Watch the Beneteau Barracuda 9 Video Boat Review

Overview
This outboard-powered boat offers a full-sized cabin, yet has the 360-degree fishability of a center console.Beneteau Barracuda 9 running

Concept


  • Create a boat which can be used for both cruising and fishing, without making major sacrifices in either activity.

  • Utilize Beneteau’s Air Step hull, which boosts efficiency, reduces time to plane, and improves handling.

  • Utilize a pilot house design to provide full protection at the helm and a large cabin area including a full stand-up head, while allowing for a wide walkaround that’s comfortable to use.

  • Include a flying bridge option, on a boat size that usually doesn’t have one.Beneteau Barracuda 9 performance data


Construction & Design

  • The Air Step hull design works – with 500 horses on the transom it’s unusual for any boat to get good fuel economy, but we hit 1.6 miles to the gallon while at cruising speeds.

  • Fit and finish is excellent, and the boat’s upholstery is a grade above the norm. Helm seats, which include flip-down bolsters and adjust both fore/aft and up/down, provide an excellent example.

  • Love the hefty hardware used on the folding transom gate and folding tables in the cabin.


Performance:

  • At a 4000 RPM cruise, we ran at over 35-mph.

  • Top-end was 49.6-mph; with a lighter load this will be a 50-mph boat.


Handling:

  • Handling is excellent, and taking sharp turns while sitting atop the flybridge is down-right fun.

  • Another perk of the Air Step: the boat jumps out of the hole and onto plane quickly and smoothly, and rides with a level attitude.Beneteau Barracuda 9 specifications


Unique features:

  • One-of-a-kind flybridge is more substantial than it appears at first glance, with seating for two, room for electronics at the helm, and sturdy rails.

  • There’s a full-sized V-berth, even though there’s a roomy bow cockpit.

  • Folding transom gate allows for more cockpit room.

  • This boat impressed us so much, we put it on our list of the Top 10 Fishing Boats of 2012.


 

Written by: Lenny Rudow
With over two decades of experience in marine journalism, Lenny Rudow has contributed to publications including YachtWorld, boats.com, Boating Magazine, Marlin Magazine, Boating World, Saltwater Sportsman, Texas Fish & Game, and many others. Lenny is a graduate of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design, and he has won numerous BWI and OWAA writing awards.