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

First 29 (Deep draft) vs First 29 (Keel and centerboard) vs First 29 (Shoal draft)

Main featuresFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Model
First 29
First 29
First 29
Version
Deep draft
Keel and centerboard
Shoal draft
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 fiberglass polyester
GRP (glass reinforced polyester):
- Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester
- Deck: Sandwich fiberglass polyester
GRP (glass reinforced polyester):
- Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester
- Deck: Sandwich fiberglass polyester
Number of hulls built
520
520
520
First built hull
1983
1983
1983
Last built hull
1989
1989
1989
Appendages
Keel : fin without bulb
Centerboard : pivoting centerboard in the keel
Keel : fin without bulb
Helm
Single tiller
Single tiller
Single tiller
Rudder
Single spade rudder
Single spade rudder
Single spade rudder
Unsinkable
No
No
No
Trailerable
No
No
No
Former French navigation category
2
2
2
 
Main dimensionsFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Overall length
29’ 6”9 m
29’ 6”9 m
29’ 6”9 m
Hull length
28’ 6”8.7 m
28’ 6”8.7 m
28’ 6”8.7 m
Waterline length
24’ 7”7.5 m
24’ 7”7.5 m
24’ 7”7.5 m
Beam (width)
9’ 11”3.02 m
9’ 11”3.02 m
9’ 11”3.02 m
Draft
5’ 6”1.68 m
6’ 7”2 m
4’ 5”1.35 m
Draft when appendages up
2’ 5”0.72 m
Light displacement (MLC)
6614 lb3000 kg
6614 lb3000 kg
6614 lb3000 kg
Ballast weight
2205 lb1000 kg
2205 lb1000 kg
2205 lb1000 kg
Ballast type
Cast iron
Cast iron exterior ballast with steel centerboard
Cast iron
French customs tonnage
7.40 Tx
7.40 Tx
7.40 Tx
 
Rig and sailsFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Upwind sail area
501 ft²46.5 m²
501 ft²46.5 m²
501 ft²46.5 m²
Downwind sail area
893 ft²83 m²
893 ft²83 m²
893 ft²83 m²
Mainsail area
183 ft²17 m²
183 ft²17 m²
183 ft²17 m²
Genoa area
318 ft²29.5 m²
318 ft²29.5 m²
318 ft²29.5 m²
Solent area
251 ft²23.3 m²
251 ft²23.3 m²
251 ft²23.3 m²
Jib area
167 ft²15.5 m²
167 ft²15.5 m²
167 ft²15.5 m²
Stormjib area
46 ft²4.3 m²
46 ft²4.3 m²
46 ft²4.3 m²
Symmetric spinnaker area
710 ft²66 m²
710 ft²66 m²
710 ft²66 m²
I
 iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment)
34’ 5”10.5 m
34’ 5”10.5 m
34’ 5”10.5 m
J
 iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay)
11’ 10”3.6 m
11’ 10”3.6 m
11’ 10”3.6 m
P
 iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head)
29’ 11”9.12 m
29’ 11”9.12 m
29’ 11”9.12 m
E
 iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew)
10’ 10”3.28 m
10’ 10”3.28 m
10’ 10”3.28 m
Rigging type
Sloop Marconi masthead
Sloop Marconi masthead
Sloop Marconi masthead
Mast configuration
Keel stepped mast
Keel stepped mast
Keel stepped mast
Rotating spars
No
No
No
Number of levels of spreaders
1
1
1
Spreaders angle
0 °
0 °
0 °
Spars construction
Aluminum spars
Aluminum spars
Aluminum spars
Standing rigging
1x19 strand wire continuous
1x19 strand wire continuous
1x19 strand wire continuous
 
PerformancesFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 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.
16.0
16.0
16.0
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.
241 ft²/T22.35 m²/T
241 ft²/T22.35 m²/T
241 ft²/T22.35 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.
429 ft²/T39.9 m²/T
429 ft²/T39.9 m²/T
429 ft²/T39.9 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.
201
201
201
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 %
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.
6.65 knots
6.65 knots
6.65 knots
 
Auxiliary engineFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Engine(s)
1 inboard engine
1 inboard engine
1 inboard engine
Engine(s) power
9 HP
9 HP
9 HP
Fuel type
Diesel
Diesel
Diesel
Fuel tank capacity
6.6 gal25 liters
6.6 gal25 liters
6.6 gal25 liters
 
Accommodations and layoutFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
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
23.8 gal90 liters
23.8 gal90 liters
23.8 gal90 liters
Fridge/ice-box capacity
15.9 gal60 liters
15.9 gal60 liters
15.9 gal60 liters
Maximum headroom
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
6’ 1”1.85 m
Head headroom
5’ 6”1.67 m
5’ 6”1.67 m
5’ 6”1.67 m
 
SaloonFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Maximum headroom
5’ 8”1.74 m
5’ 8”1.74 m
5’ 8”1.74 m
Saloon table length
3’ 5”1.05 m
3’ 5”1.05 m
3’ 5”1.05 m
Saloon table width (min./max.)
2’ 8”0.83 m / 3’ 8”1.12 m
2’ 8”0.83 m / 3’ 8”1.12 m
2’ 8”0.83 m / 3’ 8”1.12 m
 
Fore cabinFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Maximum headroom
4’ 11”1.5 m
4’ 11”1.5 m
4’ 11”1.5 m
Berth length
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
Berth width
4’ 11”1.48 m
4’ 11”1.48 m
4’ 11”1.48 m
 
Aft cabinFirst 29 Deep draftFirst 29 Keel and centerboardFirst 29 Shoal draft
Maximum headroom
5’ 7”1.7 m
5’ 7”1.7 m
5’ 7”1.7 m
Berth length
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
6’ 7”2 m
Berth width (head/feet)
5’ 1”1.55 m / 2’ 5”0.72 m
5’ 1”1.55 m / 2’ 5”0.72 m
5’ 1”1.55 m / 2’ 5”0.72 m
 
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