Design and Construction
The hull shows bold, taut lines and a choice of personalized hull color, including a gun-metal finish, while hard chines carry aft from well forward of the mast and dig in to keep the boat upright and tracking straight. Eight large windows and a coachroof surrounded by flush hatches and skylights flood the interior with light, and the open deck plan is emphasized by flush deck hatches that keep the lines clean. Cruising World noted the 55 is the first Oceanis to sport twin rudders, giving lots of feedback at either of the two helms, and the arch and companionway were moved forward to allow room for L-shaped cockpit benches with a comfortable gently sloping 45-degree companionway below. Beneteau positioned the cockpit to be larger and offer more exterior space than the Oceanis 54 it replaced.
Rig and Handling
On recent Oceanis models the mast has been moved aft, and on the 55 that shift allows a full third of her length open to the cockpit while producing a larger headsail and slightly smaller main, yielding two sails of nearly equal size and a balanced, easy-to-handle plan. All sails trim from the dual helm, with winches centered at the station so maneuvers can be carried out alone; primary winches mount inboard just ahead of each wheel, reefing and running rigging split between two winches, though the main sheets only to the port winch with no option to sheet to both. A mainsheet arch anchors the mainsheet, and a bail on the anchor roller takes a code zero or cruising chute. Cruising World noted the 75-horsepower Yanmar pushed the boat in the high 8-knot range at cruising rpm, and with twin rudders she backed well on her own both to port and starboard. Writing in Yachting World, testers found her sluggish in lighter airs from the effort of dragging wetted surface with a fixed three-bladed prop, yet as soon as she was persuaded onto her hard chine, power improved; in 12–14 knots true they clocked 7.5 knots upwind and over 9 close reaching, while a Code 0 brought 8 knots in 10 knots of wind.
Accommodations
Layouts range from three cabins and two heads up to five cabins and four heads, with a fourteen-berth version featuring a double fore cabin for the skipper and even a crew cabin in the bows. The master suite holds an island bed with shelves, storage, and two large hanging lockers, plus a chest of drawers with a sliding top that becomes an office and an ensuite head with separate toilet. Two large aft cabins and a second head with separate shower at the stern round out the owner layouts, while a wide U-shaped galley with Kerrock worktop and double sink sits close to the salon; one alternative places that galley at the companionway foot. The salon has a sizeable dinette, a large 6-foot-7 sofa, a rotating chart table seat with retractable back, and a pop-up flat-screen television. Testers noted the galley is not large for a 55-foot boat and the empty area between saloon, nav station, and galley is vast, but the furniture is well-fiddled and the veneer is alpi mahogany only, with seven upholstery choices.
Equipment and Deck Features
The electrically lowered swim platform folds in to make a cockpit-wide helm seat and opens completely into a 9-foot-4 by 2-foot-6 wood-decked terrace with a removable stainless ladder. Twin steering stations carry integrated multifunction helm consoles, and the boat can be had with a B&G or Simrad electronics pack, Dock & Go joystick pod drive, dishwasher, and top- and front-loading refrigerator. A D4 Performance Pack by Incidence Sails and an optional inner forestay with self-tending staysail broaden the sail plan.
The Verdict
The Oceanis 55 is a volume-forward cruiser that trades light-air sparkle for enormous cockpit and cabin space, easy short-handed control from the helms, and a customizable layout unmatched in its class. She rewards wind above ten knots and a flying sail, where the chined hull delivers real pace.
Pros
- First Oceanis with twin rudders and a 16-foot-plus beam carried aft for exceptional volume
- All sail trim and maneuvers centered at the dual helm for single-handed control
- Three-to-five cabin layouts with clever owner-suite office and dedicated chart table
- Large drop-down swim platform doubling as helm seating
Cons
- Sluggish in light airs with fixed prop and heavy wetted surface per Yachting World testers
- Noisy interior especially under engine per Yachting World testers
- Galley modest for the boat’s size; main sheets to port winch only
