2001 Beneteau 46' _{(14.02 m)} 473

Flossie Belle is a popular Beneteau 473 Oceanus sailboat that combines extraordinary interior comfort with blue water strength. The Oceanus design, with its flat beam aft and high aspect ratio rig allows for high-spirited sailing (over 8 knots in 15 - 18 knots apparent wind), with little healing (due to beam aft). This 473 has two staterooms and a port-side storage room that offers large aft storage that is accessible from the cockpit or from the inside.

This 2001 Beneteau has spent much of her life on Lake Michigan in fresh water and was brought to the Florida Keys only 7 years ago. This 2001 model cruiser’s dream has had major upgrades in the last couple of years on almost all of its major systems and is ready to set sail for The Bahamas and beyond.

A new bottom job was just completed in October 2024 along with professional varnish on teak gunnels. Professional inspection and full servicing of all through-hulls and sea cocks was carried out as well.

UPGRADES include:

• Dual helm -- Enjoy open access to the cockpit between paired steering stations to the sugar scoop transom.
• Air conditioning -- Dometic DTG 16K BTU reverse cycle air conditioning with soft start installed in 2022. Beautiful teak-framed supply and return grilles integrate into the boats finished interior. 
• Navigation system -- B&G dual chart plotters, depth sounder, knot log, wind instruments and RayMarine EV400 auto pilot sail package, installed in spring 2022.
• AGM battery bank -- Replaced House and Starter batteries in the Spring of 2023. Starter Battery Odyssey Extreme Group 31. House Batteries LIfeLIne GPL 6CT 6vlt (2 pairs in series), 600 Amp Hour rating.
• Custom solar/davit arch -- Installed custom-built stainless-steel arch in 2020, designed to accommodate solar array and dinghy davits Arch is through-bolted into hull and deck and is welded to the stainless stern rail. 
• A stainless steel 3-to-1hoist for your outboard motor is mounted on the corner of the arch and swivels 270 degrees to allow transfer from dingy to the outboard mount on stern rail. 
• Spectra RO system -- Spectra Ventura 150 desalination system installed in 2020 for fresh water. Located under the forward berth, athwartship on the bulkhead behind drawer bank. Produces 6.3 GPH 8 Amps at 12V. Less than 200 PPM water quality. This unit discharges into the forward water tank. Mid-ship tank is kept full for back-up, rarely fill aft tank to save weight.
• Water heater - 6-gallon stainless steel (with engine heat exchanger)
• Victron 3kw inverter/charger – The Victron system is composed of a Multiplus 3000 inverter/charger, a BMV 712 smart battery monitor, a system color control, and a cascade charge control to start battery from alternator was installed in 2023. 
• 720W of SunPower PV (solar panels) -- The pair of 360W SunPower PV panels can deliver 60 amps of charge at 12V for about 6 hours per day in full sun. This is sufficient to cover existing on-board loads, including RO system, microwave and other small appliance loads. 
• Balmar high out-put alternator/regulator -- Alternator was replaced in 2022 with a Balmar 120A with Max Charge regulator with battery temp. input. On occasion, when house loads are not matched by solar production, this provides the means to bring the house bank up quickly.
• Max prop -- Replaced conventional prop with 3-blade Max Prop. Calibrated for optimal performance in forward and in reverse. 
• Force 10 Gimbaled Propane 3 burner stove – A new oven and broiler was installed in Spring 2023.
• In-mast mainsail furler -- Flossie Belle has an easy-to-use in-mast roller furler mainsail and furling head-sail system that is just one season old.
• Underwater lights -- Added two Seablaze underwater lights with 6000 lumens each in 2022. You can choose white, blue or transition mode. Great for anchoring out, night diving, fishing, and amplified visibility to open ocean shipping at night with white hallow under the boat.
• Refrigeration -- Frigoboat K50, keel-cooled refrigerator/freezer system installed in 2021.
• New condition bimini and dodger over the cockpit.
• AB aluminum hull dingy with Honda outboard
• Natural latex mattress in the forward cabin
• Rigging - Standing rigging is updated with Harkin blocks and hardware throughout.
• Wisker Pole -- A spinnaker pole track was added and control lines to the leading edge of the mast to better accommodate storing it vertically against the mast leaving the deck unobstructed.
• Electric wenches --The four, self-tailing electric winches make light work of trimming the sail. 
• Windlass -- A Lewmar electric anchor windlass works well for chain and line, with a line drum on one side and anchor chain windlass opposite. The chain fall is 5’ straight down, piles well for over 300’ of 3/8” chain. A chain snubber was added ahead of windlass with stainless backing plate with rubber pad bolted under deck.
• ·       Installed a thermostatic relay to keep the engine room exhaust blower on after shutdown until temp drops below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to optimize battery life.  
• ·       Good cushions -- Replaced old vinyl cushion covers with Sunbrella fabric in 2022.