Beneteau Sport Yachts & Express Cruisers

Beneteau Antares 680 Specs, Ownership Notes and Price Guide

A 21 ft 3 in outboard wheelhouse boat for seven people, with a convertible saloon, a forward double and up to 150 hp on the transom.

2010 to 2016 Discontinued Updated

Beneteau Oceanis 311 at anchor in the UK
For reference, Beneteau Oceanis 311 at anchor in the UK, not the Beneteau Antares 6.80. Photo: Timbow001, CC0, source
Length
21.3 ft6.48 m
Beam
8.4 ft2.55 m
Cruise
2 ft0.6 m
Cabins
1 forward cabin
Used price
$24K to $45K
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. The Antares 680 in the middle of the Out-Board line
  3. Dimensions, weights and tankage
  4. Wheelhouse, saloon and bow cabin
  5. Deck plan and the square cockpit option
  6. Power choices and real-world performance
  7. The other Antares 6.80, a 1990s inboard diesel
  8. Buying, insuring and running one
  9. Specifications
  10. Price and value
  11. Strengths and weaknesses
  12. Used buyer checklist
  13. Rivals
  14. Our verdict
  15. FAQ

The Antares 6.80 is a 21 ft 3 in outboard pilothouse Beneteau built from about 2010 to 2016. It sleeps four, carries 36 gallons of fuel, weighs 3,449 lbs in EC trim and takes a single outboard up to 150 hp. A 1990s inboard Antares 6.80 shares the name.

Best for
  • Small families doing day trips and overnights
  • Coastal fishing with shelter from weather
  • Owners stepping up from an open runabout
  • Shoulder-season boating in cool climates

The Antares 680 in the middle of the Out-Board line

Around 2010 Beneteau rebuilt its small Antares line around outboard power, and the Antares 680 sat in the middle of it, between the 5.80 and the 7.80, with the 8.80 at the top. Motor Boat and Yachting ran a virtual tour of the Antares 6.80 in February 2010, and Beneteau's 2015 equipment list still offered option packs for the 2016 season, which brackets the production run at roughly 2010 to 2016.

Beneteau's copy called it classic, unique and reassuring, and that is a fair summary. It is a seven-person pilothouse with a two-door wheelhouse, a facing saloon that becomes a berth, and a proper double in the bow, on a hull light enough to trailer. Brokers write it as Antares 680, 6.80, 6 80 or 6.8; all refer to the same boat, with one exception covered below: a 1990s inboard Antares 6.80 that is a completely different design.

Beneteau Antares 6.80 by the numbers

LOA 21' 3" / 6.48 mBeam 8' 4" / 2.55 mBow
Plan view drawn to scale from the published length and beam.
Horsepower per ton
87 hpStrong power to weight for a planing hull.
Displacement hull speed
5.8 knThe efficient cruising speed for a displacement hull of this waterline.
Length to beam ratio
2.54 : 1A beamy hull with lots of volume for its length.

Length compared with the 118 sport yachts & express cruisers we cover

18 ft92 ft

Dimensions, weights and tankage

The July 2015 equipment list gives 6.48 m (21 ft 3 in) overall on a 6.43 m hull, 2.55 m (8 ft 4 in) overall width and a 2.50 m hull beam. Weight is 1,370 kg (3,019 lbs) without engine and 1,565 kg (3,449 lbs) in EC light displacement. Draft runs 0.45 to 0.60 m (1 ft 6 in to 2 ft), air draft is 2.25 m (7 ft 5 in), the fuel tank holds 136 liters (36 gallons) and fresh water comes from a 20 liter (5 gallon) jerry can with a hand pump.

Certification is C7 / D7 for seven people, and the maximum engine power is 150 hp, although Beneteau's own pre-rigging packs top out at 115 hp. That gap matters: a boat with a 115 is the factory norm, and a 150 is legal but was a dealer choice.

Wheelhouse, saloon and bow cabin

The wheelhouse is 2.10 m long with 2.00 m (6 ft 7 in) of headroom and widens from 1.90 to 2.30 m. The helm is to starboard with a swiveling bolster seat, hydraulic steering (standard on this model), compass, gauges and a flat panel for a plotter. A small galley sits beside it with a sink, a hand-pumped tap and a mount for a single-burner cartridge stove; a 42 liter fridge with a second battery was an option. Opposite, two facing bench seats with a walnut table seat four and convert to a berth of about 1.95 m by 0.85 m.

