Our test boat, the Antares 32, is identical in construction to the Antares 30. The only difference between the smallest flybridge boats in the fleet is the number of engines. The 32 has two diesel engines with shaft drives, while the 30 only has one. The numbers 30 or 32 have nothing to do with the length of the boat.
Light and shade in the workmanship: bulkhead wall openings are mostly provided without edge protection, which is not good for cables or hoses in the long term and leads to a devaluation in technical and electrical installation despite the cable conduits used for the most part. Many plastic cut edges were also left untreated. The Albi woodwork, on the other hand, is more than decent, and the plastic finish leaves a good impression, especially on the outside. We rate the double-shell construction as good, with smooth and clean-looking surfaces on the inside.
Two drive trains with counter-rotating propellers plus bow thruster, standard in the Elegance equipment package, guarantee good manoeuvring in the smallest of spaces. One gearbox in forward position and the other in reverse means turning almost on the spot. The synchronised engines and the slightly pronounced keel determine the smooth straight-ahead course of our test boat. To avoid disturbing waves at slow speeds, we do not allow the engines to turn higher than 1200 rpm and travel at 6.5 knots.
Without much trimming and with the best foresight, the test boat switches from displacement to planing speed. At around 3600 rpm, both engines turn 200 rpm more at full throttle than permitted by the manufacturer. The propellers are obviously designed for a different load on the boat. We are travelling with just two people on board and a half-full diesel tank with no additional load, empty so to speak. The maximum speed logged on our GPS is just under 26.5 knots.
You can find the complete test with all measurement results in the current July issue from BOOTE.
Data sheet: Bénéteau Antares 32
Shipyard: Bénéteau
Type designation: Bénéteau Antares 32
CE category: B - Outside coastal waters
Material of hull and deck: Plastic
Length: 10,22 m
Width: 3,39 m
Displacement: 4,70 t
Price: 0,00 €
