Bente 39 : much confusion for an unconvincing sailboat

The Bente 39 is an intriguing boat as only a few ones on the market. She is inspired by Class 40 yachts but, as the manufacturer states, she is designed for cruising and offered for sale at a really affordable price ( from EUR 166,000).

The project bears the signature of Alexander Vrolijk and one of its pecularities is the presence of a very high deck house protecting the cockpit, whose surface is entirely composed of glass windows.

Her lines are particular. Freeboards are low as the stern is but the latter is also open while the deadwork has two chines. The first chine is just below the gunwale while the second, which is the classic one on which the boat leans when listing, goes down to the (round) bow and acts as a meeting point for its dual inclination (positive at first, it ends up turning negative).

We cannot express an opinion about the functionality of this concept at sea since we visited the boat out of water at Boot Dusseldorf.

Focusing only on lines, we can say that the boat didn’t seem to be particularly harmonious, perhaps also because the poorly appealing hull colour.

Walking on the deck, we see that the Bente 39 is well-equipped, materials are first-class and sails are perfect to handle with any wind and sea conditions.

Thinking of what we saw, we think that it is even too much for a boat that promises to be a cruiser. A clear proof of that comes from very little cruising details, such as sheet leads where rails have been replaced by textiles, the mast equipment, double stay and hard-to-use hardware.

Below deck, on the same level of the cockpit and before descending the steps that lead to the dinette, there is another surprise: on the starboard side, there is a chart table equipped with navigation plotter, autopilot control and ergonomic pilot seat.

The particular deck house of this boat has therefore two functions. The first, as mentioned above, is to protect those who work in the cockpit; the second one is to monitor navigation from the indoor chart table with a 360-degree view.

This dual function will be clearly appreciated by those who are used to sail in harsh weather and not by those who, instead, prefer warm weather because of the high temperature that can develop inside the boat.

With reference to the deck house, however, we wonder how to get the boom to fold the mainsail because you find yourself standing, in contact with a surface that, especially when wet, is particularly slippery.

It follows that the Bente 39 has characteristics that can be good during long-range navigation but that go against the open stern design and the recessed position of the helmsman who, consequently, is very exposed to waves.

Indoor, the dinette is equipped with two dual seats with an opening table in the middle. The galley is positioned behind the starboard seat, equipped with a tilting oven, two burners and a sink. Unfortunately, there is no worktop contiguous to the galley surface but you can use the surface of the central fridge cabinet positioned aft the table structure.

The night area consists of two cabins: a double one in the foredeck and an additional cabin aft with a large wardrobe and diagonally-positioned bed. The aft cabin is also accessible from a companionway situated below the cockpit seating.

The only one bathroom of the boat, situated on the left aft section, is very spacious and comfortable.

Interior finishes, in compliance with the affordable price of the boat, are simple and functional even if we saw too many edges.

In conclusion, we think that the Bente 39 is a boat that, perhaps in an attempt to be multipurpose, can’t decide which soul she really wants.

Bente 39 – Technical Specifications