The hull was introduced a year ago as the First 53 racer that generated buzz at the boat shows. The first hull on American shores looked ready to chew up the waves and was presented as a minimalist gentleman’s racer. Based on this initial design, Beneteau developed a new model that slotted nicely into their “Oceanis Yacht” line, the upper stratus of their Oceanis cruiser offering. The result is the new Oceanis Yacht 54, a performance cruiser that sails like a race boat but lives like a posh condo.
The swanky design is by Roberto Biscontini and Lorenzo Argento who masterminded the exterior and interior design, respectively. Biscontini, now based in Milan, brought an America’s Cup background to the project since he spent two decades working with New Zealand and Italy race teams. This put an emphasis on speed and a balanced hull with a carefully positioned center of buoyancy. The profile includes a plumb bow, a vertical and open transom, and a low coarchroof that’s almost more of a suggestion and barely hints at the livability below. The beam is carried all the way aft so from the stern, she looks very much like an offshore racing machine. The visibility forward from the helms is exceptional with uninterrupted views all the way to the bow.
Below the waterline, two keel depths are offered: standard at 8’ 2” and shoal at 6’ 7. Our test boat was fitted with the latter. Combined with twin rudders, the Oceanis Yacht 54 is well balanced and once she finds her groove, you can take your hands off the wheel or steer with one finger.
The construction combines fiberglass stringers that are fixed to an aluminum substructure and a hull that’s cored with balsa to the keel. The 54 gained about a ton over her racing predecessor. That’s just a rounding error given the overall displacement of 37,000 pounds the load of gear that cruising boats typically heap aboard.
Specifications
LOA: 56′ 2″
Beam: 16′ 5″
Draft: 6’7”, 8’ 2”
Displacement: 36,586 lbs.