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

First 18 (Fin keel) vs First 18 (Swing keel)

Main featuresFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
Model
First 18
First 18
Version
Fin keel
Swing keel
Hull type
Monohull
Monohull
Category
Coastal cruiser-racer sailboat
Coastal cruiser-racer sailboat
Sailboat builder
Bénéteau
Bénéteau
Sailboat designer
Sailboat range
Sailboat collection
Country
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
Number of hulls built
1065
1065
First built hull
1978
1978
Last built hull
1982
1982
Appendages
Keel : fin without bulb
Lifting keel : swing keel
Helm
Single tiller
Single tiller
Rudder
Single transom hung rudder
Single transom hung rudder
Unsinkable
No
No
Trailerable
Yes
Yes
Former French navigation category
4
4
 
Main dimensionsFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
Overall length
19’ 5”5.9 m
19’ 5”5.9 m
Hull length
18’5.5 m
18’5.5 m
Waterline length
16’ 7”5.05 m
16’ 7”5.05 m
Beam (width)
7’ 11”2.4 m
7’ 11”2.4 m
Waterline beam (width)
6’ 5”1.94 m
6’ 5”1.94 m
Draft
2’ 7”0.78 m
3’ 7”1.1 m
Draft when appendages up
1’ 10”0.55 m
Fore freeboard
2’ 7”0.79 m
2’ 7”0.79 m
Mid-ship freeboard
2’ 4”0.69 m
2’ 4”0.69 m
Light displacement (MLC)
1323 lb600 kg
1323 lb600 kg
Maximum displacement (MLDC)
2293 lb1040 kg
2293 lb1040 kg
Ballast weight
397 lb180 kg
397 lb180 kg
Ballast type
Cast iron
Cast iron
French customs tonnage
2.68 Tx
2.68 Tx
 
Rig and sailsFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
Upwind sail area
189 ft²17.55 m²
189 ft²17.55 m²
Downwind sail area
307 ft²28.5 m²
307 ft²28.5 m²
Mainsail area
108 ft²10 m²
108 ft²10 m²
Genoa area
81 ft²7.55 m²
81 ft²7.55 m²
Jib area
54 ft²5 m²
54 ft²5 m²
Stormjib area
22 ft²2 m²
22 ft²2 m²
Symmetric spinnaker area
199 ft²18.5 m²
199 ft²18.5 m²
I
 iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment)
22’ 7”6.9 m
22’ 7”6.9 m
J
 iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay)
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
P
 iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head)
22’ 6”6.85 m
22’ 6”6.85 m
E
 iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew)
8’ 6”2.6 m
8’ 6”2.6 m
Rigging type
Sloop Marconi 7/8
Sloop Marconi 7/8
Mast configuration
Deck stepped mast
Deck stepped mast
Rotating spars
No
No
Number of levels of spreaders
1
1
Spreaders angle
Swept-back
Swept-back
Spars construction
Aluminum spars
Aluminum spars
Standing rigging
Continuous
Continuous
 
PerformancesFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
HN (French rating)
 iHN or "Handicap Nationale" is an empirical rating system used in France allowing various monohulls, of different sizes and designs, to race each other fairly. It is particularly suitable for cruiser and cruiser-racer. Therefore, by comparing these values, we can have an indication of the relative speed of 2 boats.
3.0
3.0
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.
266 ft²/T24.67 m²/T
266 ft²/T24.67 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.
431 ft²/T40.06 m²/T
431 ft²/T40.06 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.
132
132
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.
30 %
30 %
Wetted area
108 ft²9.99 m²
108 ft²9.99 m²
Maximum transverse section
4 ft²0.37 m²
4 ft²0.37 m²
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.
5.45 knots
5.45 knots
 
Auxiliary engineFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
Engine(s)
1 outboard engine
1 outboard engine
 
Accommodations and layoutFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
Cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Maximum headroom
4’ 5”1.35 m
4’ 5”1.35 m
 
SaloonFirst 18 Fin keelFirst 18 Swing keel
Berth length
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
Berth width
1’ 10”0.55 m
1’ 10”0.55 m
 
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