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A RARE OPPORUNITY TO AQUIRE THE MOST AMAZING EXAMPLE OF THE CELEBRATED BENETEAU 50 WE HAVE SEEN ON THE MARKET IN THE PAST 10 YEARS.
-Kept in dry storage 8-10 months a year since new.
-Italian owners purchased the boat new and kept it in a dry dock in Greece, only launching her 2 months each year with all deck canvas / sails /anchor and chain removed to keep them in good condition.
-Engine / generator and outboard engines meticulously maintained and thoroughly flushed with fresh water before each storage period.
-3 X air conditionings, watermakers, 7KWA Generator, 2 large fridges, dive compressor, power winches, bow thruster
-Extensive refit in 2015 and thorough check in preparation for the 2016 ARC Challenge (Atlantic Race Cruising) in which this yacht came first in their division.
-2015 refit included new AIS, Raymarine MOB alarm, new Raymarine autopilot, new life raft (8 persons), new Bimini, new Spray hood, new Lazy Bag, new radio SSB ICOM, new propeller j-prop three blades, new engine shaft and speed bearings, 2 new alternators, new Climaline compressor frigoboat, new TV 24” (2 pieces), new water pump and an additional sea water system in the galley, new EPIRB and two new batteries.
-Crossed Panama Canal in 2016 and since arriving in the Pacific once again spent 6-7 months each year in dry storage.
-Now available in Fiji and ready to sail anywhere.
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ORSO"S STORY:
Due to the owner’s heavy work load and familiar constraints, Orso was only used 40 days per year for the past 15 years.
Located in Greece, the boat was kept in dry dock and under full cover. She was prepared for the water before each re-splashing, with a sanded bottom and a fresh coat of antifoul, full polish etc.
In spite of being kept under cover, her careful owner made sure that the sails, canvas, ropes and anything removable on deck was taken off and stowed inside the cabin. Even the anchor and chain were removed from the bow and placed in the anchor locker after being thoroughly flushed out with fresh water. The watermaker was carefully flushed and pickled.
The engine, outboard engine and generator were also flushed out with fresh water and treated for extended storage time to avoid corrosion. In subsequent years, with the boat sailing across the Atlantic and later the Pacific Ocean, the same system continues, with the owner fully preparing the boat for storage before taking her out of the water 6-7 months each year during which time he returned home to Italy.
Before each start to the season, the engines were serviced, the watermaker membranes replaced, the sails bent back on the mast and Furler, the running rigging put back on, and the canvas dodger and Bimini set back up.
Looking at ‘Orso’ and at her clean hull, beautiful sails and immaculate interior, one can hardly believe that she is 15 years old.
The Beneteau 50s are no longer built, to the great sadness of serious blue water cruisers who often called her the ‘perfect blue-water yacht’, combining grace, comfort, speed and strength.
Built long before the GFC and in the heydays of Beneteau as one of the most respected builder of cruising yachts in the world and long before the unavoidable tightening of production costs brought about by the struggling economy, a boat like a Beneteau 50 was the flagship of the Beneteau Group and for good reasons. It epitomized what Beneteau was about: perfection in all aspects from the drawing board to the finishing touches. It was certainly very expensive, and well out of the reach of many cruiser’s budgets.
This is why a boat like ‘Orso’ is hard to miss. Where Beneteau 50s and Beneteau Yachts in general are still the most represented yachts in any cruisers anchorage around the world from the Med to the Caribbean and anywhere in the Pacific Ocean, it is interesting to note that many are older boats. In the past two years based in Fiji, where every boat has had to sail thousands of miles of open ocean to reach, we generally see at least one in 5 boat being a Beneteau and almost all of them between 12 to 15 years old or for some, much older.
The cliché ‘they don’t make them like this anymore’rings very true when it comes to the blue water world, which is why ‘Orso’ is an interesting proposition. She is comparable to a very new boat in terms of how much exposure her hull, deck, sails, machinery and equipment has had over the years, but she is a Beneteau 50, built at the apogee of her manufacturer when blue water yachts were not yet confused with champagne boats and were built to last the distance.
