Motor Boat & Yachting – May 2018

BOAT MASTER FINDME A USED...

Jeanneau realised fairly early on that

if it wanted to extend its range into

the upper echelons of six-figure

prices, it was going to need a posher

brand. ‘Prestige’ was the answer, the

aquatic equivalent of Lexus to Toyota.

Beneteau already owned an Italian

superyacht builder called (weirdly)

Monte Carlo Yachts, so when it began

exploring more rarified areas of the

market for its French-built mass-

production boats, it riffed off its

exclusive offshoot and introduced the

MC range, first of which was the MC5.

INTERIOR

It wasn’t just the name that tapped

into its aristocratic cousin’s lineage.

Beneteau also adopted Monte Carlo’s

signature circular hull windows for

the master cabin, albeit one – the

genuine Monte Carlos got two per

side. It gives the midships master

cabin a unique outlook, mirrored

by the circular portholes for the two

guest cabins, the smaller of which

gets twin bunks. On the main deck,

the galley is fashionably aft and the

woodwork fashionably pale.

EXTERIOR

The designer ambience extends to

the outside, where those big circular

windows are bezelled with a rim of

stainless steel, matched by the other

portholes. Check out the black pillars

that surround the saloon glazing and

single-piece windscreen, as well as

the front of the flybridge.

PERFORMANCE

Twin Volvo Penta IPS500 engines

at 370hp each were an option, but

the twin 435hp IPS600s of this boat

are a better fit, pushing its 15 tonnes

to a top speed of up to 28 knots and

cruising comfortably between 22

and 25 knots.

SEAKEEPING

A prominent sprayrail that curls back

from the bow and delves down to the

waterline aft combines with the flared

bow to do a great job of keeping the

spray down. The ride is soft and

planted and the pod drives provide

plenty of grip, both during low-speed

manoeuvres and high-speed turns.

2016 £475,000

DATA FILE

Length 49ft 10in (15.2m)

Beam 14ft 1in (4.3m)

Draught 3ft 1in (1.1m)

Displacement 14.7 tonnes

Fuel capacity

286 gallons (1,300 litres)

Engines Twin Volvo Penta

IPS600 435hp diesel

FOR SALE Sunbird

International Yacht Sales.

Web: http://www.sunbirdyachts.eu

Beneteau MC5

Not a real

Monte Carlo

Designer

boating

++++

RATING

Deep comfortable

upholstery in the saloon

The fl ybridge

is large and

adaptable

Those signature circular

windows look good from

the inside too

The VIP guest

cabin gets

circular portholes