Detailed sailboat specifications and datasheets since 2015
MetricSI (m)
Imperial & Metricboth
ImperialIMP (ft)

First 40 (Deep draft) vs First 40 (Shoal draft) vs First 40 (Lead keel)

Main featuresFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Model
First 40
First 40
First 40
Version
Deep draft
Shoal draft
Lead keel
Hull type
Monohull
Monohull
Monohull
Category
Cruiser-racer sailboat
Cruiser-racer sailboat
Cruiser-racer sailboat
Sailboat builder
Bénéteau
Bénéteau
Bénéteau
Sailboat designer
Sailboat range
Country
France
France
France
Construction
GRP (glass reinforced polyester):
- Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester
- Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester
GRP (glass reinforced polyester):
- Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester
- Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester
GRP (glass reinforced polyester):
- Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester
- Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester
First built hull
2008
2008
2008
Last built hull
2016
2016
2016
Appendages
Keel : L-shaped keel (with bulb)
Keel : L-shaped keel (with bulb)
Keel : fin without bulb
Helm
Single helm wheel
Single helm wheel
Single helm wheel
Rudder
Single spade rudder
Single spade rudder
Single spade rudder
Unsinkable
No
No
No
Trailerable
No
No
No
EC design category
 iThe CE design category indicates the ability to cope with certain weather conditions (the sailboat is designed for these conditions)

A: Wind < force 9, Waves < 10m
B: Wind < force 8, Waves < 8m
C: Wind < force 6, Waves < 4m
D: Wind < force 4, Waves < 0,5m
A
A
A
 
Main dimensionsFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Overall length
41’ 4”12.58 m
41’ 4”12.58 m
41’ 4”12.58 m
Hull length
40’ 2”12.24 m
40’ 2”12.24 m
40’ 2”12.24 m
Waterline length
35’10.67 m
35’10.67 m
35’10.67 m
Beam (width)
12’ 10”3.89 m
12’ 10”3.89 m
12’ 10”3.89 m
Draft
8’2.45 m
6’ 5”1.95 m
8’2.45 m
Mast height from DWL
63’ 4”19.3 m
63’ 4”19.3 m
63’ 4”19.3 m
Light displacement (MLC)
17417 lb7900 kg
18331 lb8315 kg
17417 lb7900 kg
Ballast weight
6449 lb2925 kg
7363 lb3340 kg
6449 lb2925 kg
Ballast type
Cast iron
Cast iron
Lead
French customs tonnage
15.54 Tx
15.54 Tx
15.54 Tx
 
Rig and sailsFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Upwind sail area
974 ft²90.5 m²
974 ft²90.5 m²
974 ft²90.5 m²
Downwind sail area
2120 ft²197 m²
2120 ft²197 m²
2120 ft²197 m²
Mainsail area
538 ft²50 m²
538 ft²50 m²
538 ft²50 m²
Genoa area
436 ft²40.5 m²
436 ft²40.5 m²
436 ft²40.5 m²
Symmetric spinnaker area
1421 ft²132 m²
1421 ft²132 m²
1421 ft²132 m²
Asymmetric spinnaker area
1582 ft²147 m²
1582 ft²147 m²
1582 ft²147 m²
I
 iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment)
54’ 1”16.5 m
54’ 1”16.5 m
54’ 1”16.5 m
J
 iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay)
15’ 1”4.6 m
15’ 1”4.6 m
15’ 1”4.6 m
P
 iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head)
52’ 11”16.11 m
52’ 11”16.11 m
52’ 11”16.11 m
E
 iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew)
18’ 2”5.54 m
18’ 2”5.54 m
18’ 2”5.54 m
Rigging type
Sloop Marconi fractional
Sloop Marconi fractional
Sloop Marconi fractional
Mast configuration
Keel stepped mast
Keel stepped mast
Keel stepped mast
Rotating spars
No
No
No
Number of levels of spreaders
3
3
3
Spreaders angle
Swept-back
Swept-back
Swept-back
Spars construction
Aluminum spars (carbon fiber spars as an option)
Aluminum spars (carbon fiber spars as an option)
Aluminum spars (carbon fiber spars as an option)
Standing rigging
Dyform
Dyform
Dyform
 
PerformancesFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Upwind sail area to displacement
 iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.

