Drawn by Alexander Vrolijk of judel/vrolijk & co, the design combines a lightweight, fully cored hull with aggressive chines and hull bevels, making it light, stiff, and powerful. Hull length is 7.55 m, beam is 2.75 m, and displacement is around 1,749 kg. In basic form, the empty boat weighs under 1,700 kg and remains trailerable. It can even be rotated on its trailer to reduce the beam to 2.55 m for road transport.
Design and Construction
The hull is a lightweight, fully cored structure made from CNC-cut, ready-laminated panels. These are stitched and glued into a single monocoque, with the hull and deck joined in roughly three hours. Ringframes and longitudinal stringers give the hull visible stiffness, and the builder engineered it to last at least 30 years.
A single transom-hung rudder, significant rocker forward, and a hard chine help shape a hull that the designer described as the only fully cored small cruiser in the world.
The most distinctive feature is the fixed dodger: a coloured GRP arch with a large moulded plexiglass windscreen. It was chosen because owners rarely lower loose sprayhoods. The dodger provides a clear view of all halyards and sheets while helping to keep the cockpit dry in choppy seas.
Rig and Handling
A deck-mounted mast keeps the hull watertight and supports a fractional sloop rig. The boat has a full-width traveller and a single coachroof winch, with all lines led aft for straightforward short-handed control.
The standard rig is ample for coastal sailors across a wide range of conditions. Lake sailors can choose a taller rig or enlarged inland rigging to improve performance on sheltered water.
A high ballast ratio of 602 kg against roughly 1,749 kg displacement provides stable upwind performance. Off the wind, the wide, flat stern and a large gennaker produce good speed on a broad reach. The transom-hung rudder gives direct, easily controlled steering and makes the boat exceptionally manoeuvrable at sea and in port.
Accommodation
Below decks, the accommodation is basic but clever. A large double berth lies forward, where the freeboard allows seated headroom. Two single saloon berths use the curved hull sides as backrests, while long 2.6 m aft berths have gear stowage above them.
The offset companionway is extra-wide and sheltered by the dodger. It allows about 190 cm of weather-protected standing headroom in the saloon. A large skylight and big windows bring in plenty of daylight and air.
There’s no timber aboard and no real furniture. Stowage beneath the bunks is limited, with additional capacity provided by canvas bags attached to the hull sides.
The galley is an inventive rail-mounted unit. It can retract below or slide aft, allowing the cook to lift the cockpit-seat lid and work on deck. For simplicity, the sink drains directly into the heads.
Propulsion, Equipment, and Options
Buyers can choose petrol or electric propulsion. The electric system was developed with Torqeedo as a retractable 4 kW unit, weighing just 60 kg and using a 23 kg lithium-ion battery.
A performance version adds a square-top mainsail, bowsprit, and stainless steel fin for racing. A broad accessories list also lets buyers customise the dodger colour, waterline, and gear.
The Bente 24 is rated for coastal use in Force 6 conditions.
The Verdict
The Bente 24 is a genuinely different pocket cruiser-racer. It combines a trailerable, fully cored monocoque hull with radical styling, sheltered standing headroom, and a galley that can be used from the cockpit. For sailors who value sailing fun over interior luxury, it punches far above its 24 ft length.
Pros
- Lightweight, fully cored hull with ringframes, engineered for a 30-year life
- Fixed dodger provides a dry cockpit, clear sightlines, and 190 cm standing headroom at the companionway
- High ballast ratio and wide stern give stable upwind performance and good speed on a broad reach
- Single winch, lines led aft, and a transom-hung rudder simplify short-handed handling
- Rail-mounted retracting galley
- Trailerable, with an empty weight below 1,700 kg in basic form
Cons
- Basic accommodation, with limited stowage and no traditional lockers
- Rated only for coastal use in Force 6 conditions
- Canvas-bag stowage and the lack of timber furniture make it better suited to day sailing and weekends than long cruises
