S/Y Jennifer crew has visit one of the Beneteau yards in St Gille, France.
It was a Benjamin Beneteau who 1884 started a small fishingboat yard here (see photo with skipper next to a sign where it all started).
When he suggested to put engines in the small fishingboats, the fishermen protested that the noise would scare away the fish.
When he suggested to put engines in the small fishingboats, the fishermen protested that the noise would scare away the fish.
Benjamins’s grand children, Anette Beneteau-Roux and Andre Beneteau, today run the biz , and fourth generation is Benjamin again.
When I ordered Jennifer in 1988 I met Anette, then CEO. Today she is chairman of the board. It is interesting to see how boats have changed in the last 5-10 years; much bigger and ”fatter”.
The Beneteau group consists of several boatbrands, a o Beneteau, Jeanneau and Lagoon (catamarans) and also housing. Strangely enough, the group produces more powerboats then sailingboats today. They are probably the worlds largest producers of pleasure boats, with plants in Europe, USA and Brazil. The largest market by far is Europe, followed by the USA. The group is listed on the french stock exchange but the Beneteau family hold a majority of the shares (as I understand). Anyway, I am a proud Beneteau owner and Jennifer has served me well during the last 28 years, and hopefully another 15 years as well. 
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