines run aft through stoppers to winches beside the companionway. The mainsheet leads to the coachroof at the forward end of the cockpit, so adjusting it means leaving the wheel. Anchoring is eased by a 1,600-watt windlass feeding a large locker, and the anchor rides on a stainless sprit that keeps it clear of the jib-furling gear. Writing in Cruising World, Andrew Burton called her a sprightly performer, and Boat of the Year judge Ed Sherman found her stable and sure with no quirks to surprise the skipper.

Accommodations

Nauta's interior abandons curved settees for straight saloon seats flanking a table that swivels and folds up for sailing yet expands to seat eight at dinner. The galley to port is L-shaped with a gimbaled three-burner stove and oven, centerline-close sinks that stay useful on either tack, and a refrigerator door hinged from aft so its contents don't spill with heel; a nav station opposite to starboard enjoys an unobstructed forward view. Two and three cabin layouts were built, sleeping four to six. The two-cabin version places a teardrop double forward with a head sporting a separate curved-sliding-door shower, and an aft starboard cabin with a 45-degree-angled double; the three-cabin splits that aft volume into two smaller rooms. A second head with shower sits aft of the nav station by the companionway steps. Blinds tuck into a deck-liner valance that holds them when the boat heels, and a small amidships sump under the floorboards lends a rare drainage benefit in a shallow-bilged hull.

Known Issues

Practical touches aside, the review boat showed a forward-head shower door that resisted easy closure, and both heads lack fiddles on their Corian counters—a minor but real annoyance when the boat is at an angle. The galley sinks could also be deeper for comfort. None of these rise to structural concern, but a buyer should work the head doors and note the bare counters.

Refits and Ownership

The transom life-raft insert is a ready cavity for a generator, and the swiveling plotter pod, fold-away cockpit seat, and furling main and genoa speak to a platform designed for owner simplicity. The 76-horsepower Yanmar diesel, 63 gallons of fuel, and 150 gallons of water support extended cruising, and the PHRF range of 51–102 with the standard keel (69–90 with deep draft) confirms a boat that races casually yet cruises first.

The Verdict

The Beneteau 49 is a well-considered 2007-era cruiser that pairs a predictable, sure-footed hull with an interior laid out for real living aboard. Her cockpit and rig reduce crew workload, and the Nauta interior avoids styling over comfort. The head-door and counter details are the only marks against an otherwise polished production boat.

Pros