Design and Construction
The 62 is a glassfibre yacht with wood trim, a raked stem, and a reverse transom fitted with a fold-up tailgate swimming platform that widens the usable aft cockpit and swim access. Beneath the waterline she carries a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb and an internally mounted spade rudder on a wheel, a configuration that pairs directional stability with the quick response of a separate trailing foil. Displacing 55,115 pounds and carrying 17,313 pounds of ballast, she sits at a ballast-to-displacement ratio near 31 percent, enough to right herself smartly without punishing motion in a seaway. The hull speed works out to 9.59 knots given the 51-foot waterline, a number that frames her natural cruising pace under sail.
Rig and Handling
Aloft the boat is a Bermuda-rigged masthead sloop carrying 2,250 square feet of sail on a rig with three sets of swept spreaders, a layout that keeps the mast stable without running backstays and lets a short crew manage a large foretriangle. The spade rudder and fin bulb keel give her a predictable turn-in and the ability to carry sail through a gust without the wallow of a full-keeled predecessor. With 160 horsepower available from a Perkins or Yanmar diesel, maneuvering in close quarters is backed by ample thrust for a yacht of this tonnage.
Accommodations
Because interiors were custom-built, no two 62s are identically arranged, but the typical layout sleeps eight across four cabins. Two forward cabins in the forepeak each hold a double berth with a dedicated head, while an amidships crew cabin to starboard offers two bunk beds for watch teams or children. The aft owner's cabin centers on a double island berth, giving the principal charterer or owner a private enclave away from guest flow. In the main salon an elliptical settee and five individual seats seat a full table, with the navigation station set to starboard and a U-shaped port galley just aft of the companionway ladder holding a three-burner stove, refrigerator, freezer, and double sink. Heads are provided for each cabin, so the boat can host two couples and crew without a shared-bathroom compromise.
The Verdict
The Beneteau 62 is a custom-commissioned Farr cruiser that trades series-production uniformity for tailored interior plans inside a proven glassfibre hull. Her dimensions and ballast place her firmly in the large-ocean-cruiser class, and the standard four-cabin scheme makes her a plausible private or light-charter voyager. The reverse transom platform and swept-spreader rig show thoughtful cruising detail rather than stripped race heritage.
Pros
- Bruce Farr design with 9.59-knot hull speed and a 51-foot waterline for steady passage pace
- Fixed fin bulb keel and spade rudder for predictable, responsive handling
- Custom interiors with typical eight-berth, four-cabin, en-suite-head layout
- Fold-up transom platform and U-shaped galley placed for underway use
Cons
- Custom build means each boat's systems and layout must be assessed individually
- Now out of production, so spares and hull-specific knowledge are less standardized
