Loosely based on a very early Finot design from 1978, the 235 was also available in either fixed-keel or lifting-keel form. First appearing in 1986, over half the 680 built were produced in Bénéteau’s American factory.



She performed well and was fun to sail but the lifting keel version was a handful in strong winds. She had plenty of volume below decks, thanks to the generous beam and long waterline. A lot of space was given over to the galley and heads, where simplicity of fit-out was the keynote. There were two bunks in the saloon and a double in the aftercabin.