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

First 18 Swing keel

Sailboat specifications

The First 18 is a 18’ (5.5m) cruiser-racer sailboat designed by Groupe Finot (France). She was built between 1978 and 1982 by Bénéteau (France) with 1065 hulls completed. The Swing keel version features an appendage configuration without compromise between draft and performance. The only drawbacks are the space is taken inside and the effort needed to lift the keel....

The First 18 is as well listed, on Boat-Specs.com, in Fin keel version (see all the versions compared).

First 18's main features

Model
First 18
Version
Swing keel
Hull type
Monohull
Category
Coastal cruiser-racer sailboat
Sailboat builder
Sailboat designer
Sailboat range
Sailboat collection
Country
France
Construction
GRP (glass reinforced polyester):
- Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester
- Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester
Number of hulls built
1065
First built hull
1978
Last built hull
1982
Appendages
Lifting keel : swing keel
Helm
Single tiller
Rudder
Single transom hung rudder
Unsinkable
No
Trailerable
Yes
Former French navigation category
4
Standard public price ex. VAT (indicative only)
N/A

First 18's main dimensions

Overall length
19’ 5”5.9 m
Hull length
18’5.5 m
Waterline length
16’ 7”5.05 m
Beam (width)
7’ 11”2.4 m
Waterline beam (width)
6’ 5”1.94 m
Draft
3’ 7”1.1 m
Draft when appendages up
1’ 10”0.55 m
Fore freeboard
2’ 7”0.79 m
Mid-ship freeboard
2’ 4”0.69 m
Light displacement (MLC)
1323 lb600 kg
Maximum displacement (MLDC)
2293 lb1040 kg
Ballast weight
397 lb180 kg
Ballast type
Cast iron
French customs tonnage
2.68 Tx

First 18's rig and sails

Upwind sail area
189 ft²17.55 m²
Downwind sail area
307 ft²28.5 m²
Mainsail area
108 ft²10 m²
Genoa area
81 ft²7.55 m²
Jib area
54 ft²5 m²
Stormjib area
22 ft²2 m²
Symmetric spinnaker area
199 ft²18.5 m²
I
 iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment)
22’ 7”6.9 m
J
 iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay)
6’ 7”2 m
P
 iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head)
22’ 6”6.85 m
E
 iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew)
8’ 6”2.6 m
Rigging type
Sloop Marconi 7/8
Mast configuration
Deck stepped mast
Rotating spars
No
Number of levels of spreaders
1
Spreaders angle
Swept-back
Spars construction
Aluminum spars
Standing rigging
Continuous

First 18's performances

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
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
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
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
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 %
Wetted area
108 ft²9.99 m²
Maximum transverse section
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

First 18's auxiliary engine

Engine(s)
1 outboard engine

First 18's accommodations and layout

Cockpit
Closed aft cockpit
Maximum headroom
4’ 5”1.35 m

First 18's saloon

Berth length
6’ 1”1.85 m
Berth width
1’ 10”0.55 m
Have you spotted incorrect data?  You can report it in the forum or contact the webmaster

Similar sailboats that may interest you:


Sailboats
First built hull
Hull length
First 24 (Bénéteau)
1982
24’ 7”7.5 m
First 18 Fin keel (Bénéteau)
1978
18’5.5 m
First 20 (Bénéteau)
2013
20’ 6”6.25 m
First 25 - 2013 Swing keel (Bénéteau)
2013
24’ 7”7.5 m
Albin 57 (Albin Marine)
1977
18’ 10”5.74 m
Catalina 22 MkII Swing keel (Catalina Yachts)
1995
21’ 6”6.55 m
First 235 Swing keel (Bénéteau)
1986
21’ 7”6.57 m
Sunbeam 22.1 (Sunbeam Yachts)
2016
22’6.7 m
Sun Fast 20 (Jeanneau)
1993
20’6.1 m
Neptune 625 (SMAP Neptune)
1977
20’ 6”6.25 m
First 260 Spirit Swing keel (Bénéteau)
1994
24’ 7”7.49 m
First 25 Swing keel (Bénéteau)
1979
24’ 10”7.55 m
First 26 Swing keel (Bénéteau)
1984
25’ 5”7.75 m
First 21.7 Swing keel (Bénéteau)
2004
20’ 6”6.25 m
First 22 Swing keel (Bénéteau)
1978
21’ 7”6.58 m
Boat-Specs.com uses cookies to improve user experience. By using our website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.

Read more