Beneteau Antares 12 Fly

Beneteau’s Antares line has been a hit for the French builder since it was introduced way back in 1977.

Since those disco-fever days, the company has turned out a full 47 different models in the series. One of its most popular is the Antares 11, which came out in 2019; however, last year, Beneteau capitalized on that boat’s success by debuting the Antares 12 Fly, a model that builds on the 11’s sensible platform, but makes it much bigger.

“This is a really exciting boat,” says Joe Moede, salesman at CenterPointe Marine in Milwaukee. “It’s like the 11 but with more onboard living space. That makes it an excellent choice for doing the Great Loop. Beneteau knew its customers wanted something like this, and gave them exactly what they wanted. The amount of space is actually kind of crazy.”

Moede points to the dealer’s first hull sold as evidence of the 12’s Looping potential.

“Those owners left in the beginning of the fall, and now they’re down in Florida,” he says. “They made really good time, and all reports are that they are really enjoying their boat to the fullest.”

The Antares 12 has three full staterooms, including a forward owner’s cabin and a VIP cabin, both with ensuite head and separate shower. There is also a third guest cabin with access to the day head. The model can really be said to have a whopping four staterooms, as a U-shape settee to port of the helm has a hi-low table that allows it to convert into yet another berth.

Moede also raves about the boat’s performance.

“The boat made her Great Lakes debut at the 2025 Chicago International Boat Show at Navy Pier, and of course, it was the worst two days of weather of the summer,” he says. “But she took it like a champ. With her twin V10 400 Mercs she can top out around 40 mph and cruised real nicely at 30, which remained comfortable even in ugly conditions.”