BoatsBeneteau Figaro 3

Beneteau Figaro 3

Fractional Sloop · Fin w/bulb & Dual Rudders · First built 2018

The first production monohull to feature retractable carbon foils, designed for high-speed offshore racing

Designed by Vplp Design, Van Peteghem & Lauriot-Prevost.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & Dual Rudders

See her sail

The Beneteau Figaro 3, on the water

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

Footage from Patrick Laine

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her light displacement on a moderate beam gives 13 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 13
CoastalBluewater

At 2.39 she sits above the 2.0 line — beamy for her weight, and happiest coastal.

Capsize screening 2.39
LightHeavy

104 — light for her waterline, so she is easily driven and quick to accelerate.

Displacement / length 104
EasygoingPowered-up

25.7 — a lot of sail for her weight; powered-up and eager, a real performer.

Sail area / displacement 25.7
TenderStiff

35% of her weight is ballast — on the tender side; she'll heel readily and want a reef sooner.

Ballast 35%

Light and lively — happiest day-sailing and coastal-hopping in settled weather.

  • Lighter than ~86% of boats her size on file
  • Draws more than ~98% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2961 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Beneteau Figaro 3, as the fleet has seen it

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

The Beneteau Figaro 3 is a 10.9-meter fractional sloop racing sailboat designed by VPLP Design and built by Beneteau since 2018. It features a fin keel with a bulb, dual rudders, and retractable carbon/epoxy foils that increase stability and reduce the need for water ballast.6:49 The boat has a reported sail area of 40.9 square meters for its square-top main and 25.7 square meters for its J3 jib. Aboard Patrick Laine, a 500-nautical-mile delivery from Dubrovnik to Valletta demonstrated the boat's performance, achieving sustained speeds of 10 to 15 knots in 18 to 25 knots of wind.25:08 The Figaro 3 uses a 3D jib-trimming system with anti-friction rings for precise sail adjustments.9:31 Crews manually shift heavy gear to the windward side during tacks and jibes to act as ballast.23:15 The boat lacks creature comforts and relies on engine-driven alternators for power, emphasizing its design for high-speed offshore racing.16:58

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

On the water

The Beneteau Figaro 3 on video

The record

Full specifications

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

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
35.0%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Fractional Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
25.7
Displacement / length
104.5
Comfort ratio
13.0
Capsize screening
2.39
Hull speed
7.5 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1267
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/bulb & dual rudders
Construction
Polyester sandwich - Infused PVC foam
Ballast type
Cast iron keel with mixed cast iron/lead ballast
Production
Years built
First built 2018
Designer
VPLP Design, Van Peteghem, Lauriot-Prevost
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.

Clubswan 3611.00 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA lightweight 11-metre racer featuring dual rudders and an aggressive 35.56 sail-area-to-displacement ratio
The Night Before the Night at KNS: Hot boats and the meaning of life3:09from SEILmagasinet
Waarschip 36 LD10.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop featuring optional water ballast and a deep-draft keel for serious speed
The Man's (and Boat's) Fight Against Osmosis and Rain | #SAILING #367from Hashtag Sal
Beneteau First 36s710.90 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA performance-oriented fractional sloop by Berret-Racoupeau, featuring a bulb keel and an optional taller IMS rig
Sailing for Beginners | Top 10 Questions Everyone Asks9:21from Practical Sailor
Dehler Yachts 3610.95 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 1990 Judel-Vrolijk design balancing a 36% ballast ratio with a high sail-area-to-displacement for spirited sailing
"Fri av Fjærholmen" won the Hollænder'n for the fourth time. We had a chat with the skipper.0:39from SEILmagasinet
Catalina Yachts 35010.80 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a 2.03-metre draft and a high-volume hull designed for comfortable coastal cruising
Is This the Best 35-Foot Sailboat Ever Made? Catalina 350from Practical Sailor
Beneteau First 34511.00 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 36-foot masthead sloop from the mid-eighties, designed for offshore speed with a stiff 36% ballast ratio
Deadpool & Wolverine Buy a SailGP Team?!15:49from The Sailing Doodles Podcast

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Beneteau Figaro IIA Marc Lombard-designed offshore racer featuring a high power-to-weight ratio, dual rudders, and a stiff, light hullBeneteau Figaro SoloA dedicated one-design racer built for the Transat AG2R and the French Figaro circuitFirst 30 (Beneteau - S. Manuard)A high-performance fractional sloop by Samuel Manuard and Lorenzo Argento featuring dual rudders and electric propulsionBeneteau 34.7A Farr-designed fractional sloop built for performance with a deep bulb keel and a light, stiff hullBeneteau First 300A Groupe Finot-designed fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited club racingBeneteau First 33.7A Berret-Racoupeau fractional sloop designed for balanced performance with a fin keel and spade rudder

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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