BoatsBeneteau First 38s5

Beneteau First 38s5

Fractional Sloop · Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder · 1989–1994

A Philippe Starck-designed fractional sloop built for performance, also marketed to the charter trade as the Moorings 38

Designed by Jean Berret, Phillippe Starck & Berret-Racoupeau.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & Spade Rudder

See her sail

The Beneteau First 38s5, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Life is Like Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

2.03 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.03
LightHeavy

211 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 211
EasygoingPowered-up

18.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 18.1
TenderStiff

33% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 33%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

What the fleet has seen

The Beneteau First 38s5, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Beneteau First 38s5 is a 1989–1994 fractional sloop designed by Jean Berret, Phillippe Starck, and Berret-Racoupeau, featuring a fin with bulb and spade rudder hull. It has an LOA of 11.7 m, a beam of 3.8 m, a draft of 2.0 m, and a displacement of 6586 kg.0:51 A shoal draft option was available, and similar versions were sold to the charter trade as the Moorings 38. Aboard *Life is Like Sailing*, a 1992 Beneteau First 38s5 serves as a full-time liveaboard residence, a transition from previous O'day 20 and O'day 27 weekend boats.1:50 The owner praises the simplicity of living aboard and the ability to depart without packing, while noting ongoing maintenance and manual tasks like filling water tanks in inclement weather as challenges.3:07 This owner plans to use the boat for local cruising in the Gulf Islands rather than racing, despite the First series' performance design.0:45

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen once across one channel of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
33.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
18.1
Displacement / length
210.8
Comfort ratio
23.7
Capsize screening
2.03
Hull speed
7.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1380
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1989–1994
Designer
Jean Berret, Phillippe Starck, Berret-Racoupeau
Builder
Beneteau

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Bavaria Yachts 38 Cruiser (2008-2010)11.72 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA J&J-designed fractional sloop balancing a 1.97m draft with a spacious 3.9m beam for stable coastal cruising
Our own used boat show at Håøya3:13from SEILmagasinet
Feeling 3911.70 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop with a high sail area-to-displacement ratio built for performance cruising
FULL Sailboat Tour [Can Be Beached, Cross An Ocean, Spacious Liveaboard, BEST Modern Sailboat]38:27from Adventureman Dan
Etap 38i11.57 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop featuring a shallow-draft wing keel, designed for stable cruising and built between 1989 and 1997
A BEAUTIFUL SHIP El Hierro13:50from VOILIER ODIN
Beneteau Oceanis 39011.68 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed masthead sloop featuring a spacious beam and an optional wing keel for shoal draft versatility
Manwë Odyssey EP02 - Grenada Underwater Sculpture Parkfrom Manwë Odyssey
Catalina Yachts 37511.73 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2008 fractional sloop with a 2.08-metre draft and a balanced displacement-to-ballast ratio for coastal stability
Catalina 375 Boat Tour0:01from Sailing Doodles
Catalina Yachts 3811.61 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Sparkman & Stephens hull updated with a taller rig and balanced spade rudder for improved coastal performance
NEW 2026 BOAT AUCTION - END OF SUMMER2:48from Sailing Solé

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Beneteau First 38A Jean Berret-designed masthead sloop built for performance, offered with multiple keel and rig configurationsBeneteau First 35s5A Philippe Starck-designed performance cruiser blending a high-aspect fractional rig with a distinctively modern interiorBeneteau First 32s5A Philippe Starck-designed fractional sloop balancing performance-oriented lines with a refined, modern interiorBeneteau First 41s5A performance-oriented fractional sloop featuring a distinctive interior design by Philippe StarckBeneteau First 375A performance-oriented masthead sloop from Berret-Racoupeau, balancing a deep fin keel with a moderate displacementMoorings 38-2A fractional sloop sharing the performance hull of the Beneteau First 38S5, reconfigured for cruising comfort.

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