"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
oups.com...

The French built Beneteau simply trounced most of the American boats we
looked at. This was all about DESIGN. From a quality standpoint the
Tartan, Sabre, Caliber, Catalina, Pearson, C&C, Beneteau and other
makes we examined were really quite close. All had handled the 10-15
years of use well. J-Boats, C&Cs and Beneteau's that were raced hard
showed it below and on gear.
Then came design. The American boats displayed ZERO innovation. Aft
cabins, all the rage in Europe, were hard to find. Swim platforms were
also rare. Cabin layouts were of the cookie cutter variety, dull and
with no effort to improve living spaces. BUT, when we looked at
European models there was a lot of imagination at work. Not all designs
were a good idea. Some poor materials were chosen, but not any more so
than on US built boats.

So in the end we chose a Beneteau 35s5 because...........

It had better performance than most other boats from good builders such
as Catalina, Sabre, C&C, pearson and so on!
It had a better cabin by far. Fit and finish and usage of space led the
pack. Only was more livable though not as nice!
It looked different. With her sleek hull, sugar scoop and large ports,
the 35s5 had some personality compared to the US built boats!
It was a builder who was capable of staying in business so there is
actual support for the boat!

And this is exactly why US cars can't compete with Japanese cars. They
lack performance, appointments and most importantly....they are
generally devoid of any personality. In the end that might suit some US
owners, but some folks quite clearly want more.


RB
35s5
NY


What's the headroom in the aft cabin between the bunk surface and the
ceiling?

Glory!

What's the headroom in the aft cabin between the bunk surface and the
ceiling?

I don't know exactly, but with my wife on top there's enough room for
spirited fun. I'd say it's perfect. There's also standing room just as
you step inside. It's not as nice as the aft cabin on a Catalina 34 for
room, but on a boat that really performs, it's unexpectedly nice.
There's also a single opening port and 12V vent keyed into the second
zone air conditioning and heat. We'll probably just leave the door open
on most nights.

RB
35s5
NY

"Capt. Rob" wrote in message
ups.com...
What's the headroom in the aft cabin between the bunk surface
and the
ceiling?

I don't know exactly, but with my wife on top there's enough
room for
spirited fun. I'd say it's perfect. There's also standing room
just as
you step inside.


Be careful you don't rub your head too much, it could cause a
bald spot.

Oops, too late!



SV

Boobie you just fell for Beneteau's marketing game. They build an
average quality boat with flashy styling gimmicks like those "slip and
fall" windows on yours. Ever seen an old Beneteau with all the
outdated graphics etc? They look truly comical. But Beneteau
continues to pitch themselves as a step up boat since they are from
"Europe" and have to charge more. Knowledgable people continue to
laugh.

rgnmstr wrote:
Boobie you just fell for Beneteau's marketing game. They build an
average quality boat with flashy styling gimmicks like those "slip and
fall" windows on yours. Ever seen an old Beneteau with all the
outdated graphics etc? They look truly comical. But Beneteau
continues to pitch themselves as a step up boat since they are from
"Europe" and have to charge more. Knowledgable people continue to
laugh.


Mostly right on... however remember that Beneteau builds a
wide range of boats, from the charter pigs to the Figaro and
few custom racers. They build "fast trawlers" too. Most of
their stuff is CataHuntalina with a French accent. I happen
to like some of the First series racer-cruisers but they're
not boats that inspire a lot of bragging or comparisons with
Little Harbors, Oysters, or Baltics.

Boobsie's claims are just so much hogwash and trolling.

Hey are you serious about getting either a Flying Tiger or
an Annapolis 30?

DSK

I happen
to like some of the First series racer-cruisers but they're
not boats that inspire a lot of bragging or comparisons with
Little Harbors, Oysters, or Baltics.


Well...there you have it. Doug likes the First series Beneteaus, but
doesn't think they compare with boats costing 5 times the price.
Live and learn!

RB
35s5
NY

"Capt" Rob wrote:
Well...there you have it. Doug likes the First series Beneteaus, but
doesn't think they compare with boats costing 5 times the price.
Live and learn!


Of course you can compare them. But if you look at the
construction details (with your eyes actually open) and tiny
smidgin of knowledge, you rapidly see why they cost more.

5X more? I know people who have paid $300K plus for thier
boats, but not for 35-footers. And they're not the kind of
person who brags about being rich on the internet.

DSK

But Beneteau
continues to pitch themselves as a step up boat since they are from
"Europe" and have to charge more.

Once again, Sloco exposes himself!
Beneteau is presently one of the lowest cost boats on the market as
they were when the 35s5 was built. But the 35s5 was not priced like the
cruising models. Like Doug, you're guessing because you have no idea
how well built the 35s5 is. BTW, Beneteau also has a high end line of
boats called the Flagship series. They are also built to a higher
standard than your boat.

RB
35s5
NY