Beneteau First 305

BoatsBeneteau First 305

See her sail

The Beneteau First 305, on the water

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

Footage from Piratas Aderiva

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 20 — a quick, lively motion that feels every wave.

Comfort ratio 20

CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 2.08

LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 192

EasygoingPowered-up

16.1 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.1

TenderStiff

36% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 36%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Beneteau First 305, 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 305 is a masthead sloop designed by Jean Berret and built by Beneteau, produced from 1985 to the present. It measures 9.3 meters LOA, with a 3.2-meter beam, 1.7-meter draft, and displaces 3738 kg. Beneteau offered the First 305 with multiple keel and rig combinations, including a shoal draft option of 1.32 meters and an alternative short rig. It was initially promoted in the US under the name F305.9:45 The model is considered suitable for solo sailors or couples, offering a balance of versatility, ease of handling, and comfort for vessels in the 30- to 35-foot range.

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

36.1%

Rig & sail area

Rig

Masthead Sloop

Ratios

SA / displacement

16.1

Displacement / length

192.2

Comfort ratio

19.9

Capsize screening

2.08

Hull speed

6.9 kn

Pounds / inch immersion

1004

Hull

Hull type

Fin w/spade rudder

Construction

Fiberglass

Production

Years built

First built 1985

Designer

Jean Berret, Berret-Racoupeau

Builder

Beneteau

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

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CS 309.14 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA Tony Castro-designed masthead sloop that became the most popular model in CS Yachts history

CS30 Sailboat FULL TOUR ($20,000 - Tiny - Sleeps 6 - Sails Fast - Canadian Sailcraft)from Adventureman Dan

Newport 30-19.14 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterThe original 1968 production run of this masthead sloop, featuring a fin keel and spade rudder for coastal sailing

⛵️ I Tried Boiling Water Out of My Boat... It Actually Worked - sort of?!13:53 from Living For Sail

C&C Yachts 30-1 (1-506)9.14 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterWith a 12-year production run, this masthead sloop stands as the longest-built model in the C&C lineup.

Sailor of the Month - Randy Stafford3:50 from American Sailing

Nonsuch 309.24 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 30-foot cruiser with a 43% ballast ratio, offering a stable and stiff platform for coastal cruising

The Sailboat With No Wires Holding Up the Mast from Lady K Sailing

Hunter Boats Horizon 309.14 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterA David Thomas-designed fractional sloop with twin keels, offered in kit form for versatile shoal-water cruising

Ultimate Canal Boat Cruising (36 hours in Bruges)0:39 from Gone with the Wynns

The family

Boats like this

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

Beneteau First 405A 12.4-metre masthead sloop featuring a deep 2.19-metre fin keel and a balanced displacement for offshore performance Beneteau First 285A Group Finot-designed fractional sloop balancing performance and cruising comfort in a compact 28-foot hull Beneteau First 325Marketed in the US as the F325, this 33-foot masthead sloop offers optional shoal draft and tall rig configurations Beneteau First 300A Groupe Finot-designed fractional sloop with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio built for spirited club racing Beneteau First 35s5A Philippe Starck-designed performance cruiser blending a high-aspect fractional rig with a distinctively modern interior Beneteau First 345A 36-foot masthead sloop from the mid-eighties, designed for offshore speed with a stiff 36% ballast ratio

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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