LOA: 42ft 7in (12.97m) BEAM: 12ft 5in (3.78m) ENGINES: twin 400hp/triple 300hp Mercury outboards TOP SPEED: 37 knots PRICE: £TBA CONTACT: www.beneteau.com
WORLD PREMIERE
After 45 years in production, people know what to expect of the Antares line and the latest flagship honours that heritage by improving the range of things you can do with your boat. For instance, although it naturally lends itself to dayboating in sunny climates, this new model is also designed with an eye on extended cruises too. Both the owner’s cabin and the main twin come with ensuite bathrooms – the latter shared as a day heads – and there’s still space for a highly modular third cabin that can be specced as a single berth, a double berth or a storage room. Factor in the convertible settee in the wheelhouse and this boat can sleep up to eight people at a time.
On the main deck, the fact that the structure is offset to port provides plenty of breadth for a large C-shaped dinette opposite a proper galley with a broad companionway running fore-and-aft between them. There is also a three-part aft door that completely opens up the saloon to the L-shaped seating area of the cockpit, where the flybridge provides some handy overhead shelter and a fold-down bulwark creates some useful extra space.