The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size.

Upwind: under 18 the ratio indicates a cruise oriented sailboat with limited performances especially in light wind, while over 25 it indicates a fast sailboat.
246 ft²/T22.82 m²/T
237 ft²/T22.05 m²/T
246 ft²/T22.82 m²/T
Downwind sail area to displacement
 iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.

The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size.
535 ft²/T49.66 m²/T
517 ft²/T48 m²/T
535 ft²/T49.66 m²/T
Displacement-length ratio (DLR)
 iThe Displacement Length Ratio (DLR) is a figure that points out the boat's weight compared to its waterline length. The DLR is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement in tons by the cube of one one-hundredth of the waterline length (in feet).
The DLR can be used to compare the relative mass of different sailboats no matter what their length:

a DLR less than 180 is indicative of a really light sailboat (race boat made for planning), while a DLR greater than 300 is indicative of a heavy cruising sailboat.
184
194
184
Ballast ratio
 iThe Ballast ratio is an indicator of stability; it is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement by the mass of the ballast. Since the stability depends also of the hull shapes and the position of the center of gravity, only the boats with similar ballast arrangements and hull shapes should be compared.

The higher the ballast ratio is, the greater is the stability.
37 %
40 %
37 %
Critical hull speed
 iAs a ship moves in the water, it creates standing waves that oppose its movement. This effect increases dramatically the resistance when the boat reaches a speed-length ratio (speed-length ratio is the ratio between the speed in knots and the square root of the waterline length in feet) of about 1.2 (corresponding to a Froude Number of 0.35) . This very sharp rise in resistance, between speed-length ratio of 1.2 to 1.5, is insurmountable for heavy sailboats and so becomes an apparent barrier. This leads to the concept of "hull speed".
The hull speed is obtained by multiplying the square root of the waterline length (in feet) by 1.34.
7.93 knots
7.93 knots
7.93 knots
 
Auxiliary engineFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Engine(s)
1 inboard engine
1 inboard engine
1 inboard engine
Engine(s) power
40 HP
40 HP
40 HP
Fuel type
Diesel
Diesel
Diesel
Fuel tank capacity
36.5 gal138 liters
36.5 gal138 liters
36.5 gal138 liters
 
Accommodations and layoutFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Cabin(s)
3
3
3
Berth(s) (min./max.)
6 / 8
6 / 8
6 / 8
Head(s)
1
1
1
Freshwater tank capacity
52.8 gal200 liters
52.8 gal200 liters
52.8 gal200 liters
Holding tank capacity
21.1 gal80 liters
21.1 gal80 liters
21.1 gal80 liters
Fridge/ice-box capacity
26.4 gal100 liters
26.4 gal100 liters
26.4 gal100 liters
Boiler capacity
6.6 gal25 liters
6.6 gal25 liters
6.6 gal25 liters
Head headroom
6’ 1”1.86 m
6’ 1”1.86 m
6’ 1”1.86 m
 
SaloonFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Maximum headroom
6’ 1”1.87 m
6’ 1”1.87 m
6’ 1”1.87 m
 
Fore cabinFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Maximum headroom
6’1.84 m
6’1.84 m
6’1.84 m
Berth length
6’ 8”2.05 m
6’ 8”2.05 m
6’ 8”2.05 m
Berth width
5’ 2”1.6 m
5’ 2”1.6 m
5’ 2”1.6 m
 
Aft cabinFirst 40 Deep draftFirst 40 Shoal draftFirst 40 Lead keel
Maximum headroom
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
Berth length
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
Berth width
4’ 11”1.5 m
4’ 11”1.5 m
4’ 11”1.5 m
 
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