First and First SE: Beneteau introduces new members of seventh generation of First

by Beneteau 16 Jan 2021 16:26 GMT

Beneteau First © Beneteau

On an ongoing mission to share its passion for sailing, Beneteau together with Seascape presents three new members of the seventh generation of First. First 24 and 27 are exciting sports cruisers, while First 14 is an innovative dinghy that brings fun and exciting sailing to everyone.

In addition, a new product line of First SE — Seascape Edition, consisting of four models: 14SE, 18SE, 24SE and 27SE, was created. First SE is building on the legacy of Seascape boats and has the mission to bring modern one-design racing and adventure sailing in every sailor's hands.

Introduction

Back in the eighties, Beneteau brought the second generation of Firsts to life and with it a wide range of sailing experiences to every kind of sailors. First range of cruiser racers answered the needs of those looking to escape to the sea for family holidays or go racing with friends over the weekend. First Class one-design racers offered racing on a level playing field. And on top of that, Beneteau Wizz, an innovative dinghy designed by studio Finot, opened the door to sailing for everyone.

40 years later Beneteau and Seascape's joined forces to reinvent First for the new sailing era defined by accelerated innovation and progress. Focusing on the sailor and the sailing experience, Beneteau and Seascape created two distinct lines, First and First SE - Seascape Edition, to answer the needs of two distinct kinds of sailors.

First, an iconic brand with 40 years of heritage

The signature features of the First range have not changed since its conception in 1977. First models have always been designed for sailors who enjoy club racing as much as cruising, bringing in one single product line the best of both worlds. In 2021 Beneteau is launching the new First 14, 24 and 27.

New Firsts are drawing power from the same exhilarating hulls designed by talented Samuel Manuard as their SE cousins while offering simpler systems, aluminium masts, more comfortable interiors and cockpits geared towards daysailing and coastal cruising. Adapting to the different needs and expectations of a wide variety of users has always been a staple of the Beneteau brand.

First 14 - photo © Beneteau

First 14: a double-handed dinghy for everyone

First 14 building on the legendary Beneteau Wizz legacy introduces the modern world of fast and planing dinghies to novice sailors, but not on account of safety nor control of the boat. She is a light, fast and exciting dinghy designed with the sailor in mind. The promise of an accessible, easy-to-handle and, foremost, fun sailboat is fulfilled with the design, building technology and quality materials that also simplify maintenance.

She features furling and the self-tacking jib together with twin slot for the daggerboard allowing on-water transition from single-handed to double-handed mode. Safety and comfort are provided by wide and stable hull, spacious open-space cockpit free of tangled ropes. With easy-to-maintain deck equipment, aluminium rig and Dacron sails she brings hassle-free ownership. Integrated removable wheels and very light hull provide you with extra freedom, especially when you take her to new unexplored shores.

First 24 - photo © Beneteau

First 24: the perfect family daysailer

A smart pocket cruiser, fun day-sailor or an exciting club racer all-in-one, she is keeping the First promise of modern performance sailing. She can easily sleep up to four persons but at the same time still delivers fun, planning sailing experience. A completely retractable keel gives you access to cruising spots you missed so far and a possibility to launch and recover your 24 on an ordinary slipway, opening new opportunities.

First 24 - photo © Beneteau

Light and stable hull together with the aluminium rig, classic backstay and Dacron sails make it an ideal weekender and holiday cruiser. The open-space interior is based on huge sleeping surfaces and offers innovative solutions for the toilette, storage, and living space transformation. Winch operated deep composite/lead retractable keel, and removable rudder blades give you access to as little as 30cm of water while keeping the boat fast and stable while sailing.

First 27 - photo © Beneteau

First 27: an eight-meter cruiser for the new era

She is the fastest and safest cruiser of her size. First 27 delivers fun and modern planing sailing thanks to modern design and building technologies. Families and couples will love taking her cruising, she will transform a light or strong wind day into a great sailing experience, and she will win trophies on the club races.

First 27 - photo © Beneteau

Being true to her pocket Yacht description, the 27 offers inboard Yanmar engine, — separated Marine toilet, galley, fridge and up to six berths. Coachroof and hull windows together with big deck hatches bring a generous amount of light into the saloon while cockpit benches and removable table make living outdoors comfortable.

