Off the back of what they declare was their best ever year for sales of Beneteau outboard boats, Irish brokers BJ Marine were recently in attendance at the French builder’s global dealer conference in Valencia to get a special look at its fully Suzuki-powered range.
General manager James Kirwan told Afloat.ie: “The growth of the range of outboard boats inspired us to invest in our first ever Irish Barracuda Tour qualifier, an event that also supported by Viking Marine, our Suzuki partner in Ireland.”
Beneteau’s outboard range covers the Antares, Barracuda and Flyer models, from six metres up to the new Antares 11 which will be unveiled this winter.
“In particular, the Antares and Barracuda ranges offer the perfect versatility for use in Irish waters where rapidly changing weather and sea states are regular events,” Kirwan said.
Suzuki has been the outboard supplier of choice for Beneteau since 2013 and the French builder says its partnership continues to go from strength to strength.
Five Suzuki-powered boats were on the water in Valencia ready for dealers to test — including the new Flyer 10 and 7.
“We are very proud to work with and partner Beneteau,” said Daisuke Kawatari, general manager for Suzuki Motor Corporation’s European liaison office.
“Our partnership is a strong one and we are looking forward to taking it to the next level in order to continue to deliver the ultimate boat/engine packages for our customers.”