Beneteau Cruising Sailboats

Beneteau Oceanis 461 Buyer's Guide and Used Prices

A sporty Bruce Farr hull, a roomy cruising interior and a Best Value award, which is why the 461 still turns up on short lists 25 years later.

1996 to 2001 Discontinued Updated

Beneteau Oceanis 311 at anchor in the UK
For reference, Beneteau Oceanis 311 at anchor in the UK, not the Beneteau Oceanis 461. Photo: Timbow001, CC0, source
Length
46.6 ft14.2 m
Beam
14 ft4.25 m
Draft
5.7 ft1.75 m
Cabins
2, 3 or 4
Used price
$85K to $165K
On this page
  1. Overview
  2. The racing hull under the Oceanis 461
  3. Oceanis 461, Beneteau 461, Clipper 461 and the Moorings boats
  4. Two, three or four cabins, and always two heads
  5. How a 21,000 lb Farr hull sails
  6. Yanmar power, 53 gallons of diesel and 145 of water
  7. Is the 461 an ocean boat?
  8. What a Beneteau 461 costs in 2026
  9. Specifications
  10. Price and value
  11. Strengths and weaknesses
  12. Used buyer checklist
  13. Rivals
  14. Our verdict
  15. FAQ

The Beneteau Oceanis 461, also sold as the Beneteau 461 and Oceanis Clipper 461, is a 46 ft 7 in Bruce Farr designed cruiser built in France from 1996 to 2001. About 210 were completed, plus Moorings 463, 464 and 465 charter versions.

Best for
  • Couples who want a 46 footer that still sails well
  • Families who need three or four cabins
  • Coastal and island cruisers on a mid-size budget
  • Club racers who also cruise

The racing hull under the Oceanis 461

Most production cruisers of the 1990s were drawn as cruisers from the keel up. The Beneteau Oceanis 461 was not. Yachting Monthly, reviewing the used market in 2009, noted that Bruce Farr's hull is essentially the same as the sporty First 45F5, and the dimensions back that up: sailboatdata lists both boats at 46 ft 7 in overall with a 13 ft 11 in beam. Beneteau took a hull designed to race and wrapped it in a family interior drawn by Armel Briand.

The result was the second largest model in the Oceanis range when it arrived, and a boat that sails better than its roomy layout suggests. Cruising World's judges named the Beneteau Oceanis 461 Best Value, Full-Size Cruiser in their 1997 Boat of the Year awards. Production ran in France from 1996 to 2001, and Wikipedia's account puts the total at 210 boats, which makes it far rarer than the charter-friendly Beneteaus that followed.

Beneteau Oceanis 461 by the numbers

LOA 46' 7" / 14.20 mBeam 13' 11" / 4.25 mBow
Plan view drawn to scale from the published length and beam.
Sail area to displacement
17.5Balanced power for coastal and offshore cruising.
Displacement to length
153Light displacement for its length, quick but sensitive to added cruising weight.
Theoretical hull speed
8.4 knThe practical top speed of a displacement monohull under normal sailing, based on waterline length.
Ballast ratio
36%A typical ballast ratio for a cruising monohull.
Capsize screening
2.02Above 2.0, so this hull leans toward coastal stability over ultimate offshore resistance.
Motion comfort ratio
23.3A quicker motion in waves, typical of light, beamy hulls.
Length to beam ratio
3.34 : 1Moderate proportions.

Length compared with the 149 cruising sailboats we cover

22 ft63 ft

Oceanis 461, Beneteau 461, Clipper 461 and the Moorings boats

Listings use several names for the same hull. Beneteau 461 and Oceanis 461 are interchangeable. Oceanis Clipper 461 was the version delivered with optional equipment included as standard, so a Clipper often arrives with more of the original kit but is the same boat underneath. Any of these names will turn up when you search for a Beneteau 461 for sale.

The charter variants are the Moorings 463, 464 and 465, which differ mainly in cabin arrangement. They share the Farr hull and rig, but they lived hard lives in fleets and were fitted for paying guests, not owners. A Moorings boat can be a sound purchase at the right price; just do not pay private-boat money for one.

Two, three or four cabins, and always two heads

The 461 came with two, three or four cabins, sleeping four to eight. In the two cabin plan the owner gets an island double in the bow, the saloon has a U-shaped settee to one side and a straight settee to the other, and a double aft cabin sits to port. The three cabin plan adds a second aft cabin, and the four cabin plan splits the bow into two. Every layout keeps two heads.