Aluminium rig with classic backstay and dacron sails simplify life with the 27. On the other hand, her striking performance ts ballanced by number of safety features, including the deep, 1.7-meter lead fixed keel, twin rudders, and insubmersibility volumes.

First SE - Seascape edition: high-tech performance for everybody

First SE - Seascape Edition is building on Seascape heritage encourages and empowers sailors to expand their comfort zone. It brings high-tech, performance, event and community know-how from the cutting edge of racing into the amateur sailors' hands.

First 14 SE - photo © Beneteau

First 14 SE: pure sailing excitement

First 14 SE - Seascape Edition will answer more demanding dinghy sailors who want to push themselves further with an extra layer of performance and high-tech. She delivers the excitement, speed and fun of high-performance racing skiffs in a modern, accessible, safe and easy-to-handle package. The build quality and the high-tech materials allow you to push the boat in stronger winds, while additional sail area empowers the sailor in light wind conditions. The mast, boom and bowsprit are made of carbon fibre while upwind sails are built from the laminate cloth. With smart removable wheels and easy transport on the car-roof, she is the perfect answer to an active lifestyle.

First 18 SE - photo © Beneteau

First 18 SE: the enabler of growth

The 18 SE is a sailboat for people who want to start exploring sailing and grow into well-versed sailors weather in one design club racing or adventure sailing. With half a thousand of First 18 SE - Seascape Edition sold worldwide, she is a perfect sport boat for recreational sailors who would like to challenge themselves in well-established one-design class.

First 18 SE - photo © Beneteau

Her wide flat hull and twin rudders cannot hide the offshore DNA which offers complete control even when planing at double-digit speeds. Boat handling and deck organisation are simplified as much as possible with a snuffer system, furling jib and carbon mast without backstays. It has a small, but still large enough cabin to accommodate two adults. A large open cockpit small, and a small cabin with big double berth makes it an ideal sea camping platform. Fully retractable swinging keel and removable rudder blades will give you access to the shallowest bays. Being easily trailable and dismantled, she would fulfil racing ambitions in international one-design class as well as adventurous sea-camping.

First 24 SE - photo © Beneteau

First 24 SE: light, fast, simple and versatile

From expanding your comfort zone in solo adventure racing to taking your family on adventure holidays, the First 24 SE - Seascape Edition covers it all. She is a modern high-tech sport cruiser, delivering thrilling performance and an exciting sailing experience. Her carbon rig not only reduces the weight aloft but also removes the need for a backstay. This significantly simplifies manoeuvres and allows the boat to carry a sizeable square-top mainsail. This results in a combination of very high sail area / displacement ratio which allows sailors to have fun in lightest wind.

First 24 SE - photo © Beneteau

Being trailerable and slip-launchable together with the smart system to raise the mast even single-handed allows 24SE to change sailing regions with great ease. An important feature that enables its main strength - the calendar of one-design events ranging from fully crewed windward-leeward to single-handed adventure races and the community of owners, gathered around them.

After the race, she will welcome you with a basic but smart interior, offering all cruising amenities for four persons. No matter the mode, she is a pure sailing sensation.

First 27 SE: no limits

First 27 SE brings high-tech performance, events and community know-how from the cutting edge of offshore racing into the hands of recreational sailors. She delivers extraordinary sailing experience up to today reserved for professional racers.

First 27 SE - photo © Beneteau

The Samuel Manuard designed all-weather, vacuum infused one-design offshore racer and adventure cruiser is built entirely in sandwich construction. That helped make her the only offshore one-design class sailboat than can be towed on the road without special permissions and allowed over 160 owners to gather on long-distance races around Europe and USA. Picking up some trophies like doublehanded Chicago-Mackinac and Silverrudder victories on the way.

Sailors can challenge themselves on one-design long-distance races or enjoy fast adventure cruises in the best sailing spots. Marine toilet, up to six berths with separated front cabin, optional galley and a fridge combined with other practicalities make her an ultimate adventure cruiser for sailing connoisseurs.