BoatsBeneteau First 42

Beneteau First 42

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1981–1985

A German Frers-designed masthead sloop built for performance, featuring a stiff fin keel and a versatile, long-legged hull

Designed by German Frers.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Beneteau First 42, on the water

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

Footage from Velero Regina

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 25 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 25
CoastalBluewater

1.97 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.97
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 179
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.8
TenderStiff

47% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 47%

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

  • Draws more than ~84% of boats her size on file

Compared with 2585 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Beneteau First 42, 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 42 is a 13.1-meter masthead sloop designed by German Frers and built by Beneteau from 1981 to 1985. It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, a 4.0-meter beam, and a 2.2-meter draft, displacing 8499 kg. The model was also sold in the US as the Beneteau 42 and offered with various rig and keel combinations, including a shallow draft option of 1.88 meters and optional lead ballast. A tall rig option was available, with an I-dimension of 16.90 meters.14:21 A Beneteau First 42 was among the vessels severely damaged by Hurricane Beryl in Tyrell Bay, Carriacou, sustaining structural damage after being driven ashore.2:51

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

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
47.1%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.8
Displacement / length
179.3
Comfort ratio
24.8
Capsize screening
1.97
Hull speed
8.0 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1683
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
FG/ balsa sand. deck
Ballast type
Iron
Production
Years built
1981–1985
Designer
German Frers
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.

Beneteau Oceanis 43012.96 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Philippe Briand-designed cruiser with a high comfort ratio, also produced as the Moorings 432 charter variant
The Reality of Getting This Boat Ready - Ep. 274from Sailing Zephyr
Ct-44 (Pilot House)13.16 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Tanton-designed pilot house cutter featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder for offshore stability
How We Learned to Live on a Sailboat FULL TIME | (EP.030)12:11from Plan-Sea
Hunter Marine 42013.23 mSame hull family0.2 m longerA 42-foot cruiser with a performance-oriented fin keel and spade rudder, built for efficient coastal and offshore travel
Cruising the Northern Exuma Cays, Bahamas - Shipwrecks, Snorkeling, Sharks & Pig Beach! - Ep 18from Sailing Jibsea
Grand Soleil 4413.10 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA deep-draft fractional sloop with a 2.65-meter keel, engineered for stability and speed in a 13-meter hull
Discover the Grand Soleil 44 Performance Yacht in Detailfrom 45 Degrees Sailing
Beneteau 4313.11 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Berret-Racoupeau fractional sloop designed for comfortable cruising with a shallow draft and balanced performance
CONVERTING a 43´Beneteau INTO a 46´BENETEAU Oceanis SAILBOAT | Sailing Zephyr - Ep.176from Sailing Zephyr
Italia Yachts 12.9812.98 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA high-performance fractional sloop by Matteo Polli, balancing a powerful sail area with a modern, light-displacement hull
From Bergen to Bass Strait: Lars Henrik Hjellestad on Sydney Hobart | Sailing insights8:15from SEILmagasinet

The family

Boats like this

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

Beneteau R/C 42A shoal-draft variant of the First 42, balancing performance with a 2.21m keel for shallower cruising groundsBeneteau First 42s7A Bruce Farr-designed fractional sloop also marketed as the Stardust 433, featuring a performance-oriented fin and bulbBeneteau First 51A German Frers-designed masthead sloop with a high ballast ratio and performance-oriented sail area for fast cruisingBeneteau First 40A 2007 Bruce Farr design featuring a deep 2.45m draft and a high sail area-to-displacement ratio for spirited racingBeneteau First 32A versatile Jean Berret design offered in multiple rig and draft configurations to balance cruising comfort with performance

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Beneteau First 42, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

Search the fleet for boats like thisAsk the fleet about the Beneteau First 42

The newsletter

New boats, new stories. Every week, everywhere.

One email from the fleet — boats newly added, videos newly analysed. No noise.

Report an issue