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Show season is off to a great start.

It was a busy, and at times, hectic St. Petersburg Power and Sailboat Show for Beneteau powerboat dealer, Viage Group and Beneteau sailboat dealer, Murray Yacht Sales – but also a very fruitful one.

MYS sold their Oceanis 38 on display along with four other sailboats, and Viage Group co-owner Barry Marshall is more than excited about their results. Certainly cause for optimism heading into the New Year.

Viage made their share of sales as well as as creating more than a few very promising leads. Not bad for their first boat show! In fact, Viage's performance was good enough to be featured in this month's Soundings Trade Only. Click here for the full report.

Enter for a chance to win a Maine Cottage Gift Card

Beneteau Heads Down East with Maine Cottage.

As you've probably heard by now, Beneteau has formed a partnership with Maine Cottage in order to make Beneteau sailboats even warmer and more inviting than they already are. For decades Maine Cottage, the furniture and textile company that has brought happiness into homes everywhere, brings that same joy aboard Beneteau. Is it possible to make a Beneteau any better? Watch the video and find out!

The Joy of Sailing.

My name is Jake Jordan. I am 11 years old, and I live in San Diego, California. My first racing experience was in a Sabot (8ft dingy). Since my dad bought a new Beneteau Oceanis 41, I haven't raced a Sabot since. I just love the way the 41 sails! Every weekend my dad and I take it out we have a blast. As soon as the chine slides into place, we fly across the water. All of my thoughts are released and it feels as if I'm in a trance. All I can hear is the water churning as we sail.

As soon as my dad told me I was going to skipper our Oceanis 41 in the Beneteau Cup Regatta, I was ecstatic!!! The best part about racing the 41 is all the feelings and different sensations I get: wind shifts, boat heeling, wind gusts, weather helm, etc. Then we make the adjustments for a smooth fast sail.

Beyond the sailing part of the regatta, the after parties and the skippers meeting gave me a chance to be with friends and have a ton of fun with other Beneteau kids, thanks to this regatta.

Sincerely,
Jake Jordan, Skipper of "Chowdah"
Winner of Cruising Class 1 - 2013 San Diego Beneteau cup

PassageMaker says the Swift 50 is the fast-lane liveaboard.

By John Wooldridge
I leaned against the edge of the Swift Trawler 50's helm console and finished writing down the data displayed at 3000 rpm on the Raymarine chart plotter screen, the Volvo digital engine display and my portable sound meter. When I finished, I glanced quickly through the large forward windows and watched the next wave approach. Marvelous, I thought.

Sense 55: "She's a new, exciting breed."

BoatTEST.com - With the Sense 55, Beneteau's designers have virtually eliminated all of the hard chores of sailing and effectively eliminated most of the objections people might have to owning a large sailboat.

Barracuda 9: "The Swiss Army knife of boats."

By Joan Wenner, The Virginia Sportsman
What does a sportfisherman need if he wants to do some serious deep-sea fishing but also keep the family excited about boating? He may want to take a good look at the Beneteau Barracuda 9 cruiser/crossover, offered stateside by the iconic French boatbuilder.

C'est le bon.

My wife and I left Houston, TX (Clear Lake, to be precise) in February 2013 and have cruised around the Gulf of Mexico and up the east coast to Hampstead, NC, where the boat is now parked for the winter. We have had an excellent time and absolutely love our 2005 Beneteau 423 (hull no. 506). The boat has stood up very well to the rigors and joys of the cruising life, including a lightning strike in Key West. We will carry on with our travels next spring, planning to head further north up the east coast at a leisurely pace.

We invite you to share in our experiences through our blog, cestlebon.blogspot.com

Regards,
Hal and Terri Wells

The Choice for Chartering.

Beneteau's Cyclades series seems to be the yacht of choice among bareboat charter sailors. Named after the Aegean island playground, the Cyclades has a beamy interior to accommodate multiple couples without anyone feeling left out. And just because she boasts plenty of comfortable living space doesn't mean she's anything less than a quick and agile angel on the open ocean. Click here to read what Chris Caswell thinks of the Cyclades 50.4 in the current issue of CharterSavvy.

Toronto International Boat Show
Toronto, ON, Jan 11-19

Austin Boat & Travel Trailer Show
Austin, TX, Jan 16-19

Chicago Boat, Sports & RV Show
Chicago, IL, Jan 16-20

Vancouver International Boat Show
Vancouver, BC, Jan 22-26

Strictly Sail Chicago
Chicago, IL, Jan 23-26

San Diego Sunroad Boat Show
San Diego, CA, Jan 23-26

San Francisco Boat Show
San Francisco, CA, Jan 23-26

Charleston Boat Show
Charleston, SC, Jan 24-26

Seattle Boat Show Indoor & Afloat
Seattle, WA, Jan 24-Feb 2

Click here for more events.

Ambassador Delattre (left) and President of Beneteau America Laurent Fabré

Ambassador Encourages French-U.S. Partnership in Maryland.

French Ambassador François Delattre paid Beneteau America a visit recently in Annapolis. The Ambassador was in the area to study bilateral ties in business and international affairs between France and America.

Riding on air.

An idea like AirStep® could only come from Beneteau, recognized as a world leader in boating innovation and technology. A boat with an AirStep hull is a win-win proposition. It can plane quicker, maneuver easier, handle weather better and provide more comfort than any other hull on the water – and it can do all this while using less fuel and thus making for one happy boat owner.

Thanks to Swift Trawler owner, Scott Swift for sending us this scenic photo taken while cruising in the Pacific Northwest. Cruise on Scott!