Beneteau Cruising Sailboats

Oceanis 331 and Beneteau 331, What Buyers Should Know

A 1999 to 2004 Groupe Finot 34-footer sold in France as the Oceanis Clipper 331 and built heavier in the US as the Beneteau 331, including a beachable lift keel.

1999 to 2004 Discontinued Updated

Beneteau Oceanis 311 at anchor in the UK
For reference, Beneteau Oceanis 311 at anchor in the UK, not the Beneteau Oceanis 331. Photo: Timbow001, CC0, source
Length
34 ft10.35 m
Beam
11.2 ft3.42 m
Draft
5.3 ft1.6 m
Cabins
2 (owner's version) or 3 (charter version)
Used price
$42K to $72K
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. Oceanis 331 in France, Beneteau 331 in America
  3. What Beneteau promised, and the numbers behind it
  4. Bulb, shoal bulb, or a lifting keel that stands on the beach
  5. Genoa winches within the helmsman's reach
  6. Two cabins for owners, three for The Moorings
  7. Why American buyers cooled on the 331
  8. Westerbeke, Volvo and a 70 liter tank
  9. A 2026 shopping list for a Beneteau 331 for sale
  10. Specifications
  11. Price and value
  12. Strengths and weaknesses
  13. Used buyer checklist
  14. Rivals
  15. Our verdict
  16. FAQ

The Oceanis 331 is a 34 ft Groupe Finot cruiser built from 1999 to 2004, about 822 in all. European and US versions differ in weight and engine, and a twin-rudder lift keel model can dry out on its own bottom.

Best for
  • Coastal cruising couples
  • Shoal-water sailors who choose the shoal or lifting keel
  • Buyers who value a simple, helm-centred cockpit
  • Budget-minded families

Beneteau Oceanis 331 by the numbers

LOA 34' 0" / 10.35 mBeam 11' 3" / 3.42 mBow
Plan view drawn to scale from the published length and beam.
Sail area to displacement
21.6Plenty of sail for the weight, the boat should feel lively in light air.
Displacement to length
156Light displacement for its length, quick but sensitive to added cruising weight.
Theoretical hull speed
7.4 knThe practical top speed of a displacement monohull under normal sailing, based on waterline length.
Ballast ratio
31%A typical ballast ratio for a cruising monohull.
Capsize screening
2.09Above 2.0, so this hull leans toward coastal stability over ultimate offshore resistance.
Motion comfort ratio
19.4A quicker motion in waves, typical of light, beamy hulls.
Length to beam ratio
3.03 : 1Moderate proportions.

Length compared with the 149 cruising sailboats we cover

22 ft63 ft

Oceanis 331 in France, Beneteau 331 in America

The oceanis 331 was introduced in 1999 as a 2000 model and replaced the Oceanis 321. Groupe Finot drew it, and it was sold under four names: Oceanis 331, Oceanis Clipper 331, Beneteau 331 and, in charter, Moorings 332. Wikipedia records 822 boats completed between 1999 and 2004, built in both France and the United States.

The two sides of the Atlantic did not build quite the same boat. Sailboatdata gives the French Oceanis 331 a displacement of 9,920 lb with 3,086 lb of ballast and a 5 ft 3 in fin, while the US Beneteau 331 is listed at 11,173 lb with 3,253 lb of ballast, a 5 ft 6 in fin and a 27 hp Westerbeke. That 1,250 lb difference matters, and it explains much of what American reviewers said about the boat.

What Beneteau promised, and the numbers behind it

Beneteau's November 2001 brochure called the Clipper 331 the quintessence of the Oceanis concept and listed 10.35 m (33 ft 11 in) overall, a 10.00 m hull, a 9.30 m (30 ft 6 in) waterline, a 3.42 m (11 ft 3 in) beam and about 4,500 kg of light displacement with 1,400 kg of ballast. Sail area is 58 m2, made up of a 24.5 m2 long-battened main and a 33.5 m2 furling genoa, plus a 79 m2 spinnaker. Water capacity is 200 liters, fuel 70 liters, and the boat carried CE category A for six people.

On the French figures the sail area to displacement ratio is about 17.4 and the displacement to length ratio about 156, moderate numbers for a cruiser. On the heavier US figures those become about 16.1 and 176, which turns a brisk boat into an average one. Hull speed on the 30 ft 6 in waterline is about 7.4 knots either way.

