The flagship of Beneteau’s new Flyer generation is a pure open under 10 meters, so boat in Italy, that attempts to combine large interior volumes with a sporty look. We tested it in Port Ginesta, Spain, with 2 Suzuki 350-horsepower outboards: the DF350As.
Beneteau Flyer 10: testing the flagship.
It is in line with the trend where owners are looking for boats that can return the comforts of home, even outside the world of “trawlers,” that is, boats that are born to travel.
It has a “muscular” and solid, yet streamlined design that is more than just aesthetic, as evidenced by the motorization we can install in the stern. A range of 600 to 700 horsepower, divided between two outboards, allows the Flyer 10 to cruise smoothly at more than 40 knots of top speed (with a consumption of about 220 liters/hour) while maintaining maneuverability and ease of use.
On board
Starting from the stern, you ascend by passing through two small beaches “outside” the hull, located on the sides of the engine, which help you get back on board both at this stage and when you go swimming. The cockpit is accessed from the right, where we find an “obligatory” passageway, with an open kitchen with refrigerator, sink and lockers on the right, and a table with an “L” shaped sofa on the left.
This solution has advantages in a summer cruise use of the boat, especially because of the proximity to the station where drinks and food are prepared. Continuing on, we come to the passage leading to the wheelhouse,the bow and below deck. In the configuration in which we tested the boat, the impact with the wheelhouse and, more generally, with the bridge, where there is double seating, was very positive.
On the Flyer 10 we tested we had a large Garmin screen in front of us, which allowed us to keep all the data under control, from speed to fuel consumption, clearly and quickly.
The windshield is well thought out and, in addition to giving a more “aggressive” look to the boat, it shelters well from the wind even at high speeds, as well as dividing the central part of the boat from the bow sunbathing area, which we will return to in a moment.
To the left of the wheelhouse we find another seat, with which even several people can stay close to the skipper while
you sail, a trend that is going mainstream on all new generation powerboats; in the series, “skipper, you won’t be alone anymore!” Opposite the left-most seat is the only access to the large three-person bow sundeck, with a walkway all around and anchor locker. There is no manhole from the deck into the forward sunbathing area and the cabin below.
Below deck
It is accessed through a sliding hatch; toward the bow is a space that functions as both a sleeping cabin and a salon, and can be totally separated from the rest of the boat with a retractable curtain. The volume of this compartment, both in width and height, and its modularity is certainly striking, especially considering that the hull is less than ten meters long. Two thin windows in the hull allow light to enter this area of the boat, although this is mainly provided by the hatch.
Toward the stern, to the right of the stairs, is the access to the double guest cabin, which is very bright thanks to the large, rectangular windows cut into the deckhouse between the hatch and the walkway. Between the two cabins we find two doors to separate bathroom and shower stall, thanks to which we can also experience a few days of cruising without giving up anything.
In navigation
We tested this boat in the waters of Port Ginesta, near Barcelona, Spain, in low wind and long wave conditions. In the configuration tested with two 350-horsepower Suzuki outboard motors, the Beneteau Flyer 10 proved to be quite a fun fireball, with which we touched 43 knots maximum for a total consumption of 220 liters/hour.
While going fast can be fun, it is the cruising speed that is of great interest: the ideal cruising speed for this boat is around 25-27 knots with Suzuki’s two DF350As running at 4,000 rpm and consuming about 90 liters/hour (there were 6 people on board during the test and the tank was half full). The bow, aided by the ample interior volume mentioned earlier, always remains a little high before the glide where the boat starts to enter at about 12 knots.
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From the bridge there is a good view of the boat’s surroundings. On the wave, at high speeds, the hull remains all in all dry except for a few drops. The flagship Flyer is an easy boat to maneuver, ideal for pleasure boating, smooth in wave impact and well balanced as a powerboat. In tighter turns it tends to drift a little, but always remaining perfectly in control. Despite the large amount of power in the stern, it proves to be an easy boat to handle and therefore suitable for all types of boaters.
Boat Data Sheet: Beneteau Flyer 10
- Dimensions: Loa 9.98m
- B.max 3.32m
- Displ.: 5.6 t
- Cabins (cabins): 2 cabins
- Engine (engine): 2 x 350 HP Outboard
- Maximum speed (maximum speed): 43 knots
- Fuel tank (Fuel tank): 2 x 400 l
- Basic price (basic price): 95,120 euros
- Contact: www.beneteau.com
Full results of the test in Motor Boats No. 11 on newsstands now
