The Beneteau 323 is a French sailboat that was designed by Jean Marie Finot and Pascal Conq of Group Finot/Conq and first built in 2001.

It has a masthead sloop rig with a deck-stepped mast and aluminium spars, a nearly plumb stem, a rounded reverse transom with a walk-through swimming platform, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a wheel.

On the other hand, the ballast is only 26% of total displacement and even though the VCG (vertical center of gravity) is lowered with the modified-bulb keel, it not surprising that she is also reported to be a bit tender.

A combination of higher freeboard, allied to a wide beam that’s carried well aft and a stepped coachroof produced a boat with significantly more volume than earlier designs of this size.

At the same time, an efficient deep keel option was offered, which helped to make the boat one that could be expected to take offshore passages in its stride.