Down a step, the forward cabin has 1.40 m (4 ft 7 in) headroom, a wide double berth listed at 1.90 m long and 2.20 m across at its widest, a locker, rod stowage and the toilet position. A marine toilet with holding tank was optional. Woodwork is Alpi walnut with beige upholstery, and a three-leaf aft door closes the wheelhouse completely, which is what makes this boat usable in shoulder seasons.

Deck plan and the square cockpit option

The cockpit measures 1.55 m by 2.10 m (5 ft 1 in by 6 ft 11 in) and is self-bailing, with a large central locker, a two-seat aft bench, two rod holders and solid wood caps. The Confort pack's square cockpit adds two removable benches and a table base, turning the space into a dining area or sunbed. Side decks are asymmetric, 13 cm to port and 19 cm to starboard, so the starboard side is the one to walk forward on.

Mooring gear is simple: a self-draining anchor locker, a stainless bow roller and five cleats. An electric 700 W windlass was optional and is worth looking for, because hauling an anchor from the narrow side deck of a small pilothouse is nobody's favorite job.

Power choices and real-world performance

The factory list shows Suzuki pre-rigging from 40 to 115 hp with a 4 in SMIS gauge, Yamaha from 80 to 115 hp, Honda from 40 to 115 hp and a mechanical Mercury pre-rig from F80 to 115. Beneteau's web page mentions a holiday pack built around a Suzuki 115. With 3,449 lbs of boat plus fuel and people, 115 hp is the sensible choice for coastal work and 90 hp is the minimum we would accept.

Neither Beneteau nor any test we could find published speed and fuel figures for the 6.80, so we have left them out. Expect it to plane comfortably and cruise economically with a modern four-stroke, and remember that a pilothouse's windage and weight aloft make it more sensitive to load and trim than an open boat of the same length.

The other Antares 6.80, a 1990s inboard diesel

Beneteau's third Antares generation (1990 to 2001) included an Antares 6.80 designed by Andre Beneteau, and it is easy to confuse with the outboard boat on listings. Its brochure gives 6.80 m overall, a 6.40 m hull, 5.70 m waterline, 2.49 m beam, 0.60 m draft, about 1.5 tonnes depending on engine, 100 liters of fuel, 50 liters of water, two berths and a maximum of 85 hp. It used a double tunnel hull that Andre Beneteau patented, which Beneteau says improves speed, comfort, safety and directional stability. The brochure explains that the tunnels run past the keel and meet ahead of the transom in an arch that shelters the propeller and rudder, letting the shaft run closer to horizontal for better thrust.

Spot the difference quickly: the 1990s boat has an inboard diesel and shaft, a white hull with a simple stripe and a single cabin, while the 2010s Antares 6.80 has an outboard on the transom and a red stripe on later boats. A 1991 example we saw for sale had been re-engined with a 130 hp Volvo, so check any older boat's engine against its plate.

Buying, insuring and running one

Antares 680 for sale listings are sparse in the US because Beneteau sold the model mainly through European dealers, so many buyers end up looking in France, the UK and Spain. That makes a pre-purchase survey and a sea trial more important, not less, because you may be buying sight unseen. Check the transom and engine mounts carefully on a boat that has been run hard with a 150.

Annual costs are modest. We estimate 4,000 to 9,000 dollars a year for a trailered or dry-stacked boat including insurance, outboard service, registration and fuel for typical use. Add a slip or mooring if you keep it afloat, plus antifouling.

Beneteau Antares 6.80 specifications

Length overall21.3 ft6.48 m
Beam8.4 ft2.55 m
Draft2 ft0.6 m
Air draft7.4 ft2.25 m
Displacement3,449 lbs1,565 kg
Fuel capacity36 gal136 L
Fresh water5 gal2 L
Cabins1 forward cabin
Berths4 (forward double plus convertible saloon)
HeadsChemical toilet position standard; marine toilet with holding tank optional
Maximum persons7
Standard enginesSingle outboard via dealer pre-rigging (Suzuki 40 to 115 hp, Yamaha 80 to 115, Honda 40 to 115, Mercury F80 to 115)
Optional enginesCertified for a single outboard up to 150 hp
Maximum power150 hp
Hull typeOutboard planing hull with flared bow and asymmetric side decks
Hull constructionInjection-molded polyester hull with flotation; high-density foam-cored polyester sandwich deck
CE design categoryC7 / D7
BuilderChantiers Beneteau, France
Naval architectBeneteau Power Boats (in-house)
Other design creditsSarrazin Design (exterior and interior)
Production2010 to 2016
StatusDiscontinued

Figures come from builder documentation and independent tests where available. Displacement is usually quoted light, so a loaded cruising boat will weigh more. Compare these specs with another model.

How much does a Beneteau Antares 6.80 cost?

