Beneteau Antares 8 Boats For Sale

The Beneteau Antares 8 is a pocket cruiser built around a tulip-shaped hull, measuring 27 feet length overall with a 9-foot-1-inch beam and a 2-foot-7-inch draft. Sold in Europe before its North American debut, it carries an empty weight of 4,776 pounds and works as a hybrid of family cruiser and capable fishing platform. Beneteau offers a dedicated Antares 8 fishing version on the same hull alongside the cruising layout, and the boat comfortably entertains up to nine guests while sleeping two to four. Used examples from the 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023 model years turn up regularly when shopping for a Beneteau Antares 8 for sale.

Power is outboard across the range. Early boats ran a 200-horsepower Mercury, while later builds offer a choice of the 225 or 250-horsepower Verado, with Yamaha 250 V6 and Suzuki 200-horsepower engines also fitted. With the 200-horsepower Mercury turning a 15-by-15 prop, the Antares 8 reached a top speed of 35.4 mph at 5,200 RPM. Best cruise came at 3,500 RPM and 18.6 mph, where the 6.8-gallon-per-hour fuel consumption returned 2.7 mpg and a range of 182 miles; pushing to 4,000 RPM lifted speed to 23.7 mph at the cost of only about one mile of range. The boat planed in 4.3 seconds, hit 20 mph in 6.7 seconds and 30 mph in 12.3 seconds. The hull deflects water through dual spray rails and full-length running strakes, with an 11-degree roll into turns.

The helm sits to starboard with a dark glare-reducing panel, a 9-inch Garmin chart plotter with built-in sonar, a Mercury or Yamaha engine display, bow thruster control and trim tabs. A single-piece windshield with a 7-inch glare brow and washer-equipped wipers fronts the station, and an opening side window adds ventilation at the wheel. A swiveling helm seat with a flip-up bolster slides fore and aft, and a removable footrest platform lets shorter operators reach the controls. Fusion stereo, USB and 12-volt outlets are mounted at the dash.

The modular cockpit is the boat's strongest feature. A U-shaped settee wraps a solid-wood pedestal table to port, with a removable seat back that reverses to face forward or aft. Aft seats can be lifted out entirely to open a flat fishing and entertaining space, and the aft bench slides forward on Harken tracks so the outboard can tilt clear of the water. Storage runs under the seats, under a large deck hatch and in the lazarette, with a cooler that stows under the table or the bench. The starboard boarding gate eases dockside access and doubles as a spot to land a catch. Fishing versions add a tackle box in the sliding console, a wet locker, multiple rod holders, cup holders that double as rod holders, and a saltwater pump for the bait box.

Inside, a dinette to port converts to a berth, served by a galley to starboard with a single-burner cooktop, sink, and a refrigerator with a small freezer above. Surrounding windows, two opening side windows and an overhead hatch bring in light and air, with curtains for privacy. The forward cabin sleeps two with 3-foot-6 of headroom over the berth and a fill-in section to extend the sleeping area, plus a single berth beneath. A separate head holds an electric or manual toilet, a sink with a pullout sprayer that doubles as a shower, and an opening port light. Optional equipment includes air conditioning, an inverter, lithium house batteries, a roof rack for kayaks or paddleboards, and an LED light bar. Build quality is consistently strong, and the soft-riding hull handles well in a sea for its 8-meter size; prospective buyers may want trim tabs to correct a slight lean at cruise.