Living up to its reputation as something of an adventurer, at the end of the summer a new addition will be welcomed to the Barracuda family in the shape of a third model, benefitting from the experience gained during the famous Barracuda Tours – sea bass no-kill fishing tournaments organised each year by Beneteau. Apart from a new hull form which is both attractive and safer still, the Barracuda 8 brings together developments capable of making it a reference in the sport fishing sector. She will be on show at the Grand-Pavois in La Rochelle.
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. She combines comfort with protection, is very practical and has all the qualities of a perfect ‘commuting’ boat.
As the first model with an Air Step® 2 technology hull, the Barracuda 8 is probably the most seaworthy boat in the range introduced four years ago. Available with a single or twin engine of up to 300 hp, her 285 litre standard autonomy can be increased to 400 litres.
Fitted with a real fishing station to stern – with a worktable, rod holders and drink holders – the cockpit of this new sport fishing vessel features a well-designed mobile multifunctional bench seat. Housing a fish tank under the seat which slides fore and aft, this is a comfortable place to sit facing the sea when fishing. Positioned in the middle of the cockpit, it completes the side seating to form a big sunbathing area. As it is set aft on the edge of the pilothouse, the cockpit can accommodate 8 people around the foldaway table.
The version of the Barracuda 8 with three sliding picture windows allows considerable access to the pilothouse. Designed with enhanced comfort in mind, the pilothouse layout provides a real saloon area around a table on a sliding support. The driving station has two bolster seats. The bow resting cabin, stowage space and separate toilets will convince the most demanding guests. Two doors, three doors or semi-flyboat: a choice between three pilothouse configurations for the Barracuda 8 making her the most developed of her type on the market.
Designed to facilitate movements on board and access to the sea, the deck of the Barracuda 8 has a wide walkaround to starboard and port. On the foredeck, the bench seat is set directly against the pilothouse and can be unclipped in a couple of seconds to free up a large amount of space. Almost on a level with the water, the port transom affords appreciably easy access to the sea. A real swim platform can be installed.
Scandinavian at heart, the Barracuda 8 has adopted the natural influence of the architectural and design codes of the Nordic countries. Brick red curtains, graphite or carbon hued furnishings, oak tinted woodwork and flooring, with the possibility of choosing teak for the deck covering make for a restful and cosy atmosphere on board.