New, typical sail-awayNo longer built
Used, typical asking$24K to $45K
Yearly running costs$4K to $9K

These estimates are ours. We found few 6.80s for sale when we checked, so they are anchored to its smaller 5.80 and larger 7.80 sisters, which asked 18,000 to 30,000 euros and about 40,000 to 55,000 euros respectively. The engine fitted (90 to 115 hp is typical) and its hours are the main price driver, followed by the Confort or Nordic pack, a windlass and a marine toilet. Do not confuse it with the 1990s inboard Antares 6.80, which trades lower.

Estimated used asking prices by model year, US market, 2026
$20K$30K$40K20102010, $24,000 to $32,00020122012, $26,000 to $35,00020142014, $29,000 to $40,00020162016, $32,000 to $45,000

Estimate your yearly cost

A planning estimate using common rules of thumb: insurance near 1.5 percent of value, maintenance near 3 percent, haul out and bottom paint by length. Your marina, region and use will move these numbers. Open the full cost calculator.

Versions and options

Confort pack
Exterior PVC cushions, interior curtains and the square cockpit that converts to a sunbed.
Nordic pack
Cushions, curtains, second windscreen wiper, opening cabin hatch and a sliding wheelhouse hatch with blackout curtains.
Antares 6.80 (1990s inboard)
Earlier diesel boat designed by Andre Beneteau with a patented double tunnel hull, 85 hp maximum and two berths.

Beneteau Antares 6.80 timeline

  1. 1990sThe first Antares 6.80, an inboard diesel with a double tunnel hull, is part of the third Antares generation
  2. 2010Motor Boat and Yachting publishes a virtual tour of the new outboard Antares 6.80
  3. 2013Beneteau's Antares Out-Board range lists the 5.80, 6.80, 7.80 and 8.80
  4. 2015Final equipment list dated July with Lowrance and Fusion packs for 2016
  5. 2017New outboard Antares 6 and Antares 7 take over the small end of the range

Strengths and weaknesses

What owners like

  • Sleeps four with a real forward double
  • Fully enclosed wheelhouse with 6 ft 7 in headroom
  • Hydraulic steering standard
  • Square cockpit option for dining or sunbathing
  • Light enough to tow at about 3,450 lbs EC
  • Seven-person rating on a 21-footer

What to weigh up

  • Narrow port side deck at 13 cm
  • Only 5 gallons of water in a jerry can
  • Marine toilet and fridge were options
  • No published performance data
  • Easily confused with the 1990s inboard 6.80

Used Beneteau Antares 6.80 buyer checklist

Take this list to a viewing. Your ticks are saved in this browser so you can come back to it.

Always commission an independent marine survey and an engine survey before you buy. How a marine survey works.

Rivals to consider

Jeanneau Merry Fisher 625

A French outboard pilothouse of similar size from Jeanneau, Beneteau's sister brand.

Beneteau Antares 7.80

The bigger sister with a separate head compartment and up to 200 hp.

Compare side by side

Beneteau Antares 5.80

Smaller and cheaper, with seating for two in the wheelhouse.

Compare side by side

Parker 2320 Sport Cabin

An American alternative with a cuddy cabin and a more fishing-oriented deck.

Compare side by side

Our verdict on the Beneteau Antares 6.80

The Antares 6.80 is the sweet spot of Beneteau's 2010s small outboard pilothouses: big enough to sleep four and take seven out for the day, small enough to trailer, and simple enough to run on a single 115. It is not fast or flashy, and you will want the options that make it civilized, a windlass, a fridge and a marine toilet. Find one with a well-serviced engine and a dry wheelhouse and it will do years of fishing and family duty for very little money.

Beneteau Antares 6.80 questions answered

Is the Antares 680 the same as the Antares 6.80?

Yes. Beneteau's official name is Antares 6.80; listings also use 680, 6 80 and 6.8. A 1990s inboard Antares 6.80 is a different boat.

What is the maximum horsepower on a Beneteau Antares 6.80?

The outboard 6.80 is certified for a single outboard up to 150 hp, but Beneteau's pre-rigging packs went to 115 hp.

How many people does the Antares 6.80 sleep?

Four: two in the forward double and two on the convertible saloon in the wheelhouse.

How much fuel does the Antares 680 carry?

136 liters, about 36 US gallons, plus 20 liters of fresh water in a jerry can.

What does a used Antares 680 cost?

We estimate roughly 24,000 to 45,000 dollars depending on year, engine and options, with most boats located in Europe.

When was the Antares 6.80 built?

From about 2010 to 2016, as part of Beneteau's outboard Antares line with the 5.80, 7.80 and 8.80.

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