Sailing Performance & Handling
Despite its primary role as a "floating villa," the Moorings 51.5 benefits immensely from its Bruce Farr pedigree. The hull features a long waterline and a relatively moderate beam carried well aft, which provides excellent stability and tracking. According to historical design notes from Farr Yacht Design, the hull was engineered to handle the heavy displacement of charter gear and full water tanks without sacrificing pointing ability.
The 51.5 was an early adopter of the twin-steering station layout in the production market, which offers the dual benefit of redundant mechanical systems and superior visibility when sailing on the wind. While the boat is heavy—displacing over 30,000 lbs—it remains surprisingly nimble in light air due to its generous sail area-to-displacement ratio. Owners often report that the boat feels most at home in 15 to 20 knots of breeze, where the hull's "stiffness" allows it to power through a Caribbean chop without the pounding associated with flatter-bottomed modern designs.
Interior Comfort & Variations
The interior of the Moorings 51.5 was designed to solve the logistical puzzle of housing ten or more guests in comfort. The standard layout features four double cabins—two aft and two forward—each with its own dedicated head and shower. The "fifth" cabin is usually a smaller bunk-style cabin or a dedicated skipper's quarters in the forepeak. This high-occupancy layout required a massive, U-shaped galley that remains one of the largest in its class, providing ample refrigeration and counter space for extended voyages.
Materials typically consist of cherry or mahogany-stained veneers, which were a hallmark of the Beneteau-built Moorings fleet of that era. Ventilation is a highlight of the design, with over a dozen opening ports and hatches ensuring airflow even in tropical anchorages. The Moorings 51.5 is the high-density sibling to the Beneteau 50 "Owner’s Version," which utilized the same hull but replaced the two forward cabins with a single, massive master suite. Another close relative is the Moorings 505, which often shared the same molding but featured different internal cabinetry and engine specifications.
Known Issues & Buyer’s Checklist
Because nearly every Moorings 51.5 began its life in a rigorous charter program, the primary concern for any prospective buyer is "charter fatigue." This is not necessarily a deal-breaker, but it requires a specialized survey approach.
- Grid and Pan Bonding: Like many Beneteaus of this vintage, the 51.5 uses a structural grid bonded to the hull. High-stress charter use or previous groundings can cause separations in the bonding agent (Plexus). Surveyors should look for "crazing" in the gelcoat around the keel bolts and check for movement in the grid while the boat is in the slings.
- Chainplate Inspection: The 51.5 uses substantial stainless steel chainplates, but on older models, water intrusion through the deck glands can lead to crevice corrosion. These should be pulled and inspected if there is any sign of rust staining on the interior bulkheads.
- Electrical System Wear: Charter guests are notoriously hard on battery banks and charging systems. Prospective buyers should anticipate a full rewire or at least an upgrade to the charging capacity, as the original factory alternators were often undersized for the house loads of a five-cabin boat.
- High Engine Hours: It is common to find Yanmar or Perkins engines with over 5,000 hours on these models. While these engines are robust, components like the mixing elbow, heat exchanger, and transmission mounts should be prioritized for inspection.
Community & Resources
Owners of the Moorings 51.5 benefit from the massive support network surrounding the base model. The Beneteau Owners Association provides an extensive archive of technical manuals, wiring diagrams, and parts lists that are directly applicable to the Moorings variants. Additionally, because these boats were once the backbone of the world's largest charter fleet, many former Moorings technicians operate independent service centers in the British Virgin Islands and Florida, possessing intimate knowledge of the 51.5’s specific plumbing and electrical quirks.
The Verdict
The Moorings 51.5 is a robust, ocean-capable cruiser that offers an extraordinary amount of interior volume for the price. While it lacks the contemporary "open concept" feel of newer wide-beam cruisers, it offers a level of build quality and heavy-weather performance that many modern production boats struggle to match.
Pros
- Exceptional value-to-volume ratio for large families or groups.
- Proven Bruce Farr hull design with genuine offshore capabilities.
- Redundant systems (twin wheels, dual freshwater pumps) standard for charter reliability.
Cons
- Former charter history requires a very rigorous (and often expensive) survey.
- The five-cabin layout can feel "chopped up" compared to modern three-cabin owner versions.
- Teak decks (if fitted) are reaching the end of their service life and are costly to replace.
