Design and Construction
The Groupe Finot hull is slippery and well engineered, fabricated of hand-laid solid fiberglass with an isophthalic gel coat intended to impair osmosis, and a molded fiberglass grid is bonded inside to provide structural integrity. Above the waterline the deck is of sandwich construction cored with end-grain balsa, and it is joined to the hull with mechanical fastenings every six inches plus 3M 5200 adhesive/sealant. The topsides are protected by a stainless steel rub rail, while a standard cast-iron winged bulb keel is bolted to the hull. Beneteau backed the structure with a dependable five-year warranty covering both structural and osmotic issues.
Deck and Forebody Layout
On deck the side decks are narrow for a boat this size, but the foredeck carries a large opening anchor locker and a dual anchor roller fabricated in stainless steel. The deck opening through which the chain must run was rectangular with 90-degree corners on the test boat, a detail worth noting because sharp corners concentrate load on a high-wear path. A dual-tank propane locker is recessed into the side deck with its fume drain led overboard, and sturdy attachment points are built into the coach roof to secure a life raft. The sugar-scoop stern provides a swim and dinghy boarding space, and the companionway steps are curved up on each side for improved footing when the boat is heeled.
Rig and Steering
An aluminum mast is stepped on the top of the keel as a masthead sloop carrying 687 square feet of sail area with a mast height of 52 feet 8 inches above the waterline. Steering is hydraulic with reasonable access for servicing, and the wheel is pedestal mounted, though it could be ordered mounted on the aft side of the cabin behind a spray shield. In six to eight knots of air with flat seas off Newport, the test boat demonstrated the manageable light-air manners implied by her numbers. Emergency steering access is well addressed, but the hardware on the 400 inspected consisted only of a pipe section that fitted loosely and wobbled a bit.
Accommodations
The interior saloon area is light and cheerful, with a U-shaped settee and expandable table filling the starboard side and a nav station and hanging locker to port. Hanging lockers have ceiling liners at least to the waterline for protection against mildew and condensation. The galley sits aft in the passageway to port of the engine area, with a three-burner stove and oven placed forward to channel cooking heat and odor up and out the companionway. The forward stateroom has a double berth to starboard and a head with shower; the aft stateroom includes a very low berth along the bottom of the hull, wide and easily accessed from both sides, with its own head forward of the stateroom on the starboard side of the engine space and a shower in the toilet section. Cockpit backrests will be low for some people.
Mechanical and Systems Access
The engine space provides terrific access to the 60-horsepower Yanmar diesel, with a hatch built into a galley cabinet for side access and a companionway stair that swings open on hydraulic lifts to expose the forward end of the engine. The builder indicates that the space aft of the engine will house a generator. The electric panel is hinged for good access, and halogen lamps provide good lighting with low-current draw. A large opening anchor locker and recessed propane locker round out the exterior service points.
Known Issues
The principal documented quirk is the chain deck opening: rectangular with 90-degree corners on the tested example, a geometry that bears watching for chafe and stress at the corners. The only other flagged item is the emergency tiller hardware, which on the inspected boat was a loosely fitting pipe section that wobbled. Neither was framed as a structural defect, but both are worth a close look during any survey.
The Verdict
The Oceanis 400 CC is a thoughtfully laid-out center-cockpit cruiser whose Groupe Finot hull and Beneteau production engineering deliver a structurally coherent, accessible platform for extended coastal and offshore cruising.
Pros
- Hand-laid solid fiberglass hull with osmotic-resistant gel coat and bonded grid structure
- Excellent engine access via galley hatch and hydraulic-lift companionway stair
- Well-separated three-cabin, two-head layout with practical galley placement
- Generous 132-gallon water and 53-gallon fuel capacity for a 40-foot cruiser
Cons
- Narrow side decks for the beam
- Rectangular 90-degree chain opening on tested example invites wear
- Emergency steering hardware on inspected boat was a loose, wobbling pipe section
- Cockpit backrests low for some crew
