Sports Boat and RIB sent Simon Everett to check out the latest version of one of Beneteau’s most prolific sporting cuddies - the Flyer 650.

Cuddy cabin boats are all the rage now and you can understand why. They offer more comfort than a regular open boat but without the need to increase the size of craft. So it’s good to see a boat like the Beneteau Flyer 650 providing not just an open cockpit for summer entertainment but also a small cabin to enable you to put your head down for a few hours. This neat treading of the line between the two forms is likely to have great appeal for a wide range of users, particularly as it involves surprisingly little compromise of the boat’s sporting credentials.

What’s the point of the Flyer?
The main focus of the 650 Open is likely to be simple dayboating, with the odd overnight stop and the odd weekend away. The boat's cabin is fairly cramped but, provided you are sensible about what you take away with you, there is more than enough room to go coastal hopping for a few days.

To keep things dry down below, the sliding cabin door (which can be locked in behind the dash panel) is given an all-round water channel to direct rainwater away from the joints and onto the self-draining cockpit. It’s a useful space but what is particularly noticeable is that, despite the below decks accommodation, the Flyer 650 still manages to offer a complete walkaround deck and a deep internal freeboard. It’s a measure of additional security that will appeal greatly to young families.

The on board accessories
One of the advantages of the Flyer is that the designers have incorporated versatility into the seating configuration. Take the bow for example. There are a couple of regular looking locker-top seats but the difference here is that they have ‘gull wing’ tops that fold out. Together with an infill panel and cushion, they create a substantial sunbed up front that does nothing to detract from the foredeck practicalities. You still get a forward compartment, a chain locker and proper workmanlike cleats.

The cockpit seating meanwhile is arranged around a stern bench with angled backrest, and a pair of pedestal bucket seats. They are not quite bolsters, but they’re not far off. The squab is a lift-up affair providing useful support for those in the standing position and, when seated, the depth of the unit provides fine lateral support for agressive helming.

These seats swivel 180 degrees so they can face the plastic picnic table, making a four-seat arrangement in the cockpit. The problem is that the table is too small for four people to use for anything other a drink and a bowl of crisps. In fact, the table is better off left ashore, allowing much more room in the cockpit. Get a decent ice chest as a place to put your plate and you will be far better served.

The aft bench splits so the bulwark can hinge forwards to provide access to the battery, fuel, water trap filter and fuel tank. With the aft bulwark lowered in the centre, the outboard can also trim right up for transport, but its the dynamic impact that is of more interest. Underway, the placement of all this fixed weight aft makes the bow quite light, allowing the boat to ride easily without using much trim at all. With two people at the helm it balances out nicely.

At the helm
The helm itself is a bit clinical and soulless, but Beneteau has attempted to give it some sense of style by using a pseudo-carbon dash and switch panels at the wheel. The gauges are very simple, with just a fuel gauge, trim indicator and tachometer, leaving plenty of space for a built-in chartplotter. The helm position is nicely over the break of the water along the hull and the controls are easy to reach whether standing or sitting. The windscreen and console are also both sufficiently wide and high to give proper protection from the wind. Far too many boats use a narrow console that allows your outside leg to get wet and cold so this is a very welcome feature.

Is she true to her name?
The Flyer 650 is a very nippy boat with a new hull that utilises two sharply moulded strakes and an exaggerated reverse chine that starts right on the stem. In combination, they keep spray under close control and provide plenty of lift. The bow is highly flared but not heavily raked and while this seems to blend quite a few flavours from different boat designs, it works pretty well.

The Flyer rides high and planes quickly, before building to just over 40 knots - and that’s with just the 150hp outboard. It seems to me that the maximum rated engine of 200hp is simply not needed. The reverse chines grip the water tenaciously in a hard turn and the support under the hull from the water flow limits the angle of heel. It’s a pleasant feeling hull, transmitting all the feel of that grip on the water through the fibreglass and into your feet. Being light, she does skip over the waves quite easily but the softness of ride takes out most of the sting.

Even so, the console does flex and rattle a bit when she is pressed and it seems to me that, like some other French boats I have tested in the past, she could do with a bit more substance in the fabric and a bit more care and attention in the fittings. Many of them were simply held in place by self-tapping screws directly into the fibreglass. This kind of build is bound to cause failures later on, so make sure you insist on properly through-bolted and backed fixtures.

The verdict
Dynamically, the Flyer 650 is a very sound 40-knot leisre boat. The flare of the bow and the high freeboard will prove useful features for inexperienced families, while the inclusion of a small cabin space is very attractive indeed. There are of course better built boats on the market but at just under £32,000, the Beneteau remains a worthwhile option.

Beneteau  Flyer 650

• The style is a pleasure
• The hull is very effective

• The aft table is too small
• Some of the finish is quite poor

Performance

• Revs    Speed (knots)
• 600    idle1.7
• 1000    3.8
• 2000    6.2
• 3000     plane 10.1
• 3500    cruise17.7
• 4000    24.4
• 5000    32.8
• 6000    40.3

Acceleration

• 0 – 20 Knots    6.7 seconds
• 0 – 30 Knots    9.8 seconds

Specifications

• Length overall: 6.11m
• Hull length: 6.03m
• Beam: 2.44m
• Weight: 1,230kg
• Fuel capacity: 137 litres
• Freshwater capacity: 50 litres
• Max engine certification: 200hp
• Naval architect: Beneteau Power
• Interior design: Andreani
• CE category: C (eight people)
• Engine (as tested): Suzuki DF150
• Price (as tested): £31,828.39

Contact
Dickies
01248 363414
www.dickies.co.uk