Description

Summary
Spacious, capable, and easy to sail - the Beneteau Oceanis 361 is the perfect all-round cruiser.
With her generous beam and intelligently designed layout, she offers exceptional interior space and comfort for a yacht of this size. On deck, a simple, well-balanced rig and cockpit-led controls make her ideal for short-handed or single-handed sailing or relaxed family cruising.
Built with a solid GRP hull and proven systems throughout, she delivers reliable performance and easy ownership, whether for weekend escapes or longer offshore adventures.
A superb blend of comfort, practicality, and value.

Banyan has been exceptionally well maintained, extensively improved and upgraded over the last 16 years by the current owner (2nd owner) and is quite simply the best example of this excellent and highly popular cruising yacht available. She has been sailed extensively on the South Coast, Channel Islands, Northern and Southern Brittany and proved herself a delight to sail, routinely out performing many bigger boats, and as equally spacious, comfortable and cosy to live in.

There is nothing left to do but sail her and enjoy!

General Description
The Beneteau Oceanis 361 is a well-proven and highly regarded cruising yacht, offering an exceptional balance of comfort, performance, and practicality in a manageable 36 foot package. Designed by the respected Berret-Racoupeau team, she delivers confident, easily handled sailing characteristics, making her ideal for both experienced sailors and those stepping up into yacht ownership. Her forgiving nature, combined with a straightforward rig and cockpit-led controls, ensures she can be sailed comfortably short-handed or with family and friends.
Below deck, the Oceanis 361 stands out for her remarkable interior volume and intelligent layout. The bright, airy saloon, well-equipped galley, and 3 cabin layout provide a level of comfort rarely found in yachts of this size. Whether used for weekend escapes or extended cruising, she offers a welcoming and practical living space.
Her construction reflects Beneteau’s proven production methods, with a solid GRP hull, cored deck, and integrated structural grid, delivering a reliable and efficient platform with a long track record worldwide.
With dependable mechanical systems, generous tankage, and user-friendly systems throughout, the Oceanis 361 is perfectly suited to coastal cruising, family sailing holidays, entry-level liveaboard life and offshore passages.
In summary, this is a yacht that combines ease of ownership with genuine cruising capability, making her an enduringly popular choice in her class. The Oceanis 361 represents excellent value for money, offering space, comfort, and sailing enjoyment in equal measure. This genuine cruising capability and comfort by design coupled with her extensive upgrades make Banyan an unbeatable boat in her class.

Cockpit
All control lines and halyards are led back to the cockpit; the cockpit has 2 self-tailing Lewmar primary winches and 2 self-tailing Lewmar halyard winches. All winches fully overhauled in 2022. The cockpit teak was been replaced with 2nd generation Flexiteek in 2020 including laying flexiteek on the cockpit sole and is as good as new.
The larger stainless steel (Solimar 1100mm diameter) wheel to the original, covered with a suede cover, was fitted in 2015 and greatly improves the helming experience under sail and power. The binnacle also has a removable cockpit teak table.
The self-bailing cockpit has a droppable rear seat for access to the swimming platform with boarding ladder and cold-water shower in set into the transom. The cockpit has 2 substantial cockpit lockers and a full depth (stbd) lazarette space with outboard bracket fitted within it. The Lazarette space to port contains the gas bottles stowage. All guard rails were in replaced 2026 with unsheathed stainless-steel wire and bottlescrews and all original green coachroof decals replaced with grey. There are 2 bespoke iroko folding seats fitted to pushpit on each quarter.

Hull
The boat has been wintered out of the water from Oct-Apr ever year for the last 16 years. All hull skin fittings have been replaced with bronze fittings in the last 2 years. The topsides have been religiously cut and polished annually and hull painted with 2 coats of Micron 350 antifouling in Mar 2026. The rudder bearings were replaced in 2022 and original green hull decals replaced with grey in 2021. The boat has 60m of 10mm chain marked at 5m intervals new in 2025 with the windlass recessed in the chain locker.