Bulb, shoal bulb, or a lifting keel that stands on the beach

Three keels were offered. The standard bulb fin draws 1.60 m, a shoal bulb cuts that to 1.01 m (3 ft 4 in), and the lifting keel version with twin rudders ranges from 0.90 m to 2.10 m. Beneteau's brochure explains the logic of the lifter: a ballast keel always stays under the hull for stability, a streamlined cast iron centerboard provides lift, the leeward rudder stays efficient when heeled, and the boat can dry out without legs.

For creek crawlers in the Chesapeake, the Carolinas or the Bahamas, that version is the interesting one, though very few seem to have reached the US. The shoal bulb is the practical compromise for most American buyers. Every 331 keel is cast iron and needs its epoxy coating kept intact.

Genoa winches within the helmsman's reach

The cockpit was designed around the person steering. Beneteau's brochure points out that the genoa winches sit within immediate reach of the wheel, a feature it described as a signature of the Oceanis Clipper range, and that the helmsman's seat is removable for access to the stern platform. The wheel console was shaped to carry electronics, and the cockpit benches are teak slatted.

Forward, two long coachroof grab rails help on the side decks, and the baby stay is set well aft so the foredeck stays clear for anchoring. The furling genoa and a quick-reefing long-battened main keep sail handling simple. The rudder stock is a polyester composite, a construction Beneteau had by then adopted widely, and the propeller shaft is protected by a skeg molded into the hull.

Two cabins for owners, three for The Moorings

The owner's version has two double cabins; the charter version, sold to The Moorings as the 332, adds a second aft cabin. Below, the head with hot and cold shower is to starboard of the companionway, and the galley is to port in either an L or a U shape depending on version, with a gimballed two-burner stove and grill, a 12 volt refrigerator and a stainless sink. Wikipedia lists a 150 liter icebox.

The saloon has two settees around a drop-leaf table, lit by eye-level hull ports, and the navigation area is to port facing the companionway with a removable panel for electronics. The forward cabin closes with a sliding door rather than a swinging one, which keeps the passage clear. Joinery is cherry-finished, and Wikipedia gives headroom of about 6 ft 2 in through most of the boat and 6 ft 1 in in the bow cabin.

Why American buyers cooled on the 331

Practical Sailor was blunt. In its review of the Beneteau 343, it said the 343 was intended to replace the 331, which was not well received in the US after its 1999 debut, and that PS had found the 331 too small and too slow to be a legitimate 33-footer while being priced as one. The heavier US build is a likely reason the boat felt sluggish to American testers.

Beneteau's answer was the 343, built at Marion from 2004 with more volume. For a used buyer that history has an upside: the 331 is often cheaper than its rivals, and a well kept example sails perfectly adequately for coastal cruising.

Westerbeke, Volvo and a 70 liter tank

US boats were fitted with a 27 hp Westerbeke, according to sailboatdata, while European listings show Volvo Penta MD2030 and MD2020 units and a few later Yanmar or Nanni replacements. Beneteau set the maximum at 30 hp (21 kW). Fuel capacity is just 70 liters (18 gallons), so plan longer motoring legs around fuel stops, and water is 200 liters in Europe or about 48 gallons on the US boat.

On any 331 now over 20 years old, check the exhaust elbow, heat exchanger, mounts and the shaft seal, and treat a repowered boat as worth several thousand dollars more.

A 2026 shopping list for a Beneteau 331 for sale

Sound US boats ask roughly $42,000 to $72,000, with the spread set by engine, sails, electronics and deck condition. Annual running costs are about $7,500 to $14,000 for slip, insurance, haul-out and maintenance. A lifting keel boat, if you find one, needs its centerboard pin, lifting mechanism and both rudder stocks inspected out of the water.

Ex-charter Moorings 332s are the cheapest way in but carry the usual charter wear. A two-cabin owner's boat with a deep or shoal bulb keel, recent rigging and a healthy engine is the safest buy.

