August 23, 2026
by Stanton Murray
French nautical giant Groupe Beneteau and Slovenian niche boatbuilder Seascape joined forces in 2018 to bridge the gap between modern ocean-racing technology and everyday recreational sailors.
Beneteau: The Industrial Powerhouse
1884 Origins: Founded by Benjamin Bénéteau in Croix-de-Vie, France, constructing sail-powered wooden fishing trawlers.
Fiberglass Pivot (1960s): Under the founder’s granddaughter, Annette Bénéteau Roux, the yard shifted from commercial fishing to recreational fiberglass boats.
Global Dominance: Launched the iconic First performance line (1977) and Oceanis cruising range (1986), eventually acquiring rivals like Jeanneau to become the world’s largest sailboat manufacturer.
Seascape: The Niche Disruptors
2008 Launch: Founded in Slovenia by Mini Transat ocean racers Andraž Mihelin and Kristian Hajnšek, working with naval architect Sam Manuard.
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on an effortless plane (note the wave patterns) – Photo credit: Beneteau Marketing Team
Agile Ethos: Focused on small, fast, trailerable monohulls (Seascape 18, 24, and 27) built with lifting keels, twin rudders, and modern skiff ergonomics.
Community Drive: Built a cult following around short-handed adventure racing, raid events, and accessible “one-design” sailor communities.
The Partnership & Current Status
The 2018 Acquisition: Groupe Beneteau acquired a 60% controlling stake in Seascape to revitalize its entry-level performance line, while the original founders retained 40% and leadership roles.
Rebranding the Fleet: Seascape’s models were folded into the Beneteau catalog as the smaller end of the Beneteau First range (e.g., First 14, First 18 SE, First 24, and First 27 SE—with “SE” standing for Seascape Edition).
Slovenian Innovation Hub: Beneteau maintained Seascape’s Podnart facility in Slovenia as its primary design and development “competence center” for small performance craft.
Co-Developed Expansion: Seascape’s engineering team spearheaded the design and production of newer, larger models for Beneteau, such as the First 30 and First 36
Seascape functions as the nimble performance R&D engine inside Groupe Beneteau, combining Slovenian boatbuilding agility with the French titan’s international distribution and manufacturing muscle.