Beneteau 473

{{Short description|Sailboat class}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2023}} {{Use British English|date=July 2023}} {{Infobox sailboat specifications |name = Beneteau 473 |insignia = |insignia size = |insignia alt = |insignia caption = |line drawing = |line size = |line alt = |line caption = |image boat = File:Beneteau473BowOn.JPG |image size = |image alt = |image caption =

|boats = |crew = |trapeze = |draft = {{convert|5.58|ft|m|abbr=on}} |air draft = |displacement = {{convert|24277|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}}

|hulls = |hull type = monohull |construction = glassfibre |loa = {{convert|46.92|ft|m|abbr=on}} |loh = |lwl = {{convert|43.83|ft|m|abbr=on}} |beam = {{convert|14.16|ft|m|abbr=on}} |hull draft = |hull weight = |engine = Westerbeke {{convert|63|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} diesel engine

|appendages = |keel type = Fin keel |ballast = {{convert|8157|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} |rudder type = Spade-type rudder

|rigs = |rig type = Bermuda rig |I = {{convert|55.43|ft|m|abbr=on}} |J = {{convert|18.21|ft|m|abbr=on}} |P = {{convert|48.03|ft|m|abbr=on}} |E = {{convert|17.06|ft|m|abbr=on}} |mast length = |rig other =

|sails = |sailplan = Masthead sloop |sailarea main = {{convert|409.70|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} |sailarea headsail = {{convert|504.69|sqft|m2|abbr=on}} |sailarea spin = |sailarea gen = |sails other = |sailarea upwind = |sailarea downwind = |sailarea total = {{convert|914.39|sqft|m2|abbr=on}}

|rating = |d-pn = |rya-pn = |phrf = 72-96

|status = |previous = |successor = }}

The '''Beneteau 473''', also sold as the '''Oceanis 473''', is a French sailboat that was designed by Groupe Finot as a cruiser and first built in 2000. It was widely used by yacht charter operators.<ref name="Data">{{cite web|url= https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/beneteau-473/|title= Beneteau 473|access-date= 25 July 2023|last= McArthur|first= Bruce|work= sailboatdata.com|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725140642/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/beneteau-473/|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="DataO">{{cite web|url= https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/oceanis-473-beneteau/|title= Oceanis 473 (Beneteau)|access-date= 25 July 2023|last= McArthur|first= Bruce|work= sailboatdata.com|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725140642/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/oceanis-473-beneteau/|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Guide">{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/beneteau/473|title= Beneteau 473|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725140813/https://sailboat.guide/beneteau/473|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="GuideO">{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/beneteau/oceanis-473|title= Beneteau Oceanis 473|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725141006/https://sailboat.guide/beneteau/oceanis-473|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Lab">{{cite web|url= https://sailboatlab.com/data_sheet/622/0/|title= Beneteau 473|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Ulladulla|work= Sailboat Lab|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725140848/https://sailboatlab.com/data_sheet/622/0/|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="LabO">{{cite web|url= https://sailboatlab.com/data_sheet/5389/0/|title= Oceanis 473 beneteau|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Ulladulla|work= Sailboat Lab|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725141127/https://sailboatlab.com/data_sheet/5389/0/|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url =https://sailboatdata.com/designer/finot-groupe-finot-jean-marie|title = Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot)|accessdate = 25 July 2023|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20200930161129/https://sailboatdata.com/designer/finot-groupe-finot-jean-marie|archive-date= 30 September 2020|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/jean-marie-finot-groupe-finot|title= Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot)|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20220927183927/https://sailboat.guide/jean-marie-finot-groupe-finot|archive-date= 27 September 2022|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Finot">{{cite web|url= http://www.finot.com/bateaux/batproduction/beneteau/oceanis473/o473_ang.htm|title= Oceanis Clipper 473|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Groupe Finot|author-link= Group Finot|work= finot.com|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725141421/http://www.finot.com/bateaux/batproduction/beneteau/oceanis473/o473_ang.htm|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref>

The design was named ''Cruising World'' magazine's ''Best Production Cruiser (Over $200,000)'' for 2001.<ref name="CW">{{cite web|url= https://www.cruisingworld.com/sailboats/beneteau-473/|title= Beneteau 473 Best Production Cruiser (Over $200,000)|access-date= 25 July 2023|work= Cruising World|date= 17 October 2001|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725141252/https://www.cruisingworld.com/sailboats/beneteau-473/|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref>

