2023 Beneteau

FIRST 36

36' / 10.97m

DESCRIPTION OF THE BOAT

Whether racing or cruising, the First 36 offers comfort, performance, utility, elegance, and build quality at a reasonable price.

NAVAL ARCHITECT: Samuel Manuard

INTERIOR DESIGN: Lorenzo Argento

Structural engineering: Pure Design & Engineering

Innovation and research: Gigodesign

Nominated for the European YACHT of the Year for the PERFORMANCE Category

DESIGNED FOR SAILORS

The design team is coordinated by the experienced hand of Kristian Hajnšek, CTO of Seascape, who works closely with the team at BENETEAU to bring race-grade construction technologies into the segment of production racer-cruisers. On top of this hugely experienced team, we added an elite international group of designers; all of them are passionate sailors in their own right.

The Modern Sailing Experience

Due to the easily achievable performance potential of the new BENETEAU First 36, we expect her to be a serious contender for club handicap racing. Therefore, during the design process, the team studied numerous possibilities in seeking a balance between an easily planing hull and upwind performance.

The Racing Experience

The First 36 is optimized for short-handed sailing, making her perfect for the ever-more-popular short-handed adventure distance races. Her very high sail area/displacement ratio and balanced nautical design make her a top performer as a club racer, a safe and fun family cruiser, or simply a thrilling daysailer.

Sail Functionality

The positioning of the six winches, steering wheels, and other deck gear was thoroughly tested on several mock-ups and a full-scale testbed sailboat to enable the sailing experience promised on the previous page. Details like an offshore hatch on the foredeck or removable cockpit benches show the priority of sailing functionality over style used throughout the design process.

RACING LAYOUT

In the racing layout, the wide and modern cockpit allows for different helm and trim positions, either for short-handed or fully-crewed sailing. In this setup, the table and bench extensions are removed, opening the working area in the cockpit.

A higher-than-average steering wheel position leaves enough room for the helmsman to move forward towards the mainsail winch when sailing shorthanded. The cockpit winches' positioning allows one or two crew members to sail with legs in and work the mainsail or primary winches in full crew mode. It also allows cross-sheeting of all sheets to the windward side. Harken, Ronstan, Spinlock, and Antal deck gear were combined for performance.

CRUISING LAYOUT

When you remove your racing gear and take your family cruising or daysailing, the cockpit benches with cushions increase the seating area and additional storage space and line organization. The cockpit table is big enough to accommodate a crew of six. Additionally, the design team developed an ultralight bathing platform to give sailors easy access to the water without affecting the boat's performance.

LARGEST LIVING SPACE IN ITS CLASS

The wide hull of the BENETEAU First 36 offers a spacious interior comparable to much larger predecessors. The new First 36 has about the same living volume as the legendary First 40.7.

Simple, comfortable, and versatile, the First 36 interior was developed around three-cabin cruising functionality. Its most notable feature is the large central fridge (with a removable cutting board), making this sailboat's galley the largest of her class. A corridor created together with the foldable and removable table helps sailors move around the saloon safely and offers stacking possibilities.

The 36 features a full-sized navigation table. While vital to navigation, it is also a suitable home office. Two portlights in every cabin allow airflow and natural light, while sectional indirect lighting with a red racing option illuminates the boat at night. Three cabins with easily accessible full-sized double berths and innovative heads round up the features of this bright and spacious interior.

FIRST SERIES: FIRST 14 -  FIRST 14SE -  FIRST 18SE -  FIRST 24 -  FIRST 24SE -  FIRST 27 -  FIRST 27SE -  FIRST 36 -  FIRST 44 - FIRST 44 PERFORMANCE -  FIRST YACHT 53

LOA	36' (11 meters)
Type	sail
Year	2023
Beam	12'
LWL	35'
Draft Max	7'
Fuel Type	Diesel
Hull Material	Fiberglass