Beneteau Cyclades 50.5 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Market Intent

The Cyclades 50.5 was designed by Berret-Racoupeau for the charter market, and the whole concept was developed to provide an ultimate spacious sailing yacht mainly meant for chartering anchor. She is the biggest in the range and was especially appreciated among family boaters anchor. This is not a boat built to chase silverware; writing in an editorial review, the source found her not made for high sailing performances and top speeds for competitive sailing anchor. Instead, the design premise is to accommodate a lot of people and give them as much comfort and space as possible. The only alternative version built is the Cyclades 50.4, which shares the same external design but differs in interior layout, trading the 50.5's separate skipper's cabin for a fourth head aft to port and substituting four doubles plus one twin for the 50.5's five double cabins.

Construction and Specifications

Underneath the volume, the numbers tell a stable cruising story. She carries a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 31.2 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 154, figures that place her firmly in heavy, steady cruiser territory rather than a light-displacement flyer anchor. Her 8.81-knot hull speed and 2.12 capsize screening value, alongside a Ted Brewer comfort ratio of 23.4, reinforce the picture of a forgiving, roomy passage boat built to look after a full complement in moderate conditions. The 50.5 is 15.6 meters long overall and 4.89 meters wide, with an iron bulb keel and spade rudder beneath a masthead sloop rig carrying roughly 110 square meters of sail area.

Rig and Handling

With a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 18.6, the 50.5 is modestly powered for her weight and aligns with the review verdict that she was not built for competitive speed anchor. The rig is a conventional masthead sloop, and the total sailing area of some 110 square meters is ample to move her in cruising fashion without demanding a professional crew. A Yanmar diesel of 75 or 100 horsepower drives her directly for maneuvering and charging, appropriate to a vessel of this size and guest capacity.

Accommodations

The interior is where the 50.5 earns her keep. She features a spacious and modern interior with five cabins and a separate skipper's cabin, and can accommodate up to 12 souls in 5 cabins with extra sleeping space due to a folding saloon table anchor. The saloon abounds with large storage spaces, and extra easily reached storage is provided below the beds both fore and aft, while the cockpit lockers can take additional luggage. The galley is usually equipped with two refrigerators or one cooling box and a freezer, and the most common layout delivers three showers and toilets plus a deck shower. Every element of the accommodations plan serves the charter brief: maximum berths, maximum stowage, minimum friction for a rotating crew.

Known Issues and Market Critique

The Cyclades concept drew early criticism from competitors over its low building price, a charge leveled at the range's inception rather than a documented structural defect per authority sources anchor. Beyond that competitive knock, the authority sources carry no enumerated structural or systems defects for the 50.5 specifically.

The Verdict

The Beneteau Cyclades 50.5 is a purpose-born charter cruiser that succeeds on her own terms: enormous carrying capacity, straightforward rig, and a stable, comfortable hull form. She is not a performance boat, and buyers seeking sparkling upwind pace or bluewater expedition credentials should look elsewhere, but as a volume charter or family-gathering platform she is difficult to fault for space and simplicity.

Pros

Largest and most capacious model in the Cyclades line
Five cabins plus separate skipper's cabin, sleeping up to 12 with saloon conversion
High stability and comfort ratios suited to sheltered-water and coastal cruising
Abundant, accessible storage throughout the hull and cockpit

Cons