For ‘Orso’ the real cruising started in 2015, when her owner retired and was able to achieve his life long dream of sailing off into the sunset. He and his family joined the ARC Challenge. They relocated the boat to Porto Lotti (La Spezia) in Italy and set about getting the boat prepped-up for the Challenge. Sparing no expenses, they did a full revision of the engine, generator, full rig check by a rigging specialist, new AIS, Raymarine MOB alarm, new Raymarine autopilot, new life raft (available for 8 persons), new Bimini, new Spray hood, new Lazy Bag, new radio SSB ICOM, new propeller j-prop three blades, new engine shaft and bearings, 2 new alternators, new Climaline compressor frigoboat, new TV 24” (2 of them), new water pump and an additional autoclave sea water system in the kitchen, new EPIRB and two new batteries.
In November 2016, they joined ARC (Atlantic race cruising) in which they finished 1stin their category (beating a grand soleil 50 in the same class!), spending 16 days at sea, a very fast crossing.
In April 2017, they crossed the panama channel, and in September, at Raiatea (French Polynesia), ‘Orso’ was lifted out of the water once again because of the end of the high season.
In June 2018, Orso was put back in the water. She sailed to Fiji, where, in October 2018, she was lifted out of the water for the same reason. She remained in dry storage and under cover at Vuda Marina until May 2019 when she was re-splashed and the owner contacted us about putting her on the market. They will remain on board until August, and if not sold will continue towards Vanuatu where she will be hauled out again, at Port Vila Boatyard this time, to await her new owner.
It is the end of beautiful era for the owners of ‘Orso’, but their two sons have now grown up and are no longer very much available to spend 2 months a year on board with them. There is no longer a need for such a large vessel. They will be looking for a smaller version of the same boat back in Italy and continue to explore the Med.
ACCOMODATION:
'Orso's has the very thought-after 3 cabins layout, with the immense master cabin with its own ensure and separate, full size shower. The toilet is fitted with a Japanese-style bidet. The King size island bed is very comfortable and at the right height to provide ample storage below without impending headroom for one who likes to sit up in bed reading or watching a movie. The is a flat screen TV on the wall opposite, beautifully maintained timber work, immaculate head lining, walls and fixtures. As with each cabin and saloon, the master cabin is air conditioned. There is hue amount of storage in draws, hanging lockers or cupboards, book shelves, etc.
Each of the two guests cabins have a large queen size bed with very good headroom, plenty of hanging and locker storage and access to their own head / shower area.
The saloon is stunning, with the large dinette comfortable for 8 people, with the central table going down to convert the area into a huge bed. When compared with other boats of the size, the Beneteau 50 offers more storage space than any production boat of this size ever built. The volume of this boat and its practicability for live aboard and extended cruising is outstanding and created in a way that it does not impede on the feeling of space that the main cabin offers.
The galley runs almost the full length of the starboard main cabin, with large amount of storage and food preparation areas, huge fridge that runs on both eutectic and electric and another front opening fridge below.
The galley can be used safely at sea and the whole interior is designed in a. way to be safely navigated when the going gets rough, with plenty of hand holds, unlike many modern boat with cavernous, wide open interior where one can easily be thrown about.
Natural light and cross ventilation abounds thanks to the multiple hatches, which all have fitted blinds for when shade is needed.
EQUIPMENT LIST:
Crew - sail locker forward with two beds.
Performance mast with 3 spreaders
Engine: yanmar 100hp 2300 hours.
500L fuel tank (2x250).
1000L water tank (4 tanks)
Mainsail with Harken trucks.
Spinnaker pole and carbon bowsprit.
Sails: new mainsail, 140% genoa, 100% bow, gennaker hood and spinnaker.
Electric primary winches Lewmar.
Warping winch.
Teak decks
Electric anchor winch with foot switch
Hydraulic gangway.
Crane for outboard engine.
Air conditioning ( X 3 ).
Webasto heating.
Propeller three blades Jprop + fixed propeller as spare
Holding tanks
Vetus 7kw generator (350 hours).
Mastervolt inverter 1500 watts.
2 tv with conexus antenna.
Electrical system: 10 batteries 2017.
Electric compressor for sub cylinders.
2 electric refrigerators + 1 Frigoboat.
2 alternators: 1 80 ampere and 1 150 ampere with external regulator.
Dessalator 80lt / hour desalination machine All led lights.
Double autoclave system.
2 electronic chargers: All Raymarine.
Internal and external
VHF simrad.
Radio and CD player with internal and external speakers.
Ais in reception and transmission.
Ssb icom radio with isolated backstay.
Sailor satellite phone fb 150.
Tender mt.2,90 in carbon (30 kg).
Johnson 15 hp 2-stroke outboard engine.
Bimini, sprayhood and cushions 2016
DISCLAIMER: The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.