Big appearance at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf. At the same time as the doors opened to the public on the first day of the fair, market leader Beneteau dropped the covers and presented the brand new First 60, the largest yacht in the French company's sporty programme. The rush to see the new flagship was correspondingly high.
She is the largest boat ever built in Beneteau's sporty First line and at the same time the new model in what is now a uniquely wide-ranging series on the market. No fewer than seven yachts now run under the well-known sports label - from the eight-metre-long First 18 sports boat to the brand new First 60 fast cruiser with a hull length of 17.60 metres. The design once again comes from the proven collaboration between Roberto Biscontini Yacht Design in Italy and designer Lorenzo Argento, who were already responsible for the design of the smaller sisters First 53 (test YACHT 23/2019) and Fist 44 (test 19/2022). Accordingly, both models are not only visually similar, but also conceptually and constructively.
The most important differences can be seen in the cockpit. On the new, larger model, the two large sheet winches are now mounted on largely free-standing pedestals. This allows the crew to work from different positions and trim ergonomically efficiently. The winches are of course also available with electric drives. The two steering columns are also largely free-standing. This gives the helmsman plenty of freedom of movement and enables him to reach the winches easily with a small crew or in single-handed operation. An exciting detail: the seats for the helmsman are foldable and allow a relaxed position for the helmsman even on long trips.
Dinghy garage with extension
All halyards, trim lines and genoa sheets are concealed over the cabin superstructure aft to the winches. The cockpit for the guests thus remains free of lines and is reserved for relaxed sailing. Two tables also provide a clear passageway. They can optionally be lowered to the level of the dykes and can also be folded up to create two spacious sun loungers with additional cushions. A so-called captive winch is installed under the cockpit floor to guide the mainsheet. The sheet is trimmed here at the touch of a button and rolled in and out via a spool.
As with its smaller sister, a large dinghy garage is integrated into the stern of the First 60, in which a dinghy of up to 3.20 metres in length can be stowed alongside the direction of travel. In the forepeak, there is a large sail hold, which can optionally be converted into a skipper's cabin with a single berth and its own separate bathroom, as on the test boat.
An aluminium profile with two spreaders is used as standard for the mast. This includes a short overlapping genoa (111 per cent) with line-adjustable haul points on the cabin superstructure. Alternatively, a self-tacking jib is also available for windy areas. The high and powerful sail plan results in an upscale sail load factor with a sporty value of 4.9. If you want even more performance, you can opt for a performance rig with a carbon fibre mast that is around one metre higher and offers a correspondingly larger sail area.
Three large cabins with en-suite bathrooms are standard
The standard layout comprises three very spacious double cabins, each with its own, equally spacious toilet room with separate shower. The layout in the foredeck is asymmetrical: The large double bed is off-centre and largely free-standing, making it easily accessible from both sides. There is also a huge bathroom for the owners, also with a separate shower area. The layout in the new First 60 is not dissimilar to that of the Oceanis Yacht 60 from Beneteau's upmarket cruising programme.
In the saloon, seating areas are provided on both sides, complemented by a navigation corner with a large workstation. The extremely spacious galley now extends across the entire width of the ship and is positioned slightly lowered in front of the main bulkhead - a solution that is becoming increasingly common on larger yachts.
Beneteau quotes a price of 1,487,500 euros for the market launch. This amount is net of VAT and does not include the sails.
Technical data Benteau First 60
- Designer: Roberto Biscontini Yacht Design
- Layout and design: Lorenzo Argento
- Interior design: Nauta Design
- Hull length: 17.60 m
- Overall length with bowsprit: 18.95 m
- Waterline length: 17.00 m
- Width: 5.30 m
- Weight: 22.3 tonnes
- Draught standard T-keel: 2.88 m
- Ballast/proportion: 5.5 tonnes / 24.6%
- Draft short keel: 2.63 m
- Mast height above waterline: 28.4 m
- Mainsail standard: 105.0 m2 /
- Mainsail performance: 112.0 m2
- Genoa (111 %) Standard: 84.0 m2
- Genoa (111 %) Performance: 84.0 m2
- Code Zero Standard: 155.0 m2
- Code Zero Performance: 165.0 m2