The L-shaped galley sits to starboard at the foot of the companionway with a four burner stove, refrigerator, freezer and double sink, and the navigation station faces it to port. Maximum headroom is about 6 ft 5 in. For a couple or a family of four, the two cabin boat is the one to want: the extra locker space and the larger aft cabin matter more on a long cruise than a third double that will mostly hold sails.

How a 21,000 lb Farr hull sails

On paper the 461 is light for a 46 footer: 20,944 lb with 7,496 lb of cast iron in a bulb fin, giving a ballast ratio near 36 percent and a displacement to length ratio of about 153. The masthead rig carries about 832 sq ft and gives a sail area to displacement figure of 17.6, so it is the hull form rather than a large rig that delivers the speed. Theoretical hull speed is about 8.4 knots, and PHRF ratings of 84 to 93 seconds per mile tell you it was competitive in club racing.

Yachting Monthly's summary is the fairest one: a good turn of speed under sail, and equally at home as a big family cruiser, a charter yacht for two families or a liveaboard for a couple. The rig is a keel-stepped aluminum mast with two sets of swept spreaders and discontinuous stainless wire, set up with either a conventional main or a smaller in-mast furling main. If you care about performance, look for a boat with the classic main; the furling version gives away sail area and pointing ability.

Yanmar power, 53 gallons of diesel and 145 of water

Beneteau fitted Yanmar diesels throughout, and the published range runs from about 48 to 85 hp depending on year and options; sailboatdata records the 4JH2E family. That range matters when you compare boats, because a 461 with one of the larger engines will motor into a chop with much more authority. Whatever is fitted, ask for hours, service records and the age of the exhaust elbow and engine mounts.

Tankage is modest for a 46 footer at 53 gallons of diesel, but water is generous at 145 gallons. Long range cruisers usually add jerry jugs or a second fuel tank and a watermaker. The deck is balsa cored, so the usual questions about fittings and moisture apply to every boat of this age.

Is the 461 an ocean boat?

Many 461s have crossed oceans, and the design was intended to cope. Still, Yachting Monthly noted that some owners consider the build on the light side for serious ocean bashing, and a capsize screening value just over 2.0 puts it at the edge of the conventional offshore threshold. Treat it as a capable coastal and island-hopping cruiser that can make well-timed passages, not as a heavy weather voyager.

If you do plan blue water, the work list is predictable: new standing rigging, a strengthened or inspected keel and grid structure, a storm sail arrangement, a modern autopilot with a spare drive and extra fuel capacity. Those upgrades cost far less than the difference between a 461 and a purpose-built offshore boat of the same length.

What a Beneteau 461 costs in 2026

A realistic US range for the Beneteau Oceanis 461 is about $85,000 to $165,000. The cheapest boats are ex-charter four cabin yachts or private boats with deferred maintenance. The most expensive are late, low hour boats with new rigging, sails less than five years old, a refreshed interior and good electronics. Because only about 210 were built, a well kept example rarely sits for long when it is priced fairly.

Annual running costs for a boat kept on the East Coast, with insurance, a slip, haul-out and routine maintenance, typically run $10,000 to $20,000 before upgrades.

Beneteau Oceanis 461 specifications

Length overall46.6 ft14.2 m
Waterline length39.4 ft12 m
Beam14 ft4.25 m
Draft5.7 ft1.75 m
Displacement20,944 lbs9,5 kg
Ballast7,496 lbs3,4 kg
Sail area832 sq ft77.3 m²
Fuel capacity53 gal2 L
Fresh water145 gal549 L
Cabins2, 3 or 4
Berths4 to 8
Heads2 in every layout
Standard enginesYanmar diesel (sailboatdata lists the 4JH2E)
Optional enginesYanmar diesels from about 48 to 85 hp were fitted over the run
Maximum power85 hp
Hull typeLight to moderate displacement fin keel monohull with spade rudder
KeelCast iron fin with bulb, 5 ft 9 in draft
RigMasthead sloop, keel-stepped aluminum mast with two sets of swept spreaders, classic or in-mast furling main
Hull constructionSolid fiberglass hull, balsa-cored deck
BuilderBeneteau, France
Naval architectBruce Farr
Other design creditsArmel Briand (interior)
Production1996 to 2001
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 461 cost?

