S
ince we tested the Beneteau
Barracuda 8 as recently as
issue 494, I was surprised
to see another eight-metre
Beneteau come up for
review so soon. And far from being
a variation on the ’Cuda’s hull, the
Antares 8 here is an entirely different
kettle of fish; a separate design with a
more cruisy personality.
W here the Barracuda is fishing
oriented, the Antares seems more
restaurant-bound, thanks to its
smooth looks and influence. A 40-
year evolution, the Antares models
are designed for short-range coastal
cruising and weekends away. Joining
a family of cruisers between 5.8m
and 14.5m, the outboard version is
a recent design, taking advantage of
the efficiency and power to be found
in the latest four-stroke engines.
In looks, the two boats are worlds
apart. The Barracuda is more brutal,
in keeping with its fishing bent,
while the Antares airs a softer style,
both in the rounded bow and more
traditionally raked cabin, missing
out on the Barracuda’s deeper and
stepped hull. The underpinnings
sport beefy chines, though they are
less accentuated and include two
instead of three running strakes.
An upswept streamlined cabin,
Portofino rear and stylised swooping
graphics over white gelcoat along
the sides highlight a modern
European design. Hull and deck use
a balsa-cored injection-moulded
polyesterconstruction,andata
hull weight of 1985kg they haven’t
spared the fibreglass. High sides
andasubstantialhardtopaddtothe
impression of a solidly built vessel.
Swim platforms surround a narrow
engine well designed for a single
installation up to 200hp, so the
locally fitted Mercury Verado 200
wasatmaximumrating.Arecessed
foldingladderandgatetostarboard
give easy entry to the self-draining
cockpit,andtheentrystepcoversa
livebait tank that could double as an
Esky in cruising mode.
The rear seat slides forward so you
canlifttheengineclearofthewater
whenmoored,andadeckshowerandHIGHS
- Soft ride and safe, sporty handling
- Good performance and economy from
Mercury Verado - Innovative modular furniture
LOWS
- A water heater would be good
wash-down are perfect for keeping
boat and crew alike looking fresh.
In this latest redesign of the
Antares model, Beneteau has
introduced some innovative features
to best use the space, creating
furniture that’s adjustable for a
variety of seating and lounging
options. The cockpit can be set with
seating along the transom, port and
against the cabin as relaxing space or- with the addition of a timber table
- converted to a dining area. Remove
the table and fibreglass panels, and
cushions turn the port side of the
cockpit into a sun lounge.
With the cushions removed you’re
left with an easily cleaned deck
for fishing; if you want to get more
serious with the rods, the port and
cabin seat bases are removable,
MAIN A less aggressive hull than the
Barracuda suits the cruising concept
OPPOSITE With space at a premium,
Beneteau has used clever design to
maximise the useful space; here table and
seating can covert to sleeping space.
Forward seat can also be reversed so the
skipper can have a mate alongside48 trade aboat.com.au