Benetau First 30: A bang at the start of the trade fair on the Cote d'Azur

The Beneteau Group is bringing a real surprise package to the most important home show: the new First 30 is not only intended to revitalise the fast cruising boat segment, but also to help shape it.

For a long time, it seemed as if the world market leader would remain completely without a new product for its 140th anniversary of all things. That's how quietly and secretly the development, which apparently goes back well over a year, took place.

However, shortly after eight o'clock this morning, at the first and most important press conference of the Yachting Festival de Cannes, which is not exactly short on such events, Beneteau lifted the veil for the first time. Yann Masselot, Chief Sales Officer of the Group, announced the new volume model in the performance segment alongside the sports version of the First 36.

Low weight, ample sail area, early planing

At first glance, the First 30 looks very similar to her bigger sister, which is no surprise: with Sam Manuard as designer and Lorenzo Argento as stylist, the nine-metre yacht has the same DNA. At 3.15 tonnes, it is comparatively light, carries a lot of cloth in relation to its displacement at 58 square metres (sail load factor: 5.2) and has modern hull lines that are designed to enable early planing.

As is usual in the Class 40 or the Imoca 60, the mast is positioned relatively far aft in the boat and is travelled with more halyard than is usual on production boats. However, the First 30 has a regular pinhead main and a central backstay, which distinguishes it from its smaller sisters in the sports version, such as the First 24 SE and First 27 SE. Like these, it is built by Seascape in Slovenia, where most of the development work also took place.

The new boat is not designed as a racer, as Yann Masselot emphasised at the launch. He sees the First 30 more as a wide-ranging touring boat that can be travelled quickly even without regatta experience and a well-coordinated crew. He even coined a new term for this: "planning cruiser", literally translated as "planing cruiser".

Until the turn of the century, small regatta yachts perfectly met the needs of sailors. But times have changed" Yann Masselot

Hardly anyone has the time or desire to sail with a large crew and train regularly or develop their boat further, says the sales manager, who sometimes still sails regattas himself and took part in the Rolex Sidney Hobart Race on an Australian First 44 last winter. "Today, we spend our leisure time in a more versatile and flexible way. This has pushed the once popular racer-cruiser to the margins of the market. Sailing today is less about racing and more about connecting with nature and having fun with people who are important to you."

This development can be seen in the anaemic number of entries in national and international ORC regattas, for example - and in the enormous success of amateur races such as the Silverrudder, which effortlessly attract hundreds of sailors to the start because the entry barriers are so low. They don't even require a measurement certificate.

Beneteau has developed the First 30 to meet the changing needs of the target group. Similar to the Pogo 30 or the J/99, it is primarily designed for sporty cruising and should be able to sail under its 98 square metre masthead gennaker in planing mode with a wind of 12 to 15 knots. This would indeed be a game changer.

Interior suitable for touring, great price

She doesn't have much below deck, but everything you need for cruising: a very large double berth forward, a slightly smaller cabin aft, galley, wet room and plenty of storage space on deck. Unlike Seascape's previous designs, the main bulkhead is not made of foam sandwich, but of marine plywood to save time and money. To this end, the shipyard has worked with Beneteau to devise a method of installing the structural element in a weight-efficient manner, Seascape CEO Andraz Mihelin told YACHT.

In general: the costs! With an introductory price of 100,000 euros net, the First 30 is not only the most modern boat of its kind, but also by far the cheapest in its segment. Ready to sail with the usual equipment according to the YACHT definition and appropriate on-board electronics, a complete boat remains under 150,000 euros.

Beneteau dealers are so excited that they have already ordered and paid a deposit for 50 of them just from the plans. The first two are due to leave the shipyard in February, after which production will be ramped up step by step. The First 30 will celebrate its trade fair premiere in Düsseldorf at boot, where it will undoubtedly be one of the stars - as it already is in Cannes, although it has only been causing a furore there as an idea since this morning.