The Beneteau 343 Sailboat

Published Specification for the Beneteau 343

Underwater Profile: Bulb fin keel with spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP

Length Overall: 35'4" / 10.8m

Waterline Length: 33'10" / 10.3m

Beam: 11'3" / 3.5m

Draft: 6'3" / 1.9m

Rig Type: Masthead sloop

Displacement: 17,416lb / 7,900kg

Designer: Berret & Racoupeau

Builder: Beneteau (France)

Year First Built: 2005

Year Last Built: 2008

Owners Contact: Beneteau Owners' Association

Published Design Ratios for the Beneteau 343

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 19.1

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 36.4

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 181

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 22.2

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

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Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Beneteau 343

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 19.1 suggests that the Beneteau 343 will approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 36.4 would usually mean that the Beneteau 343 would have a tendency to heel uncomfortably in a gust, and need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

However, as she has much of her ballast concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 181, tells us the Beneteau 343 is clearly a light displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer dramatically.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 22.2 suggests that crew comfort of a Beneteau 343 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 is on the cusp of suitability for an ocean passage, so venture offshore with caution.