Detailed sailboat specifications and datasheets since 2015
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Imperial & Metricboth
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First 38s5 (Wing keel) vs First 38s5 (Deep draft) vs First 38s5 (Regatta)

Main featuresFirst 38s5 Wing keelFirst 38s5 Deep draftFirst 38s5 Regatta
Model
First 38s5
First 38s5
First 38s5
Version
Wing keel
Deep draft
Regatta
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
Number of hulls built
120
120
120
First built hull
1989
1989
1989
Last built hull
1995
1995
1995
Appendages
Keel : wing keel
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
Former French navigation category
1
1
1
 
Main dimensionsFirst 38s5 Wing keelFirst 38s5 Deep draftFirst 38s5 Regatta
Overall length
38’ 5”11.7 m
38’ 5”11.7 m
38’ 5”11.7 m
Hull length
37’ 8”11.5 m
37’ 8”11.5 m
37’ 8”11.5 m
Waterline length
30’ 2”9.2 m
30’ 2”9.2 m
30’ 2”9.2 m
Beam (width)
12’ 4”3.75 m
12’ 4”3.75 m
12’ 4”3.75 m
Waterline beam (width)
9’ 7”2.94 m
9’ 7”2.94 m
9’ 7”2.94 m
Draft
5’ 2”1.57 m
6’ 2”1.9 m
6’ 11”2.1 m
Mast height from DWL
52’ 6”16 m
52’ 6”16 m
52’ 6”16 m
Light displacement (MLC)
14551 lb6600 kg
14551 lb6600 kg
14551 lb6600 kg
Ballast weight
4850 lb2200 kg
4850 lb2200 kg
4850 lb2200 kg
Ballast type
Cast iron
Cast iron
Lead
 
Rig and sailsFirst 38s5 Wing keelFirst 38s5 Deep draftFirst 38s5 Regatta
Upwind sail area
866 ft²80.49 m²
866 ft²80.49 m²
866 ft²80.49 m²
Downwind sail area
1368 ft²127.12 m²
1368 ft²127.12 m²
1368 ft²127.12 m²
Mainsail area
416 ft²38.67 m²
416 ft²38.67 m²
416 ft²38.67 m²
Genoa area
450 ft²41.82 m²
450 ft²41.82 m²
450 ft²41.82 m²
Symmetric spinnaker area
952 ft²88.45 m²
952 ft²88.45 m²
952 ft²88.45 m²
I
 iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment)
47’ 1”14.37 m
47’ 1”14.37 m
47’ 1”14.37 m
J
 iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay)
12’ 10”3.9 m
12’ 10”3.9 m
12’ 10”3.9 m
P
 iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head)
47’ 11”14.6 m
47’ 11”14.6 m
47’ 11”14.6 m
E
 iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew)
15’ 5”4.7 m
15’ 5”4.7 m
15’ 5”4.7 m
Rigging type
Sloop Marconi 7/8
Sloop Marconi 7/8
Sloop Marconi 7/8
Mast configuration
Keel stepped mast
Keel stepped mast
Keel stepped mast
Rotating spars
No
No
No
Number of levels of spreaders
2
2
2
Spreaders angle
Swept-back
Swept-back
Swept-back
Spars construction
Aluminum spars
Aluminum spars
Aluminum spars
Standing rigging
1x19 strand wire discontinuous
1x19 strand wire discontinuous
1x19 strand wire discontinuous
 
PerformancesFirst 38s5 Wing keelFirst 38s5 Deep draftFirst 38s5 Regatta
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/T22.88 m²/T
246 ft²/T22.88 m²/T
246 ft²/T22.88 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.
389 ft²/T36.13 m²/T
389 ft²/T36.13 m²/T
389 ft²/T36.13 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.
240
240
240
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.
7.36 knots
7.36 knots
7.36 knots
 
Auxiliary engineFirst 38s5 Wing keelFirst 38s5 Deep draftFirst 38s5 Regatta
Engine(s)
Inboard engine
Inboard engine
Inboard engine
Engine(s) power (min./max.)
28 HP / 43 HP
28 HP / 43 HP
28 HP / 43 HP
Fuel type
Diesel
Diesel
Diesel
Fuel tank capacity
31.7 gal120 liters
31.7 gal120 liters
31.7 gal120 liters
 
Accommodations and layoutFirst 38s5 Wing keelFirst 38s5 Deep draftFirst 38s5 Regatta
Cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Cabin(s) (min./max.)
2 / 3
2 / 3
2 / 3
Berth(s) (min./max.)
4 / 8
4 / 8
4 / 8
Head(s) (min./max.)
1 / 2
1 / 2
1 / 2
Freshwater tank capacity
97.7 gal370 liters
97.7 gal370 liters
97.7 gal370 liters
Fridge/ice-box capacity
30.4 gal115 liters
30.4 gal115 liters
30.4 gal115 liters
Maximum headroom
6’ 2”1.9 m
6’ 2”1.9 m
6’ 2”1.9 m
 
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