The Beneteau First 36 redefines the performance cruiser category, delivering an exhilarating sailing experience for those who crave speed and agility combined with comfort and innovation. Designed by Sam Manuard, the First 36 is engineered for competitive racing as well as leisurely cruises, making it a versatile choice for sailing enthusiasts. The yacht features a modern, sleek exterior with a focus on hydrodynamics, ensuring excellent performance in a variety of conditions. The interior, crafted by Lorenzo Argento, combines practicality with elegance, offering ample space and comfort for extended time on the water. With a spacious cockpit and a well-organized deck layout, the First 36 is designed for easy handling and maneuverability, even with a small crew. Inside, the yacht offers three comfortable cabins, accommodating up to six guests, making it perfect for family outings or entertaining friends. The Beneteau First 36 is equipped with a powerful inboard engine and advanced sail handling systems, ensuring it performs brilliantly whether under sail or power. Its lightweight construction, achieved through the use of advanced composite materials, contributes to its impressive speed and efficiency. This yacht is a testament to Beneteau’s commitment to innovation and quality, providing an exceptional sailing experience for both seasoned sailors and newcomers alike.
Length
11M
Beam
3.8M
Draft
2.3M
Day Guests
8
Sleeping
6
Cabin
3
Cruise Speed
7KT
Max Speed
8KT
Fuel
100L
Range
400NM
Engine
Yanmar 30 HP
Option 1
None
Option 2
None
Naval
Sam Manuard
Exterior
Sam Manuard
Interior
Lorenzo Argento
New Starting From
€200,000
High Price Brokerage
€180,000
Low Price Brokerage
€150,000
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Twelve knots of wind is all she needs to come alive.
The First 36 begins planing at high eight knot boat speeds in around twelve knots of true wind, and reaches double figures by fourteen. Under Code 0 at ninety degrees in twenty knots she has been recorded at ten to thirteen and a half knots, and under spinnaker at deeper angles she has touched fourteen and a half. Helm pressure stays light across the range, and she tracks reaching legs with little correction needed from the wheel. Upwind she prefers a moderate angle to a pinched one, sacrificing a few degrees of pointing for real speed through the water, a trade most owners will happily take once they feel the difference.
Her reverse sheer is the giveaway.
Sam Manuard keeps the bow and stern low while lifting the coachroof amidships, a shape that reads as lean from a distance and pays for itself in headroom below. The hull and deck are fully cored and vacuum infused with sandwich bulkheads, keeping total displacement under 4.8 tonnes despite the three cabin layout inside. A 1.5 tonne cast iron keel and an aluminium Z Spars rig sit beneath a deck cleared of clutter, six clutches lined along the companionway carrying every line aft to where the crew actually work. Through bolted stanchions support hiking crew when the racing gets serious, and an offshore hatch on the foredeck makes headsail changes straightforward even short handed.
The cockpit changes shape depending on the day’s plan.
Remove the aft benches and table and the space opens up for sheet work and grinding, with the mainsheet winches sitting forward of the wheels exactly where a racing crew needs them. Put the furniture back and the same cockpit turns sociable, ready for a sundowner rather than a start line. Jib sheets run through low friction rings with in and out haul purchase systems, giving fine control without extra hardware crowding the space. It is a deck built to be reconfigured rather than compromised, equally at home with six crew hiking hard or two people relaxing after a quiet afternoon sail.
Three cabins, one adaptable heart.
Both aft cabins are identical and flexible, doubling as guest berths or stowage and workspace depending on the trip. A central island in the saloon holds a two level fridge and gives something to brace against underway, while leaving a clear passage on either side for sail handling below decks. The chart table earns its keep as an office desk when the sailing is done. Wood floors, doors and trim bring genuine warmth to a hull built primarily for lightness, a detail Lorenzo Argento clearly took seriously. The heads compartment is the one area that feels tight, with no separate shower, a fair trade in a yacht this focused on performance.
An award winner with the numbers to back it up.
The First 36 took the European Yacht of the Year performance title on a unanimous vote from its twelve member jury, recognition that lines up with what the hull delivers on the water. She measures 11 metres on deck with a 3.8 metre beam and a 2.3 metre draught, displacing 4.8 tonnes, and her thirty horsepower Yanmar saildrive carries a 100 litre fuel tank good for around 400 nautical miles under power. Eight guests can gather on board for the day and six can stay over in her three cabins. At around two hundred thousand euros, she asks a fair price for a yacht built by a naval architect and interior designer working in genuine harmony rather than competing priorities.
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