There are a lot of different priorities that can take center stage when it comes to boat design. Going sailing is the best way to truly discover what they are for a particular boat. This month, I went sailing on the new Beneteau Oceanis 51.1 and it was a voyage of discovery indeed. The 51.1 is the first release of the new “point-one” series in the immensely successful Oceanis line, and it represents some subtle, but significant, updates to previous iterations. The boat I sailed is the first 51.1 in the Pacific Northwest, and our trip on Lake Union happened to be her maiden voyage under sail.