Specifications

Accommodation

The Oceanis 361 features a light, spacious, and highly practical interior, designed with cruising comfort in mind, with 3 sleeping cabins and a spacious saloon with ample headroom throughout. The wide beam carried well aft creates exceptional volume for a yacht of this size, while numerous Lewmar opening ports and hatches provide excellent natural light and ventilation throughout. The joinery is finished in warm-cherry in excellent condition, complemented by neutral upholstery (replaced from the original stripes), creating a warm and cosy, the traditional nautical feel complemented by the addition of reading lights in each corner of the saloon and at the chart table and hull window alcove led lighting. 3 pin 240v sockets and USB chargers have been added to saloon and all cabins.

Saloon
The saloon has a large centre table with leaves to port and stbd and a generous U-shaped settee to stbd and straight settee to port both of which can be additional berths, with the stbd side convertible to a double berth (if the U settee infill was obtained or manufactured). Table comfortably accommodates 6–8 people and is bigger than many much bigger boats with linear galleys. Behind the backrests, you'll find shelves and lockers for additional storage, with more space available beneath the seating. The overhead hatch and multiple opening portlights provide ample airflow. The bilge areas aft of the table have been racked out with wine racks. A chart table seat cushion, settee berth chart table back rest and ‘cheese’ U settee corner piece additional items of bespoke upholstery have been manufactured to further enhance comfort. All crazed Lewmar portlights were replaced in 2024.

Galley
The L-shaped galley is positioned for safe use underway in the port aft area of the saloon adjacent the companionway, the design allowing the cook to brace securely. It is equipped with a gimbaled 2-burner gas hob with excellent oven, a double stainless-steel sink with pressurised hot and cold water, a large top-loading fridge, plenty of counter space and ample storage space. Under the sinks there is a built-in ice machine along with bespoke hand-made marine ply containers for utensils etc. A 3 pin 240v power supply is fitted to the aft face of the unit just below to counter top for an electric kettle or toaster.

Head
Opposite the galley, to stbd, is the large heads and separate shower compartment well positioned for use at sea and in harbour. The marine toilet has space for a 45-litre holding tank outboard (not fitted), a washbasin with hot and cold water and vanity unit with storage for toiletries below and behind the mirror, a generous shower space with an integrated shower tray and custom hanging rail / wet locker area for foul weather gear. Heads hoses replaced 2025 with goosenecks added to prevent back syphoning. Sink tap and mirror also replaced.

Forward Cabin
The forward cabin features a large double V berth with a hanging locker and shelf storage to starboard. This cabin also benefits from an opening deck hatch and opening portlights for ventilation. The bunk cushions have had an additional layer of supersoft foam on their upper face for additional comfort with additional low-level lighting and 3 pin 240v and USB charging sockets fitted.

Aft Cabins
The 2 aft double cabins both feature a double berth, a practical standing area for dressing, wardrobes with shelving and hanging space, full length storage shelves outboard of the bunks and additional under-berth lockers. The cabins also benefit from 2 opening portlights for ventilation. The bunks cushions also have had an additional layer of supersoft foam on their upper face for additional comfort and additional 3 pin 240v and USB charging sockets fitted. There is also a further piece of bespoke upholstery to improve comfort, a backrest fitting neatly under the shelf suitable for either aft cabin provides a highly comfortable sitting position to enjoy that morning tea or coffee in bed together.

Construction

The Oceanis 361 is a series-produced GRP cruising yacht built using late-1990s production techniques, combining a solid fiberglass hull with a cored deck and an internal structural grid. The design prioritises strength, interior volume, and efficient manufacturing.
The hull is constructed of solid fiberglass (GRP) using polyester resin with hand-laid woven roving and mat laminate. Reinforced in high-load areas (keel, mast step, chainplates), the solid laminate below the waterline offers good durability and impact resistance, with relatively straightforward repair characteristics.

The moulded GRP structural liner (inner grid) bonded to the hull forms floors, engine beds, and load-bearing members distributes loads from the keel, mast, and rigging, creating a stiff, semi-monocoque structure.
The cored fiberglass deck adds stiffness and weight reduction, is reinforced in way of fittings and deck hardware and bonded and mechanically fastened to the hull and finished with a toerail.
The fin keel is an encapsulated cast iron fin with a bulb bolted to the reinforced hull sump. It provides effective ballast and stability for cruising performance. The spade rudder is provided with cable wheel steering.
The marine plywood bulkheads are fiberglass-tabbed to hull and deck with modular interior joinery integrated with the structural liner. The bulkheads play a key role in rig load distribution and overall stiffness.

