Beneteau Antares 7: a boat for all seasons

 Smart open spaces, and a cosy cabin: Beneteau Antares 7 has the perfect recipe for all-year boaters.

If you think you will never use your boat except in summer, than this test is not for you. But if you’re looking for an easy-maintenance, towable boat which you can use all year round, then Beneteau Antares 7 could be what you’re looking for.

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Beneteau Antares 7: not just sportsfishing

For some reason when you see a raised superstructure you immediately think of a sportsfishing boat. Sure, the gaming enthusiasts are heavy sailors all-year round, but you don’t necessarily have to be an angler to enjoy a boat that will provide a safe navigation in all seasons of the year. More, the opportunity (and will) to use it more is a good way to better amortize the investment.
I’m in Barcelona to test the new Beneteau Antares 7. First aspect to catch my attention is the cosy and protective cabin. It can sleep four if you turn the dinette into a double berth, and guests will have a separate heads and an essential galley at their disposal.
Add to this the build standards of the French boatyard: they have an exceptional talent in combining good materials and smart solutions, where the latter are fundamental on a seven-meter boat in order to exploit all the available space.

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So, here’s the dinette which can turn into a queen berth or provide a double, front-faced bench by reverse-mounting the seatback (not so easily, I must confess).
The dashboard of Beneteau Antares 7 has a dedicated seat and takes little space. On the console there’s the Suzuki instrument and the Lowrance monitor, which together satisfy all the requirements of navigation. Aeration is ensured by the two sliding side windows and the wide sliding roof (with shade), to grant a well ventilated space even during hot summer days.
Outside the main area is the bow, which features a large sun bed protected by a handrail ending with a step to get on land and a swim ladder for bathing. The cockpit is connected with the saloon through a sliding door. An u-shaped couch and a teak table form the outer dinette (with a retractable awning), but through some movements (again not that quick) all the space becomes a second solarium. The back sofa can be moved forward to lift the outboard engine, while by the access to the starboard aft platform there’s a well for the catch, so anglers have what they need. Last but not least, a spacious lazarette opens beneath the flooring, handy to store gear and fenders.

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Beneteau Antares 7: the test

Beneteau Antares 7 has been exclusively designed for outboard units, with a maximum output of 175 HP: and this is the case of our test model, which is powered by a Suzuki DF175. The new Antares inaugurates the restyling of the range, with softer lines and above all a new hull design: the choppy sea we’re going to face is the perfect ground. The first feeling is very good, as impacts are well borne by the whole structure. The sharp V of the bow softly enters the waves and never slams, while directionality is good and the response to quick turns is immediate and safe.
The Suzuki DF175 engine, coupled to a 19” three-bladed steel propeller, works smoothly and pushes the boat up to 31 knots. More significant is another figure, from the official manufacturer’s test: with a Suzuki 150 unit, on calm sea, the top speed reached 31.5 knots requiring 54 liters per hour, while in the same condition the 175 engine reached 33.3 knots for 60 lph. In both cases the revs reached 5500 with zero trim, while tilting the engines to 50% gained another 300 rpm. All considered, it seems that even a smaller engine could be enough, it all depends on the use of the boat. Back to our Beneteau Antares 7 with Suzuki DF175, the minimum plane speed read 12 knots at 3800 rpm for 22 lph, while acceleration is rather modest (but keep in mind the sea conditions): 8.7 seconds for planing and 10.8” to get to 20 knots.
Want to know more about Beneteau Antares new range? Here’s all you need to read.

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The numbers of Beneteau Antares 7

Length overall ………………………… 7.48 m (24ft 6in)
Length LH ……………………………..6.48 m (21ft 3in)
Beam …………………………………….2.53 m (8ft 3in)
Draft …………………………………….0,50/0,80 m (20 / 31 in)
Displacement ………………………….1924 Kg
Max output ……………………………..175 HP
Test engine Suzuki ……………………DF175
Fuel reserve …………………………….170 l (44 US gal)
Fresh water reserve …………………..50 l (13 US gal)
Passengers ……………………………..8
CE design category …………………..C/D

Performance

rpm …………..knots……… mph……… lph ……….nm/l ……….range*……..dB**

  • 600 …………..2,1 ………….2,4 …………1,4 ………..1,50 ………..204 ……….52
  • 1000 …………3,3 ………….3,8 …………2,7 ………..1,22 ………..166 ……….56
  • 1500 …………4,8 ………….5,5 …………4,1 …………1,17 ………..159 ……….61
  • 2000 …………6,2 ………….7,1 …………7,4 ………..0,84 ………..114 ……….62
  • 2500 ………….7,0 …………8,1 …………11 …………0,64 …………87 ……….65
  • 3000 ………….7,6 …………8,7 ………..14 ………….0,54 ………..74 ………..69
  • 3500 ………….9,2 …………10,6 ……….20 …………0,46 ………..63 …………74
  • 4000 ………….12,0 ……….13,8 ……….28 …………0,43 ………..58 ………..77
  • 4500 ………….21,0 ……….24,2 ………..32 …………0,66 ………..89 ………..79
  • 5000 ………….26,0 ……….29,9 ……….43 ………….0,60 ……….82 ………..80
  • 5500 ………….29,0 ……….33,4 ………..57 …………0,51 ………..69 ………..83
  • 5800 ………….31,0 ……….35,7 ……….58 ………….0,53 ………..73 ………..84

*(20% reserve)
** salon, cockpit door closed

Test conditions

Choppy sea, temperature 26°C (79° F), clean hull, fuel 150 l (39 US gal), no fresh water, passengers 4

Indicative price (VAT not included):

Without engine ………………………from € 24,200

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