Beneteau Oceanis 331 specifications

Length overall34 ft10.35 m
Waterline length30.5 ft9.3 m
Beam11.2 ft3.42 m
Draft5.3 ft1.6 m
Displacement9,921 lbs4,5 kg
Ballast3,086 lbs1,4 kg
Sail area624 sq ft58 m²
Fuel capacity18 gal7 L
Fresh water53 gal2 L
Cabins2 (owner's version) or 3 (charter version)
Berths4 to 6 in cabins plus saloon
Heads1, to starboard of the companionway, with shower
Maximum persons6
Standard enginesEurope: Volvo Penta diesel (MD2030 or MD2020 on many boats), 30 hp maximum; US Beneteau 331: Westerbeke 27 hp
Maximum power30 hp
Hull typeFin keel monohull with spade rudder, raked stem and walk-through reverse transom
KeelCast iron bulb fin 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in); shoal bulb 1.01 m (3 ft 4 in); lifting keel with twin rudders 0.90 to 2.10 m. US Beneteau 331 fin draws 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)
RigMasthead sloop, deck-stepped aluminum mast, furling genoa, long-battened main with quick reefing
Hull constructionSolid fiberglass hull with structural inner molding, balsa-cored deck
CE design categoryA (6 persons)
BuilderBeneteau, France; Beneteau USA, Marion, South Carolina, France and USA
Naval architectGroupe Finot (Finot and Conq)
Production1999 to 2004
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 Oceanis 331 cost?

New, typical sail-awayNo longer built
Used, typical asking$42K to $72K
Yearly running costs$8K to $14K

European asking prices for 2000 to 2004 boats run about 49,000 to 65,000 euros, and a 2000 Oceanis 331 in England was reduced to 52,500 pounds. US Beneteau 331s trade on condition, engine hours and sails. Lifting keel boats are rare in the US and command a premium among shoal-water sailors who know what they are.

Estimated used asking prices by model year, US market, 2026
$40K$50K$60K$70K19991999, $42,000 to $60,00020002000, $43,000 to $62,00020012001, $45,000 to $64,00020022002, $47,000 to $67,00020032003, $48,000 to $69,00020042004, $50,000 to $72,000

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

Oceanis 331 and Oceanis Clipper 331
European versions, the Clipper with more standard equipment; 4,500 kg light displacement.
Beneteau 331
US version, about 11,173 lb, Westerbeke 27 hp, 5 ft 6 in fin.
Moorings 332
Three-cabin charter version.
Lifting keel, twin rudders
0.90 to 2.10 m draft, able to dry out without legs.

Beneteau Oceanis 331 timeline

  1. 1999Introduced as a 2000 model, replacing the Oceanis 321
  2. 2001November Clipper 331 brochure lists fixed and lifting keels
  3. 2004Production ends after about 822 boats; the 343 takes over

Strengths and weaknesses

What owners like

  • Genoa winches within reach of the helm
  • Choice of three keels, including a beachable lifter
  • Big head with shower for the size
  • Usually cheaper than its rivals
  • CE category A in European form

What to weigh up

  • US version is heavy and felt slow to testers
  • Small 70 liter fuel tank
  • Iron keels need coating maintenance
  • Charter boats show hard use

Used Beneteau Oceanis 331 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

Catalina 34

American best seller of the same size with a large, active owner community.

Compare side by side

Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34.2

Group sibling from 1998 with two or three cabins and a dinette saloon.

Hunter 340

US rival of the same size and era, sold through a large American dealer network.

Beneteau 343

The 331's own replacement from 2004, more volume on a similar footprint.

Compare side by side

Our verdict on the Beneteau Oceanis 331

The oceanis 331 is a better boat than its American reputation suggests, provided you know which one you are looking at. The French build is light enough to sail briskly, the cockpit puts everything in reach of the helm and the lift keel version is genuinely clever. The US Beneteau 331 is heavier and slower, which is why Practical Sailor was unimpressed, but that also makes it one of the cheaper ways into a 34 ft cruiser. Buy on condition, check the keel and engine, and either version makes a capable coastal boat.

Beneteau Oceanis 331 questions answered

Are the Oceanis 331 and Beneteau 331 the same boat?

They share the Groupe Finot design, but sailboatdata lists the US Beneteau 331 about 1,250 lb heavier, with a deeper fin and a Westerbeke engine.

How many Beneteau 331s were built?

About 822 between 1999 and 2004, according to Wikipedia.

What keel options does the Oceanis 331 have?

A 1.60 m bulb fin, a 1.01 m shoal bulb, or a lifting keel with twin rudders from 0.90 m to 2.10 m.

What replaced the Beneteau 331?

The Beneteau 343, built in South Carolina from 2004.

What is a 2001 or 2004 Beneteau 331 worth?

Roughly $45,000 to $64,000 for a 2001 and $50,000 to $72,000 for a 2004, depending on condition.

More cruising sailboats to explore

Other Beneteau models

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