Already 10 years old, the Judel/Vrolijk design of the much-heralded Bente 24 is still eye-catchingly different. With its aggressive chines and trademark hard cuddy up top the BENTE24 is unique in its class. Back in 2014 the then new BENTE24 had all the yachting pundits talking and, since then, this little boat found favour with many European sailors too – over 120 have been sold since BENTE started production. Now this unique pocket cruiser is available for the first time in the UK.

INNOVATION WITH PRACTICAL BENEFITSThe eye-catching, hard cuddy or ‘dodger’, as BENTE like to call it, sittinig on the back of the coachroof sets the smallest BENTE apart the crowd. Yet this is no gimmick – it creates a wealth of practical benefits too. Not only are the crew protected from inclement conditions whilst underway, but it provides good visibility, even when standing in the cabin. With the entrance hatches removed, the full standing headroom creates a generous covered space to move around unimpeded in the galley area or going in and out of the heads.

AN OUTSTANDING SAILING EXPERIENCEWith the creation of this 24 cruiser Alexander Vrolijk put the sailing experience at the heart of his design. The boat is fast, yet, feels solid underfoot, heels to a gentle angle and copes well when it gets a little rough. The 24 spins on a sixpence and the rudder is well balanced, retaining plenty of grip when well powered up.The 24 can be sailed whilst seated either out on the coamings or on the long cockpit benches, with good visibility is retained through the dodger. All running rigging leads back to one place under the protection of the dodger so the crew need not leave the protection of the cockpit unnecessarily.When we tested the BENTE24 we found that the cuddy provided a wide platform for crew to stand on during main-sail management and the boom felt reassuringly solid on the strut. The single spreader rig accomodates 33m² of upwind sail area – more than enough for coastal sailing. For thrill seekers BENTE offer a powerful ‘Lake Rig’ with a massive 44m² of upwind sail area. A deeper keel option is available too.

GENEROUS ROOM AND INNOVATIVE TOUCHES DOWN BELOWSmart design doesn’t stop at the sailing experience. The BENTE24 boasts roomy accommodation for between 4-5 crew with a generous v-berth as well as 2 saloon berths and 1quarter berth. The separate heads area by the companionway can be closed with an optional courtesy curtain.The dodger affords so much headroom that meals can be prepared in the galley area. What’s more, the optional sliding galley unit can be accessed from the port cockpit locker for cooking al fresco too! The optional pivoting table can also be fitted above or below deck and a range of further options such as a fridge can be easily added.Price quoted is Ex VAT/Ex-yard including North cruising sails. Exchange rate as at 9.10.2026