| Main features | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Model | First 285 | First 285 | First 285 |
Version | Fin keel | Keel and centerboard | Wing 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): Single skin fiberglass polyester | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): Single skin fiberglass polyester | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): Single skin fiberglass polyester |
Number of hulls built | 451 | 451 | 451 |
First built hull | 1987 | 1987 | 1987 |
Last built hull | 1992 | 1992 | 1992 |
Appendages | Keel : fin with bulb | Centerboard : pivoting centerboard in the keel | Keel : wing keel |
Helm | Single tiller | Single tiller | Single tiller |
Rudder | Single spade rudder | Twin spade rudders | Single spade rudder |
Unsinkable | No | No | No |
Trailerable | No | No | No |
Former French navigation category | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| Main dimensions | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Overall length | 28’ 10”8.77 m | 28’ 10”8.77 m | 28’ 10”8.77 m |
Hull length | 27’ 2”8.3 m | 27’ 2”8.3 m | 27’ 2”8.3 m |
Waterline length | 24’ 4”7.4 m | 24’ 4”7.4 m | 24’ 4”7.4 m |
Beam (width) | 9’ 10”2.99 m | 9’ 10”2.99 m | 9’ 10”2.99 m |
Draft | 5’ 4”1.62 m | 2’ 2”0.66 m | 3’ 11”1.2 m |
Draft when appendages up | 6’ 5”1.94 m | ||
Mast height from DWL | 39’ 11”12.16 m | 39’ 11”12.16 m | 39’ 11”12.16 m |
Light displacement (MLC) | 5401 lb2450 kg | 5401 lb2450 kg | 5401 lb2450 kg |
Ballast weight | 1764 lb800 kg | 1764 lb800 kg | 1764 lb800 kg |
Ballast type | Cast iron | Cast iron exterior ballast with steel centerboard | Cast iron |
| Rig and sails | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Upwind sail area | 455 ft²42.28 m² | 455 ft²42.28 m² | 455 ft²42.28 m² |
Downwind sail area | 845 ft²78.5 m² | 845 ft²78.5 m² | 845 ft²78.5 m² |
Mainsail area | 199 ft²18.5 m² | 199 ft²18.5 m² | 199 ft²18.5 m² |
Genoa area | 256 ft²23.78 m² | 256 ft²23.78 m² | 256 ft²23.78 m² |
Jib area | 144 ft²13.4 m² | 144 ft²13.4 m² | 144 ft²13.4 m² |
Symmetric spinnaker area | 646 ft²60 m² | 646 ft²60 m² | 646 ft²60 m² |
I iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment) | 32’ 6”9.91 m | 32’ 6”9.91 m | 32’ 6”9.91 m |
J iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay) | 10’ 4”3.14 m | 10’ 4”3.14 m | 10’ 4”3.14 m |
P iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head) | 31’ 2”9.52 m | 31’ 2”9.52 m | 31’ 2”9.52 m |
E iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew) | 11’ 1”3.38 m | 11’ 1”3.38 m | 11’ 1”3.38 m |
Rigging type | Sloop Marconi 9/10 | Sloop Marconi 9/10 | Sloop Marconi 9/10 |
Mast configuration | Deck stepped mast | Deck stepped mast | Deck stepped mast |
Rotating spars | No | No | No |
Number of levels of spreaders | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Spreaders angle | 5 ° | 5 ° | 5 ° |
Spars construction | Aluminum spars | Aluminum spars | Aluminum spars |
Standing rigging | 1x19 strand wire continuous | 1x19 strand wire continuous | 1x19 strand wire continuous |
| Performances | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing 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. | 15.0 | 15.0 | 15.0 |
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. | 250 ft²/T23.26 m²/T | 250 ft²/T23.26 m²/T | 250 ft²/T23.26 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. | 465 ft²/T43.19 m²/T | 465 ft²/T43.19 m²/T | 465 ft²/T43.19 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. | 171 | 171 | 171 |
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. | 33 % | 33 % | 33 % |
Wetted area | 177 ft²16.43 m² | 177 ft²16.43 m² | 177 ft²16.43 m² |
Righting moment @ 1° iThe righting moment is a moment (torque) that tends to restore a boat to its previous position after heeling. Its value corresponds to the torque needed to heel the boat for this angle.Higher the righting moment is for an angle, greater is the stability. | 294 lb.ft41 kg.m | 294 lb.ft41 kg.m | 294 lb.ft41 kg.m |
Maximum transverse section | 8 ft²0.77 m² | 8 ft²0.77 m² | 8 ft²0.77 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. | 6.60 knots | 6.60 knots | 6.60 knots |
| Auxiliary engine | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Engine(s) | 1 inboard engine | 1 inboard engine | 1 inboard engine |
Engine(s) power (min./max.) | 9 HP / 18 HP | 9 HP / 18 HP | 9 HP / 18 HP |
Fuel type | Diesel | Diesel | Diesel |
Fuel tank capacity | 7.1 gal27 liters | 7.1 gal27 liters | 7.1 gal27 liters |
| Accommodations and layout | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Cockpit | Closed aft cockpit | Closed aft cockpit | Closed aft cockpit |
Cabin(s) | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Berth(s) | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Head(s) | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Freshwater tank capacity | 26.4 gal100 liters | 26.4 gal100 liters | 26.4 gal100 liters |
Boiler capacity | 15.9 gal60 liters | 15.9 gal60 liters | 15.9 gal60 liters |
Maximum headroom | 6’ 4”1.91 m | 6’ 4”1.91 m | 6’ 4”1.91 m |
Galley headroom | 6’ 1”1.85 m | 6’ 1”1.85 m | 6’ 1”1.85 m |
Head headroom | 5’ 8”1.75 m | 5’ 8”1.75 m | 5’ 8”1.75 m |
| Saloon | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Maximum headroom | 6’ 1”1.85 m | 6’ 1”1.85 m | 6’ 1”1.85 m |
Saloon table length | 2’ 8”0.82 m | 2’ 8”0.82 m | 2’ 8”0.82 m |
Saloon table width (min./max.) | 2’ 10”0.85 m / 3’0.9 m | 2’ 10”0.85 m / 3’0.9 m | 2’ 10”0.85 m / 3’0.9 m |
Berth length | 5’ 2”1.59 m | 5’ 2”1.59 m | 5’ 2”1.59 m |
Berth width | 1’ 7”0.5 m | 1’ 7”0.5 m | 1’ 7”0.5 m |
| Fore cabin | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Maximum headroom | 5’ 5”1.66 m | 5’ 5”1.66 m | 5’ 5”1.66 m |
Berth length | 6’ 11”2.1 m | 6’ 11”2.1 m | 6’ 11”2.1 m |
Berth width | 5’ 5”1.65 m | 5’ 5”1.65 m | 5’ 5”1.65 m |
| Aft cabin | First 285 Fin keel | First 285 Keel and centerboard | First 285 Wing keel |
Maximum headroom | 5’ 10”1.78 m | 5’ 10”1.78 m | 5’ 10”1.78 m |
Berth length | 6’ 2”1.9 m | 6’ 2”1.9 m | 6’ 2”1.9 m |
Berth width (head/feet) | 4’ 7”1.4 m / 3’ 1”0.94 m | 4’ 7”1.4 m / 3’ 1”0.94 m | 4’ 7”1.4 m / 3’ 1”0.94 m |