New, typical sail-awayNo longer built
Used, typical asking$85K to $165K
Yearly running costs$10K to $20K

The Beneteau 461 trades in a busy part of the market, so condition and history set the price more than the year. Privately owned two or three cabin boats with replaced rigging, a healthy Yanmar and updated electronics ask the most. Four cabin boats and former Moorings 463, 464 and 465 charter yachts usually sit at the lower end, and boats needing rigging, sails and engine work at the same time are hard to sell above $90,000.

Estimated used asking prices by model year, US market, 2026
$100K$150K19961996, $85,000 to $130,00019971997, $88,000 to $135,00019981998, $92,000 to $142,00019991999, $96,000 to $148,00020002000, $100,000 to $155,00020012001, $105,000 to $165,000

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 461 / Beneteau 461
The standard private boat, offered with two, three or four cabins and two heads.
Oceanis Clipper 461
The same boat delivered with optional equipment fitted as standard.
Moorings 463, 464 and 465
Charter versions with cabin arrangements chosen by The Moorings.
Classic or furling main
A conventional hoisted mainsail or a smaller in-mast furling main; the classic sail suits buyers who care about performance.

Beneteau Oceanis 461 timeline

  1. 1996Beneteau begins building the Farr designed 461 in France
  2. 1997Cruising World names the Oceanis 461 Best Value, Full-Size Cruiser
  3. 2001Production ends after about 210 boats
  4. 2009Yachting Monthly's used boat guide highlights its First 45F5 hull and good turn of speed

Strengths and weaknesses

What owners like

  • Fast Farr hull shared with the First 45F5
  • Choice of two, three or four cabin layouts
  • Two heads in every version
  • Generous 145 gallon water capacity
  • Strong record as a family and charter boat
  • Relatively rare, so good examples hold value

What to weigh up

  • Only 53 gallons of diesel
  • Build some owners call light for heavy ocean work
  • Capsize screening value just over 2.0
  • Many ex-charter boats on the market

Used Beneteau Oceanis 461 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 Sun Odyssey 45.2

The same size French alternative of the period, with a different interior style and a strong charter following.

Island Packet 45

A heavier full keel boat with far more motion comfort and much less speed.

Compare side by side

Beneteau 50

The Farr designed bigger sister from 1995, with more tankage and length for long range cruising.

Compare side by side

Catalina 42

Smaller and simpler, but supported by a large American owner network and dealer base.

Compare side by side

Our verdict on the Beneteau Oceanis 461

The Oceanis 461 is the thinking buyer's 46 foot Beneteau. Under the cruising interior sits a Farr hull related to a racing First, so it sails with more life than most of its rivals, and the choice of layouts lets it suit a couple or a crowd. Its weaknesses are the ones you would expect: modest fuel capacity, a structure some owners consider light for heavy offshore use and a market crowded with tired ex-charter boats. Buy a privately owned two or three cabin example with a documented rig and engine, and you get a rare, quick and very livable cruiser for the price of a much smaller new boat.

Beneteau Oceanis 461 questions answered

Is the Beneteau 461 the same as the Oceanis 461?

Yes. Beneteau 461, Oceanis 461 and Oceanis Clipper 461 all describe the same Bruce Farr design; the Clipper simply came with more equipment fitted as standard.

How many Beneteau Oceanis 461s were built?

About 210 were built in France between 1996 and 2001, not counting the closely related Moorings charter versions.

What engine does the Oceanis 461 have?

Yanmar diesels were fitted, with outputs from roughly 48 to 85 hp over the production run. Sailboatdata lists the 4JH2E family.

Did the Oceanis 461 win any awards?

Cruising World named it Best Value, Full-Size Cruiser in its 1997 Boat of the Year awards.

What is a 1999 Beneteau Oceanis 461 worth?

Expect roughly $96,000 to $148,000 in the US in 2026, depending on rigging, engine and layout.

Can the 461 cross an ocean?

Many have, but it is best treated as a coastal and island cruiser that can make well-chosen passages after rigging and systems upgrades.

More cruising sailboats to explore

Other Beneteau models

Buying used? Our step by step used yacht buying guide Financing Work out monthly payments on a Beneteau Oceanis 461 Cruising Sailboats How this type compares and what to look for