Beneteau 343

BoatsBeneteau 343

See her sail

The Beneteau 343, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Lady K Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 25 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 25

CoastalBluewater

1.92 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.92

LightHeavy

205 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 205

EasygoingPowered-up

15.4 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 15.4

TenderStiff

25% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 25%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

What the fleet has seen

The Beneteau 343, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Beneteau 343 is a Berret-Racoupeau-designed sailboat produced by Beneteau from 2005 to 2008, also known as the Oceanis Clipper 343.6:15 It has a fin with bulb and spade rudder hull, measures 10.8 meters LOA with a 3.5-meter beam, and displaces 6099 kg.6:18 The standard draft is 1.9 meters, though a shallow keel option with a 1.45-meter draft was initially standard and later optional, and an additional lifting keel option was available. The model run saw changes in reported displacement figures and keel options. Sailors looking for comfort on a budget, including an aft cabin and a sugar scoop transom, can find these features in mid-30-foot production boats like the Beneteau 343.1:26

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions

Weights

Ballast / displacement

25.3%

Rig & sail area

Ratios

SA / displacement

15.4

Displacement / length

204.9

Comfort ratio

25.2

Capsize screening

1.92

Hull speed

7.4 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1258

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/bulb & spade rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Ballast type

Cast Iron

Production

Years built

2005–2008

Designer

Berret - Racoupeau, Berret-Racoupeau

Builder

Beneteau

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Bavaria Yachts Cruiser 3510.76 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA three-cabin layout packed into a light 10.76-metre hull, designed for efficient coastal cruising

Greece, the Paradise of Forgotten Boats - we returned after 5 years4:57 from navegandoporelglobo

Hunter Marine 35610.82 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered in the UK market with twin bilge keels, this 10.8-metre cruiser provides a versatile option for shoal waters

Is the Hunter 356 a Bad Boat?from Practical Sailor

Hunter Marine 35.5 Legend10.84 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA fractional sloop with a shallow-draft wing keel, designed as an updated evolution of the Legend 35

Hunter Legend 35.5 - Behind the Curtain0:46 from Practical Sailor

Catalina Yachts 35010.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a 2.03-metre draft and a high-volume hull designed for comfortable coastal cruising

Is This the Best 35-Foot Sailboat Ever Made? Catalina 350 from Practical Sailor

Contessa 3510.82 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Doug Peterson-designed IOR One Ton racer that claimed the 1974 International One Ton Cup with her prototype Gumboots

BOAT TOUR - Erik Aanderaa's solo sailing MACHINE!0:49 from Alluring Arctic

Beneteau Oceanis 37010.87 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop built for cruising comfort with a stable, moderate displacement hull

CHEAP Sailboat to live on in the Bahamas! Ep 292 - Lady K Sailing from Lady K Sailing

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Beneteau 373A Berret-Racoupeau designed cruiser featuring a bulb-fin keel and a high-volume hull optimized for comfortable coastal cruising Beneteau Oceanis 393A high-volume masthead sloop designed by Berret-Racoupeau for comfortable cruising, also marketed as the Moorings 403 Beneteau 393A masthead sloop offering a shallow 1.55m draft option for coastal access, built with a high-volume hull since 2002 Beneteau 43A Berret-Racoupeau fractional sloop designed for comfortable cruising with a shallow draft and balanced performance Beneteau Oceanis 34.1A Marc Lombard-designed cruiser featuring a hull with dual rudders and multiple keel options for versatile performance Beneteau Oceanis 323A Groupe Finot-designed masthead sloop available with a swing keel, offering a stable platform for coastal cruising

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