Equipment

Electrical System
The 12v and 240V systems have been extensively modernised, extended and upgraded. A single 12v engine start lead acid battery is fitted supplying a Sterling battery to battery charger charging the 560Amp lithium auxiliary battery bank. The lithium batteries have a Battery Monitoring System (with phone app functionality) and an additional Simarine Pico One Battery Monitor at the chart table fed from an intelligent shunt. The lithium Batteries can also be charged from shore power by a separate Sterling Battery Charger and from the 60W solar panel with MPPT Controller which can be isolated from the battery.
The lithium batteries supply the 12v system and also supply a 2000W Renogy inverter with remote isolating switch which in turn supplies a greatly extended 240V system. The 240V system is fitted with a switch to select between inverter or shore power to ensure these cannot be paralleled. All French 240v sockets have been replaced with 3 pin UK sockets and many additional ones fitted in cabins, saloon and galley. The fitting of the lithium batteries and majority of the electrical system upgrade was undertaken in 2023. The shore power connection socket was replaced in 2025.
An intelligent led masthead light is fitted that switches between all round white, tri-colour and flashing SOS off a single switch.
The battery and inverter isolation switches are fitted in the Stbd Aft cabin.
All overhead lighting switches had been replaced with blue led illuminated (on permanently) push switches to aid visibility of switches at night.

Water System
The water supply system is pressurised throughout with hot water supplied from the calorifier heated from engine circuit or an electric immersion heater. The system pump was replaced in 2023 and electric bilge pump overhauled at same time. There is also a manual bilge pump in the cockpit and an electric shower drain pump also overhaul in 2023.

Tankage
There is a single 75 ltr diesel tank (stbd aft), regularly dosed and 2 water tanks, one fwd (170 ltrs) and one stbd aft (140 ltrs). Both water tanks regularly dosed.

Navigation Equipment

Chart Table and Navigation Station
The forward-facing chart table with internal chart storage and navigation station situated forward of the galley has been extensively upgraded. The chart table seat has a bespoke cushion and provides good visibility including out of the hull window. The navigation station has many upgrades including built-in wifi router and built-in computer with touch sensitive screen above the Raymarine Axiom+ 12 inch display which is networked to the Axiom at the binnacle. The combination providing an excellent passage planning capability usually only seen on much bigger yachts. The computer also used to stream TV and connect to a portable flat screen tv. The instruments upgrade and built in computer and screen were fitted Spring 2022. There is also a Simarine Pico Battery monitor, additional light switching, a changeover switch to supply the 240v system from either the inverter or shore power, a Navtext, solar panel remote monitor and USB charging socket.

On Deck
The engine control panel on the binnacle was relocated to the side of the binnacle to allow the fitting of new Raymrine Instruments in 2022 including 2xi70 multifunction instruments, P70 autopilot control head and a 7 inch Axiom+ multifunctional display on the binnacle top along with the fuel gauge, engine hours counter and 12v ‘cigarette lighter charger’ and USB chargers with voltmeter mounted on a carbon effect panel. The rear face of the binnacle also has a remote VHF speaker that can be switched on or off with the carbon effect backing panel replaced in 2026.

Engine(s)

A Volvo MD2030 30hp diesel engine with shaft drive through skeg to 3 bladed folding J propeller and rope cutter is fitted. The starter motor and raw water pump and drive assembly / seals were replaced in 2018 and engine regularly serviced.

