Beneteau Powerboat Gran Turismo 40 Review

Of all the boats built by Beneteau’s Gran Turismo line, the GT40 is the first to be designed with the U.S market as a target. Straight from the hull to amenities, it is visible that this boat was built with Americans in mind. The GT40 has a lot to offer, and much more to offer once you divert your attention from what is visually captivating and delve deeper into what is available below water level.

Construction

The GT40’s hull was given an upgrade from the normal Airstep hull which is common the Beneteau line. Instead of using an air-intake tube to feed the exhaust port forward of the hull’s single step, the GT 40 pushed the air intake down to the chine and then designed it to resemble a cup. This increased the amount of air ventilating the step by 30 percent, making for a sporty and cushy ride.

The hull’s coring is totally balsa throughout. Although balsa is not the popular choice in town, Beneteau feels that the benefits of the balsa over solid fiberglass speak for itself in terms of weight and efficiency. The joinery is cored using Alpi (a light material easily beaten into shape), and has many layers of compressed wood veneered with walnut, oak, or mahogany.

Performance

On a ride in the calm Tampa Bay the GT 40 got to a remarkable speed of 38.4 knots at WOT and the cruising speed was 30.8 knots at 3,000 rpm. At this point, the fuel consumption was at 25gph in total. The climax of the whole ride was the boat’s acceleration. She fired straight out of the hole with her twin 370-horsepower Volvo PentaD6s and moved from idle to plane in a space of six seconds remarkably maintaining a balanced trim. She clocked at idle-to-20 knots in eight seconds and idle-to-35 knots in 19 seconds, which is a great record. The Airstep hull handled the bay remarkably well through all the S-turns at cruise and WOT. At 31 knots, she fired through in less than a boat length.

Accommodations

The GT40 is, at heart, a dayboat meant exclusively for catching fun in the sun. She is also a boat with enough space for a family or an owner and his guests to relax comfortably for about two nights. At the center of the deck is an L-shaped settee with a dining table; when it is joined with the galley, it becomes a de facto indoor dining room with two burner cooktop and sink to starboard. It can also be used to take covering from harsh weather. The forepeak master has large side windows which provides it with natural light, and has lots of headroom which could accommodate a 6-foot frame. Amidships stateroom is also present with twin bunks and plenty of stowage space. This room space is a bit tight, as is normal for a second stateroom, considering the boat size. So the room is used mostly during bedtime. It is suitable for sleeping and the owner can cruise through the night with friends or kids aboard. Having someone to spend time aboard with you makes the whole experience more fun, this is the main aim of the Beneteau GT40- FUN!

LOA: 41’7″
BEAM: 12’8″
DRAFT: 3’7″
DISPL.: 17,489 lb.
FUEL: 172 gal.
WATER: 53 gal.
TEST POWER: 2/370-hp Volvo Penta D6s
PROPELLERS: Volvo Duoprops