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First look

THE STYLING AND ERGONOMIC LAYOUT OF

THE NEW OCEANIS 55 FROM BENETEAU IS A

CALLING CARD UNTO ITSELF

Beneteau

Oceanis 55

I

remember the first time I saw the flagship Beneteau

62 in the early nineties. Designed by Farr and with

interior by Pininfarina, it was the pinnacle of yachtie

cruising – the top of production before starting into the

custom league. Sporting the raked lines of the predominant

ORC class, the 62 was the Bentley of its day. Skip a couple

of decades, and the new Oceanis 55, at 2.2 metres shorter

but only 20cm narrower in beam, is equally the pin-up of

the moment. Admittedly, the astute reader may question

why I am comparing the new Oceanis 55 with the old 62,

when there is the new Oceanis 60 launched at Cannes last

September. Simple really: firstly I didn’t have an Oceanis 60

to seatrial yet (hint, hint), and secondly, the new Oceanis

60 is a league above the old 62 with its layout and volume.

Following the identical styling, lines and ergonomics of the

55, the 60 is a true bluewater ARC machine, while the 55 is

still capable of being handled by a devoted couple.

At first glance and from certain angles, the exterior

lines drawn by Berret Racoupeau Yacht Design hold

contemporary sway with modern chiseled look of the TP52

or Volvo Ocean 65: the battleship stem and anchor prodder

starting a sharp edged deck line picked up at mast level

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