The Idylle line was Beneteau’s first attempt to establish a conventional cruising marque alongside its performance-oriented First series. The 1150 became the standard-bearer for this comparatively short-lived experiment in comfort-led cruising.
Design and Construction
The Idylle 1150’s hull is closely related to that of the First 35, but Berret reshaped the design around a cruising brief. The Idylle has a more moderate keel than the First 35 while retaining the skeg-hung rudder. Its coachroof was raised and extended, then fitted with a fixed screen to provide more shelter and interior volume.
Yachting Monthly described the boat as substantially built, and the construction includes a moulded shaft log. The generous centreboard plan, carried over from the racing lineage, gives the boat the ability to shorten draft when moored or exploring.
Displacement is 11,464 lb, with a 12.1 ft beam and 4.36 ft draft. Those figures reflect a hull tuned more for steady cruising than for the racecourse. Classic Boat described the result as a comfortable cruising boat that makes the best use of all available interior space, proposed as a cruiser of great comfort in the tradition of the French shipyard.
Rig and Handling
The Idylle 1150 is a masthead sloop with an anodized light-alloy mast and boom, two tiers of spreaders, and internal halyards. The rig is cut down compared with the First 35’s, but it still carries significant sail area. Period press reports credited this with making the boat fast, rigid to canvas, and able to sail close to the wind.
The mainsail track is positioned forward of the downhaul hatch, leaving the cockpit completely clear. The boom also has a quick-reefing device. The standard competition-cut dacron sail inventory comprised a three-reef mainsail, a 43 sq m medium genoa, a jib, and a storm jib.
The deck hardware is substantial. Lewmar 44 three-speed winches for the jib sheets flank the cockpit, while the mainsail halyard is handled by a Barbarossa or Goiot winch.
When the wind drops, the 50 horsepower Perkins diesel provides a remarkable cruising speed and excellent maneuverability in port. That capable auxiliary power reinforces the motor-sailer side of the boat’s character.
Accommodations
Berret’s reworking of the First 35 shell produced an interior that Yachting Monthly found more spacious and better fitted out than the donor hull. The layout puts comfort first. There are only two separate double cabins—one forward and one aft—but the boat can sleep seven once the dinette is brought into use.
The aft cabin has a super-comfortable double bed, along with side lockers, hanging space, and drawers. A door separates the forward cabin, where two bunks convert into a single berth.
There is only one bathroom, but it is very large. Positioned immediately to starboard of the descent, it contains a marine toilet, a pressure-water sink, and a shower.
The saloon is an effective, seagoing space. Its table has a stainless-steel base and fold-down wings, while a left high berth supplements the settee berths. On the starboard bulkhead is a particularly good Grand’Aigle chart table, complete with a library, card rack, and electrical panel.
The galley is practical, with a tilting two-burner stove and oven, a two-basin stainless pressure sink, an icebox, and storage for provisions.
Deck and Equipment
The self-draining cockpit is lined with teak and includes a teak filler. Recessed storage at the stern accommodates an inflatable, while a remarkably large sail locker opens from the starboard bench.
At the bow, a stainless snout carries fairleads and a quick-release tack point. The bow pulpit has halyard rings and way lights, while the opening stern pulpit carries a lifebuoy-ring mount. The stanchions are 62 cm high and support double stainless-steel lifelines.
Three 600x600 Goiot hatches serve the forward cabin, saloon, and head. The aft cabin has two Goiot portholes opening into the cockpit.
A 12-volt battery supplies the ceiling, chart, marker, anchor, and navigation lamps. An electric bilge pump and a manual, double-acting pump back up the drainage design.
Known Issues
The main shortcoming is a lack of stowage relative to the boat’s cruising ambitions. The substantial construction and moulded shaft log, meanwhile, reflect a hull-to-engineering interface that was treated seriously in the era’s production.
Verdict
The Idylle 1150 is a thoughtfully judged compromise. Berret took a proven racing hull, softened its keel, raised the coachroof, and fitted an interior that favors comfort and seagoing function over berth count.
The boat sails well for its type, motors with authority, and offers a genuinely large head and a proper chart table. The shortage of stowage is a real drawback, but it should be manageable for a couple or small family.
Pros
- Related to the First 35 hull, but tuned for cruising with a moderate keel and raised coachroof
- Significant sail area and a clear cockpit; fast and rigid to canvas
- Spacious, well-fitted accommodations and a large single head
- 50 hp diesel provides strong maneuverability and motoring range
Cons
- Shortage of stowage
- Only one head despite the seven-berth capacity
