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

First 305 (Deep draft) vs First 305 (Shoal draft)

Main featuresFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Model
First 305
First 305
Version
Deep draft
Shoal draft
Hull type
Monohull
Monohull
Category
Cruiser-racer sailboat
Cruiser-racer sailboat
Sailboat builder
Bénéteau
Bénéteau
Sailboat designer
Sailboat range
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
644
644
First built hull
1984
1984
Last built hull
1989
1989
Appendages
Keel : fin without bulb
Keel : fin without bulb
Helm
Single tiller
Single tiller
Rudder
Single spade rudder
Single spade rudder
Unsinkable
No
No
Trailerable
No
No
Former French navigation category
2
2
 
Main dimensionsFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Overall length
32’ 2”9.8 m
32’ 2”9.8 m
Hull length
30’ 8”9.35 m
30’ 8”9.35 m
Waterline length
26’ 2”8 m
26’ 2”8 m
Beam (width)
10’ 8”3.25 m
10’ 8”3.25 m
Waterline beam (width)
8’ 8”2.64 m
8’ 8”2.64 m
Draft
5’ 8”1.75 m
4’ 5”1.35 m
Mast height from DWL
41’ 8”12.7 m
41’ 8”12.7 m
Fore freeboard
3’ 10”1.15 m
3’ 10”1.15 m
Mid-ship freeboard
3’ 1”0.94 m
3’ 1”0.94 m
Light displacement (MLC)
7937 lb3600 kg
7937 lb3600 kg
Maximum displacement (MLDC)
9259 lb4200 kg
9259 lb4200 kg
Ballast weight
2976 lb1350 kg
2976 lb1350 kg
Ballast type
Cast iron
Cast iron
French customs tonnage
8.20 Tx
8.20 Tx
 
Rig and sailsFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Upwind sail area
527 ft²49 m²
527 ft²49 m²
Downwind sail area
958 ft²89 m²
958 ft²89 m²
Mainsail area
199 ft²18.5 m²
199 ft²18.5 m²
Genoa area
328 ft²30.5 m²
328 ft²30.5 m²
Solent area
264 ft²24.5 m²
264 ft²24.5 m²
Jib area
137 ft²12.75 m²
137 ft²12.75 m²
Stormjib area
62 ft²5.75 m²
62 ft²5.75 m²
Symmetric spinnaker area
759 ft²70.5 m²
759 ft²70.5 m²
I
 iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment)
39’ 4”11.99 m
39’ 4”11.99 m
J
 iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay)
11’ 5”3.47 m
11’ 5”3.47 m
P
 iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head)
33’ 7”10.24 m
33’ 7”10.24 m
E
 iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew)
11’ 1”3.37 m
11’ 1”3.37 m
Rigging type
Sloop Marconi masthead
Sloop Marconi masthead
Mast configuration
Deck stepped mast
Deck stepped mast
Rotating spars
No
No
Number of levels of spreaders
1
1
Spreaders angle
0 °
0 °
Spars construction
Aluminum spars
Aluminum spars
Standing rigging
1x19 strand wire continuous
1x19 strand wire continuous
 
PerformancesFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
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.
16.5
16.5
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.
225 ft²/T20.86 m²/T
225 ft²/T20.86 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.
408 ft²/T37.89 m²/T
408 ft²/T37.89 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.
199
199
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.
38 %
38 %
Wetted area
207 ft²19.2 m²
207 ft²19.2 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.
454 lb.ft63 kg.m
454 lb.ft63 kg.m
Maximum transverse section
12 ft²1.1 m²
12 ft²1.1 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.
6.87 knots
6.87 knots
 
Auxiliary engineFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Engine(s)
1 inboard engine
1 inboard engine
Engine(s) power (min./max.)
9 HP / 18 HP
9 HP / 18 HP
Fuel type
Diesel
Diesel
Fuel tank capacity
7.1 gal27 liters
7.1 gal27 liters
 
Accommodations and layoutFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Cabin(s)
2
2
Berth(s)
6
6
Head(s)
1
1
Freshwater tank capacity
26.4 gal100 liters
26.4 gal100 liters
Fridge/ice-box capacity
21.1 gal80 liters
21.1 gal80 liters
Maximum headroom
6’ 2”1.89 m
6’ 2”1.89 m
Galley headroom
5’ 10”1.77 m
5’ 10”1.77 m
Head headroom
5’ 7”1.71 m
5’ 7”1.71 m
 
SaloonFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Maximum headroom
5’ 10”1.78 m
5’ 10”1.78 m
Saloon table length
3’ 1”0.95 m
3’ 1”0.95 m
Saloon table width
2’ 8”0.81 m
2’ 8”0.81 m
Saloon width (min./max.)
4’ 4”1.32 m / 6’ 5”1.94 m
4’ 4”1.32 m / 6’ 5”1.94 m
Berth length
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
Berth width (head/elbows/knees/feet)
2’0.6 m / 2’0.6 m / 1’ 10”0.55 m / 1’ 7”0.5 m
2’0.6 m / 2’0.6 m / 1’ 10”0.55 m / 1’ 7”0.5 m
 
Fore cabinFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Maximum headroom
5’1.53 m
5’1.53 m
Berth length
6’ 8”2.03 m
6’ 8”2.03 m
Berth width (head/elbows/knees/feet)
4’ 5”1.35 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m / 2’ 2”0.68 m / 1’ 2”0.37 m
4’ 5”1.35 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m / 2’ 2”0.68 m / 1’ 2”0.37 m
 
Aft cabinFirst 305 Deep draftFirst 305 Shoal draft
Maximum headroom
5’ 7”1.71 m
5’ 7”1.71 m
Berth length
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
Berth width (head/elbows/knees/feet)
5’ 1”1.56 m / 4’ 10”1.47 m / 4’ 1”1.25 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m
5’ 1”1.56 m / 4’ 10”1.47 m / 4’ 1”1.25 m / 3’ 6”1.07 m
 
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