BoatsBeneteau 523

Beneteau 523

Fractional Sloop · Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder · First built 2001

A 16-metre fractional sloop featuring a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio and multiple interior layout options

Designed by Groupe Finot & Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot).

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder

See her sail

The Beneteau 523, on the water

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

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

2.05 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.05
LightHeavy

125 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 125
EasygoingPowered-up

21.9 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 21.9
TenderStiff

36% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 36%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Draws more than ~75% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~90% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1331 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

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
35.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
21.9
Displacement / length
124.6
Comfort ratio
23.9
Capsize screening
2.05
Hull speed
9.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2746
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
First built 2001
Designer
Groupe Finot, Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot)
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.

Oceanis 51.1 (Benenteau)15.94 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 15.94-meter cruiser with a 2.3-meter bulb keel and a 13,929 kg displacement designed for modern, high-volume living
Beneteau Oceanis 5215.75 mSame hull family0.5 m shorterA 2025 Biscontini-designed fractional sloop featuring dual rudders and versatile keel and sail plan configurations
Bavaria Yachts 50 Vision15.70 mSame hull family0.6 m shorterA 15.7-metre cruiser with a high 24.85 sail-area-to-displacement ratio, designed for powerful, efficient passage-making
Jeanneau Yachts 5316.06 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Philippe Briand-designed cruiser offering performance rig and shallow keel options, also marketed as the Sunsail 53
Saga Marine 4815.94 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop built for performance cruising with a stiff 33% ballast ratio
Beneteau First 53f515.90 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA Bruce Farr performance cruiser styled by Pininfarina, featuring multiple cabin layouts and an optional shoal wing keel

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.

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Beneteau 523, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

The newsletter

New boats, new stories, from everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analyzed. No noise.

Report an issue