Beneteau Antares 710

 

Issue: August 2006

SHORT & SWEET

This neat and nifty cruiser heralds a return to the simple things in boating life.

WORDS + PHOTOS ANDREW RICHARDSON

With all the glitz and glamour on the water, it's nice to come across a vessel that brings back the simple pleasures of boating. The diesel powered French built Beneteau Antares 710 offers this through efficient cruising, an outdoor focus and competitive pricing.

There are quite a few petrol powered express cruisers this size, but there seems to be a short supply of 7m vessels with traditional cruiser characteristics. The Beneteau Antares 710 fits the description of traditional cruisier, but the twist is, the vessel has a top speed a tad more than 20 knots.

The moment the modest Nanni diesel's turbo kicks in and pushes the Beneteau Antares 710 over the hump, old displacement cruiser and new world boating concepts converge.

And a big part of that convergence is this boat's clever layout.

LAYOUT
The wide walkways, high topsides and well-positioned grab handles make this craft a crowd pleaser for all ages. The oldies will enjoy the easy stern access, creature comforts and high bow rails, while the kids will enjoy a safe ride from the bow seating areas. The youngsters won't have to fight over this prime position either ? the bow seat is wide enough to fit three.

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Access to the well-planned bow area is easy, with moulded step-ups to the walkways and grab rails covering every stage of the trip forward. Once on the bow, the anchor locker is deep and features an electronic windlass with remote control and manual override.

The blunt end of the boat is also well thought out. The 'must have' swim platform and ladder option transforms the Beneteau 710 into a versatile, multi-purpose vessel suited to family cruising and fishing. Simple access to the platform is achieved via an easily removed barrier.

Another feature of this vessel is the second helm, which is a tiller. Why is this such a good feature? Because enclosed helms on small boats get noisy on long trips. The 710's tiller allows the captain to break free of the enclosed helm to take in the fresh air and enjoy a quieter ride. If anything, the tiller would benefit from a yacht style tiller extension. They're about 80 bucks and would complete the functionality of the outdoor steering set-up that already features a second throttle.

The vessel's fully enclosed main bridge has ample ventilation provided by opening side windows. The windscreens have wipers but no fresh water wash system. The double-seated helm drive position is comfortable with good all-round visibility. The full-length footrest helps make long range cruises much more pleasant.

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