Beneteau in France is one of the big names in Europe when it comes to motorboats. The shipyard always has its finger on the pulse of the times and offers a suitable boat between 5 and 20 metres in length for pretty much every taste, requirement or budget. This results in a total of 33 models. One of these is our test boat Antares 7 OB. Antares refers to the cabin cruisers,
7 stands for the length class and the abbreviation OB indicates that an outboard motor up to a maximum of 175 hp is used for propulsion. The shipyard describes the boat as follows in the summary: "Safety, simplicity and cosiness. Designed for short trips along the coast, the Antares 7 can be transported by road." This is true as far as the latter is concerned, if you say that you need a towing vehicle that can take around 2.5 tonnes on the hook.
What is missing from the brochure is a statement on quality, which we comment on in the test report as follows: all in all a decent impression, no weaknesses, woodwork neatly executed, plastic work inside and outside good (sometimes with, sometimes without processing of the plastic cut edges), technical and electrical installations satisfactory.
Driving and manoeuvring
Our test area is the Mediterranean off Port Ginesta in Spain, which gives us nothing on this day and demands everything. In the harbour, the test boat can be steered forwards and backwards anywhere; only crosswinds cause us to activate the bow thruster (recommended extra). People walking around in the boat have hardly any influence on the course and heel, and full circles do not exceed two boat lengths.
To keep the waves generated by the boat to a minimum, we limit the engine speed to 1500 rpm or 5 knots. The transition from displacement to planing speed is barely noticeable, and it doesn't matter whether the engine is fully trimmed or remains in the optimum trimmed position - visibility always remains optimal. In the increasingly tight bends, the boat leans slightly towards the centre of the bend. If the diameter is less than 30 metres, the propeller will stop and force us to restart. This is caused by the sea state and the mounting height of the motor. Slalom manoeuvres or 180° turns are made more difficult by the stiff rudder. If the rudder is jerked, this leads to problem-free course changes.
Average wave heights of up to around 1.20 metres combined with heavy cross seas are not everyday criteria for the rough water test. Thanks to what the shipyard calls its "tulip-shaped" foredeck, the test boat passes the test
"tulip-shaped" forecastle. Even the odd free flight at full throttle is always associated with a safe and surprisingly dry landing.
In the search for a speed at which we are still travelling comfortably in this sea, we settle at 22 knots in the long run - chapeau! However, the sea state does not allow measurements at full throttle; from 4500 rpm we fall back on the shipyard data, which also correspond with our measurements up to this speed. In fast displacement sailing, one tank of fuel is theoretically enough for a non-stop journey of 183 nm plus 15% reserve.
At fast planing speed, you can travel economically between 4750 and 5000 rpm. Between 25 and 27 knots, you can travel just under 100 nm, and at full throttle (33 knots) around 80 nm - plus reserve in each case. This means that the test boat fulfils our requirement for a minimum range only at displacement speed. As far as the acoustics are concerned, our data is only sufficient up to 5000 rpm, where we measured a sound pressure of 85 db(A). Beyond that, the swell put a spanner in the works.
The longitudinally sliding bucket seat for the driver can be folded forwards to create more space in the galley below. It takes a bit of skill to climb it, but once the driver has taken a seat, he sits comfortably with a tidy dashboard, compass and windscreen with wiper in front of him.
The controls are within easy reach and there is space for navigation electronics so that a touchscreen can be installed on which all important data and information about the engine, position and course can be displayed. Co-drivers sit opposite at the dinette. The front backrest can be repositioned depending on whether you want to look aft or forwards.
Technology and safety
We drive the test boat with a 175 hp Suzuki neatly mounted on the stern. Control and supply elements are located in the well-sealed empty pipe. If you push the cockpit stern bench forward, the engine can be tilted completely out of the water. The batteries, water and fuel tanks can be accessed in the cockpit floor storage compartment. The installation of a fuel pre-filter here is commendable, but we criticise its location and handling. The main battery switch and fuses can be accessed behind a flap on the rear dinette bench seat.
When it comes to safety, the Antares scores primarily with its handling characteristics. The outboard self-draining cockpit and the manual bilge pump for emergencies are positive features. The side decks have different widths, with the wider one on the starboard side being the favourite. The way forwards is secured by handholds, the slightly too low railing plus handrails. Untreated cut edges on bulkhead openings, where hoses can chafe through, mean a downgrade for the technical installations. On the other hand, there is nothing to criticise when it comes to the electrics. The boatyard offers pre-installation for Honda, Suzuki, Mercury and Yamaha; the dealer then only has to install and connect the engine.
Living, cockpit and equipment
According to the certification, up to eight people can stay on the boat. This is fine as long as they are not too stout, as the interior dimensions under the roof tend to favour slim crew members. The front section of the cabin can be converted into a double berth with inserts and the dinette into a berth for one adult or two children. With the exception of the separate stowage or toilet compartment, where it is a little narrower due to the design, there is nothing wrong with the standing and seating heights.
If you want to cook, cool or go to the toilet, you have to order the necessary items in advance - just like other useful accessories. If you have also purchased the seat stowage boxes in the cockpit, there is the best place at the plug-in table, not only when it is raining and you are under the canopy. The lighting is not approved for the German part of the North Sea, Baltic Sea and parts of the German inland waterways; this leads to a devaluation, as does the fact that you have to order and pay for the canopy or tarpaulin separately.
Slip cleats fore and aft and a towing eye at the front are used to secure the boat. One of the two attached bathing platforms is equipped with a telescopic bathing ladder. The self-draining anchor locker with bow fitting at the front, where an electric winch can be accommodated, is commendable. We are also impressed by the amount of storage space throughout the boat.
CONCLUSION
With the Antares 7 OB, Beneteau has created a practical and trailerable cabin cruiser that has particularly impressed us in rough water. It offers almost everything you need to spend a few days on the water. Families and water sports enthusiasts will have fun with it.
