March 2012 By John Kretschmer 

Sense and Sensibility
Sleek, fast and sensible, this latest midsized cruiser embodies fresh thinking and smart design
The Beneteau Sense 43 was introduced at last year’s Miami Boat Show, and like its larger sister the Sense 50, it made a quite a splash. And a well-deserved splash at that, because Beneteau, the world’s largest sailboat company, is making a bold attempt to reinvigorate the stagnant new boat market by offering innovative models that appeal to a broad cross section of sailors. The Sense 43 design is inspired by a concept that really shouldn’t seem as novel as it does—to shape the space around the way most of us actually use our boats and to appeal to sailors and our non-sailing friends alike.