Beneteau Barracuda 9

Beneteau Barracuda 9Beneteau, the giant French boatbuilder that is currently making a concerted push into American markets, is well regarded for its innovative building techniques and efficiency of design. Some of its recent builds—the Swift Trawler 44, for example—wowed crowds on last year’s boat show circuit with its ability to fit so many

By Kevin Koenig

October 1, 2011

Beneteau Barracuda 9

Beneteau, the giant French boatbuilder that is currently making a concerted push into American markets, is well regarded for its innovative building techniques and efficiency of design. Some of its recent builds—the Swift Trawler 44, for example—wowed crowds on last year’s boat show circuit with its ability to fit so many amenities onto boats not generally thought of as having space for such things. The Barracuda 9 looks to uphold that tradition and broaden customers’ impressions about just how “big” a boat can come in a small(ish) package .

With an LOA of just under 29 feet, the Barracuda 9 shouldn’t have much trouble finding places to dock, especially considering her 2’7″ draft makes her amenable to skinny waters. But what she lacks in size, she makes up for with performance and design. With the ability to handle 400 hp generated by twin outboards, the Barracuda 9 will likely be able to top out at over 50 mph while maintaining a smooth ride thanks to Beneteau’s patented Air Step hull. All that speed will be well put to use cruising out to the fishing grounds, as this boat was built with anglers in mind. Her open layout on the main deck allows for easy maneuvering while reeling in your prey, while a helm on her quasi-flying bridge gives the captain excellent visibility when scanning for telltale baitfish and birds. Sunpads forward of that helm space should keep the non-fishermen busy.

The wheelhouse can be accessed by two sliding doors, chosen to save space. Inside one will find two pilot seats as well as a bolster-type copilot seat. Down below a berth is situated athwartships making creative use of the boat’s 9’10” beam.

If you’re looking for a sporty runabout—or perhaps even a versatile tender—for daytime fishing trips or similar on-the-water activities, you’d do well to give Beneteau a shout. You may just find their Barracuda 9 has that certain je ne sais quoi you covet.

Beneteau
(410) 990-0270.
WWW.BENETEAU.COM.