BoatsBeneteau 50

Beneteau 50

Masthead Sloop · Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder · 1995–2004

A Farr-designed masthead sloop with a 2.3-metre bulb keel and a versatile layout marketed under multiple names

Designed by Farr Yacht Design, Armel Briand & Bruce Farr.

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

See her sail

The Beneteau 50, 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 light displacement on a narrow beam gives 26 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 26
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.92
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 137
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.6
TenderStiff

33% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 33%

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

  • Draws more than ~76% of boats her size on file
  • Beamier than ~79% of boats her size on file

Compared with 1605 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Beneteau 50, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Beneteau 50 is a masthead sloop designed by Farr Yacht Design, Armel Briand, and Bruce Farr, built by Beneteau from 1995 to 2004. This 15.5-meter sailboat features a fin keel with a bulb and a spade rudder, with a displacement of 12,999 kg. It was also marketed under variants like MOORINGS 503, 504, and 505, and STARDUST 505, with options for shoal draft and standard rig. Bruce Farr's collaboration with Beneteau aimed to balance performance and cruising comfort, a design philosophy also seen in the Beneteau 461.0:48 Aboard *Lauren Landers Sailing*, two Beneteau 50s joined social activities in Fakarava, French Polynesia, including beach bonfires and dinghy trips.10:08 A Beneteau 50 was used for a Pacific crossing, as mentioned by *The Sailing Doodles Podcast*.2:23

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 3 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Beneteau 50 on video

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
32.5%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.6
Displacement / length
136.6
Comfort ratio
26.4
Capsize screening
1.92
Hull speed
9.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
2381
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1995–2004
Units built
200
Designer
Farr Yacht Design, Armel Briand, Bruce Farr
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.

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 51915.75 mSame hull family0.3 m longerAn evolution of the 509 featuring a bow sprit and expanded swim platform for enhanced modern cruising
Chartering a Sailboat in Mexico!0:31from Sailing Doodles
Beneteau Oceanis 5015.10 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 15.1-metre fractional sloop with a 1.7-metre draft, built for high-volume cruising on a proven hull platform
Orche a San Juan Jun04from Ale & Max - Y2K Sailing Adventure
X Yachts X-5015.24 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA 15.24-meter performance cruiser with a 3-meter draft and a 40% ballast ratio for balanced, high-speed handling
The Launch of X yacht 49 Electric – A Green Sailing Experience in Denmarkfrom SeaTV Sailing Channel
Bavaria Yachts 50 Vision15.70 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 15.7-metre cruiser with a high 24.85 sail-area-to-displacement ratio, designed for powerful, efficient passage-making
3 phases 🛠️❄️☀️ RENTAL SAILBOAT MAINTENANCE4:50from Allende los Mares · Vuelta Vertical
Beneteau Oceanis 5215.75 mSame hull family0.3 m longerA 2025 Biscontini-designed fractional sloop featuring dual rudders and versatile keel and sail plan configurations
Inside the New Beneteau Oceanis 52: What Works, What Doesn’tfrom Practical Sailor
Beneteau Oceanis 50015.32 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop with a wing keel, widely produced as the Moorings 500 and Prestige 500
The Wind Vane Snapped! Atlantic Crossing in 19 Days2:11from Practical Sailor

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Beneteau Oceanis 50A 15.1-metre fractional sloop with a 1.7-metre draft, built for high-volume cruising on a proven hull platformBeneteau First 50A Philippe Briand-designed performance cruiser balancing a high sail area-to-displacement ratio with a stiff bulb keelBeneteau Sense 50A masthead sloop with a 4.86-metre beam and dual rudders, engineered for stability and high-volume livingBeneteau 49A 15-metre cruiser with a 4,300-kilogram ballast for stability and an optional deep-draft keel for improved windward workBeneteau Cyclades 50.5A high-volume five-cabin cruiser by Berret-Racoupeau designed for the charter trade on a versatile shared hull platformBeneteau First 51A German Frers-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio and performance-oriented sail area for fast cruising

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