MIX AND MATCH
Get a fishing boat with the items that you actually want, not those luxuries you’ll never need
Dave Lewis take a ride on the Beneteau Barracuda 8.
Buying a boat for sea angling is all about getting a practical vessel rather than worrying too much about items for comfortable cruising. It’s a fact understood by French company Beneteau. Its pricing structure starts by offering the hull as a basic package, to which you can then add only those fixtures and fittings that you really need, saving you money by preventing you from having to include items you really don’t need.
This policy is the cornerstone of the French company’s marketing, and is likely to be especially of interest to anglers, most of whom would rather spend their money on items practical to their fishing, such as upgraded electronics, rather than items intended to solely add comfort when cruising.
Having already reviewed the Beneteau Barracuda 6, 7 and 9, here we are going to take a look at the fourth model in this functional range of purpose-built fishing boats, the Beneteau Barracuda 8.
“With her attractive lines, sturdy and reliable appearance and a deck and pilothouse layout, which have been thought through in every respect, the new Barracuda 8 will quickly carve out a position as the ideal craft for keen fishers,” so says the boat’s brochure.
It continues: “She combines comfort with protection, is very practical and has all the qualities of a perfect ‘commuting’ boat.”
Having sea trialled this boat earlier this year in France, I can only agree with every word.
KEY FEATURES
The Barracuda 8 features an excellent amount of freeboard, providing superb inboard security from within an open and spacious cockpit, which could fish three or possibly four anglers in comfort.
Key features include port and starboard access doors to the cabin, which makes mooring alongside and climbing aboard easier. At the back of the pilothouse, a large full-beam glass door provides good ventilation and seamlessly opens up the living spaces on board.
The interior saloon has a practical layout and includes a functional galley. Build quality and attention to detail throughout are, as I have always found with Beneteau, exceptional.
Certainly the Barracuda 8 can be described as a feature-loaded boat
Anglers will welcome the inclusion of an aerated livebait well, numerous rod-rests and stowage racks. There is plenty of space to fish on either side of the wheelhouse and at the bow, making this an ideal boat for both fishing on the drift or at anchor.
Stowage throughout is plentiful and includes a cavernous locker amidships beneath the cockpit deck. Folding seats are installed within the cockpit, helping to further maximise deck space. The transom includes a hugely practical bait preparation station.
The deck is self-draining, with sizeable scuppers fitted within the transom. In the unlikely event of the boat shipping a substantial volume of water, it will quickly disperse through a walkway in the port quarter.
Within the wheelhouse there is seating for the helmsman and one crew. The console is perfect to install a large, multi-function electronic display screen, something a lot of today’s serious offshore anglers will invariably require.
As mentioned, access to the wheelhouse is achieved by doors port and starboard, as well as the sliding glass doors aft, which also provide substantial ventilation. The lower deck has a large cabin and toilet.
The model I tested was fitted with an attractive fly-bridge. Operating the boat from here in suitable conditions would be a delight, but I found that the smart stainless steel work holding the seating does encroach into the cockpit fishing space.
The installation of the fly-bridge is not cheap, and I’d rather spend this money on equipment that will enhance my fishing.
ON THE WATER
The Beneteau Barracuda 8 was the first model built using the company’s innovative Air Step hull, which was introduced four years ago. Designed for use with either a single or twin engines up to 300hp, her standard-size fuel tank holds 280 litres, but this can be increased to 400 litres.
Sea conditions during my sea trial off the French coast were good, too good in fact to in any way to get an appreciation of exactly what she performs like under more demanding conditions. That said, in a few areas where we cut through powerful tide rips and the waves from other boats, there was every indication that the Barracuda 8 would perform equally as well in choppy seas as every other Beneteau boat I have tried.
The calm sea conditions were ideal for assessing top-end performance, and accurately calculating fuel consumption (see panel below).
Response to the throttle was crisp, with the hull swiftly planing. Thrown into a series of tight turns at various speeds, the Barracuda 8 tracked around beautifully without any side slip, excessive listing or cavitation. She really was a joy to handle.
Within the tight confines of the marina, which was heavily overloaded with in excess of 60 Beneteau boats competing in the Barracuda tour, she handled impeccably. Bow thrusters, an optional extra, were especially useful when manoeuvring into tight spots.