==Production== The design was built from 2000 to 2005 by Beneteau in France and also at their American plant in Marion, South Carolina after 2001. A total of 200 boats were built in the first two years of production, by the end of 2002, but it is now out of production.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Lab"/><ref name="CW"/><ref>{{cite web|url= https://sailboatdata.com/builder/beneteau|title= Beneteau|access-date = 25 July 2023|last= McArthur| first = Bruce |work = sailboatdata.com|year = 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20200930161135/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/beneteau|archive-date= 30 September 2020|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://sailboat.guide/beneteau|title= Beneteau|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= Sea Time Tech, LLC|work= sailboat.guide|year= 2023|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230501195543/https://sailboat.guide/beneteau|archive-date= 1 May 2023|url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="Sheahan">{{cite magazine|url= https://www.yachtingworld.com/reviews/boat-tests/beneteau-oceanis-473-review-from-the-archive|title= Beneteau Oceanis 473 review: from the archive|access-date= 25 July 2023|last= Sheahan|first= Matthew |magazine= Yachting World|date= June 2002|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725141541/https://www.yachtingworld.com/reviews/boat-tests/beneteau-oceanis-473-review-from-the-archive|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref>

==Design== The Beneteau 473 is a recreational keelboat, built predominantly of glassfibre, with wood trim. The hull is solid fibreglass and the deck is balsa-cored. It has a masthead sloop rig, a keel-stepped mast with two sets of swept spreaders and aluminium spars with stainless steel wire standing rigging. The hull has a raked stem, a reverse transom with a swimming platform, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by dual wheels and a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb or optional deep draft keel. It displaces {{convert|24277|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} and carries {{convert|8157|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} of cast iron ballast or {{convert|7275|lb|kg|0|abbr=on}} of ballast in the deep draft model.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Lab"/><ref name="Prochazka"/>

The boat has a draft of {{convert|5.58|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the standard keel and {{convert|6.92|ft|m|abbr=on}} with the optional deep draft keel.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Lab"/>

The boat was built with engines of {{convert|55|to|78|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}, but typical was a Westerbeke diesel engine of {{convert|63|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}} for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds {{convert|57|u.s.gal}} and the fresh water tank has a capacity of {{convert|222|u.s.gal}}.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Lab"/><ref name="Sheahan"/><ref name="Prochazka">{{cite web|url= https://www.yachtworld.com/research/beneteau-473-used-boat-review/|title= Beneteau 473: Used Boat Review|access-date= 25 July 2023|last= Prochazka|first= Zuzana|work= YachtWorld|archive-url= https://archive.today/20230725141704/https://www.yachtworld.com/research/beneteau-473-used-boat-review/|archive-date= 25 July 2023|url-status= live}}</ref>

The design was built with two, three and four cabin interiors, providing sleeping accommodation for four to eight people. The two cabin layout has a double "V"-berth in the bow cabin, a U-shaped settee and a straight settee in the main salon and an aft cabin with a transverse double berth on the port side. The three cabin interior adds a second aft cabin, while the four cabin arrangement divides the bow cabin in two. The galley is located on the starboard side, at the companionway ladder. The galley is L-shaped and is equipped with a four-burner stove, a refrigerator, freezer and a double sink. On the four cabin interior the galley is located in the main salon, in place of the straight settee. A navigation station is opposite the galley, on the starboard side. All interior layouts have two heads.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Lab"/>

For sailing downwind the design may be equipped with a symmetrical cruising spinnaker.<ref name="Sheahan"/>

The design has a hull speed of {{convert|8.87|kn|km/h|abbr=on}} and a PHRF handicap of 72 to 96 with the standard keel and 63 to 90 with the deep draft keel.<ref name="Data"/><ref name="Guide"/><ref name="Lab"/><ref name="PHRF">{{cite web|url= https://www.ussailing.org/competition/offshore/phrf/phrf-handicaps/|title= PHRF Handicaps|access-date= 25 July 2023|author= US Sailing|author-link= US Sailing|work= ussailing.org|year= 2023}}</ref>

==Operational history== In a 2002 ''Yachting World'' review, Matthew Sheahan wrote, "To deal with the negatives first, she has a heavy helm which at times lacks the kind of feel you might expect on a boat of this size. The reason seems to lie in the twin wheel arrangement, which adds friction to the system. Having said that, you quickly get used to her slightly dulled feel and as the speed increases this is less of an issue. And to my surprise, that was it on the debit side."<ref name="Sheahan"/>

In a review for ''YachtWorld'', Zuzana Prochazka noted, "the 473 is a notable model that's much desired by cruisers who want performance, oodles of room, and a good value."<ref name="Prochazka"/>

==See also== *List of sailing boat types

==References== a{{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commons category|Bénéteau 473}} *{{Official website|https://www.beneteau.com/oceanis-1995-2008/oceanis-clipper-473}}

Category:Keelboats Category:2000s sailboat type designs Category:Sailing yachts Category:Sailboat type designs by Groupe Finot Category:Sailboat types built by Beneteau