Simply Southern a 1993 Beneteau Oceanis 400 is a proven cruiser with the right balance of comfort and performance.
Stepping aboard Simply Southern, you immediately get the sense of why the Beneteau Oceanis 400 has remained such a popular cruising platform for decades. She is a boat that feels honest and practical, designed for real cruising, not just marina show. Her layout, proportions, and systems all point toward a vessel meant to be sailed, lived on, and enjoyed.
Starting topside, Simply Southern offers a large, secure cockpit that works well whether you’re day sailing with friends or running offshore with a short crew. The cockpit seating is deep and comfortable, with plenty of room for guests without feeling crowded. Lockers are generous and well-placed for lines, fenders, and cruising gear.
Moving forward, the wide side decks and solid handholds make it easy and safe to move around the boat underway. The masthead sloop rig is straightforward and well-suited for cruising in the Chesapeake, just a proven sail plan that delivers predictable performance and easy handling. The Oceanis 400 hull is known for its balanced feel under sail, with enough displacement to be comfortable offshore while still remaining responsive on the helm.
Dropping below into Simply Southern, the first impression is space and light. The main salon is open and inviting, with a practical layout that makes sense for living aboard. The settees are long and comfortable, and the dining table works equally well for meals, chart work, or evening cocktails after a day on the water. Large portlights and hatches bring in plenty of natural light, giving the interior an airy feel that’s often missing in boats of this era.
The galley is positioned for real use at sea, with good counter space, storage, and access to everything you need for extended cruising. It’s the kind of galley where you can actually cook underway without feeling boxed in. Forward and aft, Simply Southern offers comfortable private cabins with proper berths and storage, making her well-suited for couples, families, or friends cruising together. The two-head layout is especially appreciated for longer trips or liveaboard use.
From a systems standpoint, Simply Southern is equipped with the essentials you want in a capable cruiser including a reliable diesel power, modern navigation electronics including GPS, chartplotter and autopilot, and a davit system with tender for easy shore access. Everything is laid out logically and access to systems is generally good, which makes ownership and maintenance far less stressful than on more complex designs.
What makes Simply Southern particularly appealing is that she strikes a rare balance where she is big enough to cruise comfortably, yet simple enough to remain approachable for an owner-operator. She’s not trying to be flashy. She’s trying to be dependable, comfortable, and enjoyable and she succeeds at that.
Seller Notes: The owner plans to have Simply Southern hauled in the Spring for a fresh coat of bottom paint, an important service that will leave her well-positioned for the upcoming season.
Interior is in great shape with solid wood and no cheap veneer. Topsides the deck has no significant gelcoat cracks. Dingy is included and is a solid fiberglass hull.
For anyone looking for a proven 40-foot cruising sailboat with a respected pedigree, solid sailing characteristics, and a layout that truly works, Simply Southern represents a very compelling opportunity.
