No matter the type of boat, designers and owners are always looking for ways to keep a vessel at a “manageable” size without compromising passenger space and comfort.
When Beneteau introduced its sailing flagship, the Oceanis Yacht 60, to replace the Yacht 62, the newer model was shorter and sleeker with lower freeboard. The boat displaced five tons less than its predecessor, but offered the same interior volume.
The target audience for the Oceanis Yacht 60 is a sailing couple moving up from a smaller boat who want more comfort and sophistication, Valentin Moreau, sailboat marketing product manager for Beneteau, wrote in an email. He said the most noteworthy features of the boat are its long-range sailing ability, strong performance in light air and a deck layout focused on easy circulation and safety.
The hull is an evolution of the one Roberto Bisconti created for the Beneteau First 53 and Oceanis Yacht 54. The difference is that the bottom for the 60 was developed for cruising so there’s more consideration given to extra payload. Broader forward sections create a flare above the waterline and that translates to more interior volume.
The added volume forward of the mast helped improve stability and gives the Oceanis Yacht 60 better balance because the bow doesn’t dip when the boat heels. Below decks, the extra space provides an owner’s suite that would typically be found on a larger boat in the 70-foot range.
Sailors should appreciate the Oceanis Yacht 60’s large, open cockpit with dual helm stations. The compass is on the port console while the engine throttle and control panel are positioned to starboard. Visibility is clear from myriad locations with different sail packages. A captain sitting outboard on the windward side can see the lower jib telltale. Foot chocks are properly placed for use when the boat heels over and the upholstered, padded seat at each helm is comfortable. Trimming the sails should be easy and the captain can carry out most maneuvers without ever leaving the helm. This makes the boat a good candidate for short-handed sailing.
Wide decks run fore and aft on each side to give crew unobstructed passage to the bow. A bimini top is supported by the mainsail arch, which keeps sheets safe and out of the way. An optional rigid cover is available with a center section that slides forward to adjust how much cover the cockpit gets. It helps the crew manage the compromise between UV protection and air flow.
Because anchorages are part of cruising, the fold-down swim platform provides access to a garage that can hold a 9-foot tender. The garage is equipped with double wires and guiding rollers for easier launch and retrieval.
To improve the ownership experience, the Oceanis Yacht 60 comes with Beneteau’s Seanapps app that provides remote control of the boat and on-board systems. Ship Control provides even more access to the boat from any screen on the yacht or from a smart phone.
Below decks, Moreau said the three-stateroom layout has been the most popular on the 28 versions of the boat that have been built since 2022. Clear Oak, which gives the interior a more open look because of its lighter tone, has been popular, but Walnut is picking up interest.
An amidships galley is laid out across the Oceanis Yacht 60’s beam with storage and a refrigerator to port, and the sink, oven and dishwasher to starboard. Storage capacity abounds and there is workable countertop space.
Just aft, the salon has space for six people on a sofa around a table to port. Across to starboard is a loveseat and the captain can turn around from the curved chart table to visit with family and friends.
Forward, the master suite is in the sailboat’s bow with the berth to starboard and a side walkway to port. The en suite head is aft with a separate walk-in shower. In the three-stateroom layout, the two VIP cabins are abaft the salon. Each has its own head with a separate shower. When a fourth stateroom is added, it’s a small one forward of the master quarters in the bow. It would most likely be considered a crew cabin.
Beneteau builds the Oceanis Yacht 60 with infused-resin lamination, including balsa and foam coring. The cast-iron keel is attached with heavy-duty bolts and a bonded steel backplate. The twin rudders are installed with stainless-steel stock.
On deck, the aluminum mast has internal furling with two aft swept spreaders and a Sparcraft anodized aluminum boom. Sailing equipment includes a backstay bridle with a built-in Harken manual hydraulic pump-operated piston. Harken blocks are at the foot of the mast and there are two stand-up blocks, mainsail sheet on the mainsail cradle. All lines lead aft to the helm stations excluding the boom uphaul genoa halyard and the mainsail halyard for the version with the in-mast furling.
Rigging includes a Dyneema mainsail halyard with a tensioning rail on the mast, and a Dyneema Genoa halyard. The mainsheet has a Dyneema core and there’s one self-tacking jib sheet. There are six halyard clutches to port and three to starboard. Winches include a self-tailing electric unit to port, a manual self-tailing unit to starboard, an aluminum speed grip handle.
For mooring and anchoring, the Oceanis Yacht 60 has a polyester bowsprit with an integrated anchoring gear and bobstay with a spinnaker chainplate. The chain locker is self-draining with an attachment point for the bitter end. There’s a single steel roller and chafing plate. A Lewmar windlass hauls the anchor.
Standard power on the boat is a 150-hp Yanmar common-rail diesel engine with screens at the steering station and data available on Raymarine electronics. The Oceanis Yacht 60 comes with a 24-volt Side Power bow thruster and four dedicated batteries.
The most popular electronics complement is the Offshore Package and it includes Raymarine’s 12-inch Axiom 2 Pro multi-function touchscreen display that includes GPS, chartplotter, chart reader and Navionics cartography. The package also comes with an anemometer, windvane, sensors for log, speedometer and temperature, Raymarine P70s autopilot, VHF radio with AIS receiver, a wireless autopilot remote and a wireless VHF handset.
Retail price for the Beneteau Oceanis Yacht 60 with the Offshore Package is $1,325,800. n