Sails & Spars

Rig
The rig is a deck stepped masthead rig, with double swept back spreaders and Sparcraft aluminium mast and spars. The mast is keel-supported via a compression post, transferring loads down to the structural grid and keel area. The deck-stepped configuration simplifies maintenance and removal while maintaining structural integrity.
The stainless-steel standing rigging was all replaced by Allspars in 2023 with all down mast wiring also replaced at the same time. The standing rigging was rechecked for condition by Allspars in 2026 when additional mast head guides for the genoa and spinnaker halyards were fitted. The mast is fitted with a track (fitted 2023) for stowing the spinnaker pole allowing the Sparcraft bowsprit for the asymmetric to be stowed on deck. The genoa is on a Fucnor furler and the main benefits from continuous line reefing from the cockpit. All running rigging, sheets and control lines have been replaced and are laundered every year. The rig is also fitted with a high aspect inner forestay with tensioner for a staysail or storm jib and high gain 4G antennas for the built-in wifi adjacent the renewed deck flood and steaming light (also fitted 2023). All mast base blocks have been replaced with 50mm Rutgerson blocks in 2024.

Sails and Covers
The original sails were replaced with Peter Sanders DCX Cruise lam Main and Genoa (135%) in 2015 with genoa UV strip replaced 2026. Since new the genoa has been professionally laundered (Hancock Marine) annually and main annually or occasionally every other year. Both still in superb condition and holding their design shape, a testament to both the quality of DCX laminate and Peter Sanders.
The boat has both an Elvstrom symmetrical Spinnaker (original, no repairs) and Peter Sanders A2 Asymmetric on a Fucnor 2500 furler purchased in 2025. The spinnaker has a bespoke bag tailored to fit under the fwd bunk and the asymmetric has a bespoke bag tailored to fit in the fore cabin adjacent the wardrobe.
A staysail and storm jib for flying on the high aspect inner forestay complete the sail inventory.
The covers comprise a grey sprayhood and stack pack replaced from original green in 2015 (Ocean Canvass) with matching binnacle, wheel, and hatch covers.

Safety Equipment

A 4-man Seago canister liferaft (7 years old, serviced 2026), a coastal danbuoy and horseshoe buoy with light and a rescue sling are fitted at the stern with webbing jackstays on deck. The 2 extinguishers in the cabin were replaced in 2022 and a fire blanket is stowed in galley.

Inventory

Electronics and Navigation
2x Raymarine i70s multifunction instruments
Raymarine P70s autopilot control head
Raymarine Course Computer
Raymarine Class B Raymarine AIS (tx/rx)
Raymarine new mast head wind instrument and triducer through hull.
12 inch Axion+ multifunctional display at Nav Station
7 inch Axiom+ multifunctional display at wheel
Built in computer and 10inch touch screen at chart table, plus wireless mouse and keyboard.
Furuno Navtext
Built in wifi router
4G up-mast antennas
Solar panel controller remote display at chart table.
Simarine Pico Battery Monitor
Cobra DSC VHF Radio and remote cockpit speaker
Steering compass
LED nav lights
Intelligent LED masthead light (white, Tri-colour & flashing SOS)
Brass Clock and Barometer

Mooring and Anchoring
Anchor and 60m x 10mm chain
8 fenders
4 mooring ropes.
Windlass.

Safety Equipment
4-man Seago canister life raft
Coastal Danbuoy
Perry Buoy with light
Rescue sling
Webbing jackstays
2 x extinguishers
Fire blanket
Electric and Manual bilge pumps
Emergency Tiller
Radar Reflector
4 safety lines available if required.

Sails and Covers
Peter Sanders DCX Cruise lam Main
Peter Sanders DCX Cruise lam Genoa (135%)
Elvstrom Spinnaker
Peter Sanders A2 Asymmetric on a Fucnor 2500 furler.
High aspect staysail
Storm jib
Sprayhood
Stack pack
Binnacle, wheel, and hatch covers.
Sparcraft bowsprit.

Electrical
Lead acid engine battery
560Ah lithium auxiliary battery
Lithium Battery Management System
Simarine Pico One Battery Monitor
Renogy 2000W Pure Sign Wave Inverter
Sterling 240v Battery Charger
Sterling Battery to Battery Charger
60W Solar Panel with PPT Controller and remote monitor

General
Cockpit table
Pushpit seats
Cockpit Fusion speakers
Transom shower
All running rigging and sheets
CD and Radio
Ice making machine
Comprehensive boat information pack and documentation for all modifications including drawings for revised electrical and instruments architecture.

Location Map