The Beneteau 523, also called the Oceanis 523, is a French sailboat that was designed by Groupe Finot as a cruiser and first built in 2001.
The hull has a slightly raked stem, a reverse transom with a swimming platform, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by dual wheels and a fixed fin keel with a weighted bulb or optional shoal draft keel.
The inboard sheeting, aided by shroud bases in the middle of the side decks, helped the boat tack easily through 90 degrees.
"[13] In a 2006 review for Sail magazine, Bill Springer concluded, "the 523 shows that a new boat design doesn't have to be revolutionary to be effective.
The accommodation plan makes excellent use of the available interior volume (especially in the master cabin)—not by reconfiguring a traditional layout, but rather by skillfully executing subtle refinements and enhancements.