Bénéteau Flyer 6.6

2015 £39,835

The Bénéteau Flyer 6 range launched in 2014 is a genuinely innovative boat design. The French builder approached an automotive design company to create the Flyer 6 range, resulting in three distinct models spun off the same hull. The most conventional is the Sportdeck, a bow-rider speedboat layout. The Spacedeck is a centre console layout, giving access either side to the bow. And the Sundeck you see here takes that latter concept but adds a forward cuddy cabin. Bénéteau offers a massive range of personalisation, so it’s worth checking specifications of used examples.

INTERIOR

A sliding door leads down to a functional cabin. With no windows or deck hatch, that door is the only source of natural light and headroom is a little pinched, but there’s space for two to sleep.

EXTERIOR

The reason that internal headroom is slightly lower than normal becomes obvious with a glance at the exterior. Cleverly, Bénéteau has given the Flyer 6.6 a completely flat and slightly recessed deck, turning this deck area into a wonderfully useable flat sundeck. Back aft, the rear bench seat flips forward, doubling its size to create a remarkably large area for sunbathing and relaxing in combination with that cabin top deck.

PERFORMANCE

Engine options range from 150hp to 200hp, all Suzuki outboards. The boat here is fitted with the smallest option at 150hp, but that still equates to a perfectly sufficient mid-30-knot top speed (the 200hp motor lifts Vmax to 40 knots).

SEAKEEPING

Another stepped hull, Bénéteau calls its version the Air Step 2, claiming faster acceleration, increased maximum speed, better fuel efficiency, improved ride comfort and exceptional seaworthiness. It’s tricky to quantify improvements over a non-stepped hull, but the reality is that the Flyer 6.6 goes hard and rides well.