# Beneteau 35s7 vs. Ben First 36.7



## ChuckBuck (Sep 4, 2011)

Folks,

I'm looking at two Beneteau's - a 1996 36s7 vs. a newer (and more expensive) 2004 Beneteau First 36.7

Does anyone know the significant changes between the two models? From what I can gather, in the 90's they made the 36s7 (a little more of a cruiser) and then in 2002 they came out with the First 36.7 (inspired by the Farr designed 40.7).

The 36.7 has a HUGE one design class following, whereas I cant find much out about the 36s7. Can anyone help me sort out the differences between the two - would anyone recommend one over the other?

Many Thanks in advance.

Chuck


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

The 36.7 is more racer, is itself a Farr design, certainly liveable (we have done over a 1000 nm on one in the Caribbean) it's a great sailing boat but I suspect not quite as 'cruisable' as the 36s7 series..

btw I believe the 's' designation refers to the interior designer.. a look I'm not particularly fond of...


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## night0wl (Mar 20, 2006)

A 15 year old racer...I'm imagining the wear/tear/abuse on those boats considering I'm friends with a couple of serious club racers around here and see the conditions they're willing to take their boats out in. *shudder*....no way.


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## TejasSailer (Mar 21, 2004)

We have 36.7 and have docked next to a 36s7, and the two seem quite different to us -- the 36s7 being more of a cruiser. However, we never race. You might want to go to this Web site and select 36.7 in one column and 36s7 in the other column and see a comparison where the two seem quite similar.

http://www.image-ination.com/sailcalc.html


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## ChuckBuck (Sep 4, 2011)

Great insights - many thanks!!


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

The First 36.7 is significantly faster - PHRF of 75 vs 108 for 36s7.


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## BarryL (Aug 21, 2003)

Hey,

The 'S' is named for the interior designer - Phillipe Starck.

Note there was a 35S7 and a 36S7. I'm note sure of the differences. The 35S7 was only made for a year or two. This info is for the 36S7.

Both are designed as Cruisers and Racers. The S7 is a Cruiser that can race, while the .7 is a racer that can cruise. 

The S7 has the traveler located on the bridgedeck. The .7 has the traveler right in front of the wheel. 

The S7 has a rudimentary swim platform and step cut into the transom. The .7 has an open transom - but with a bar mounted across it and a complicated rope backstay adjuster that will make getting on board from a dingy difficult.

The S7 has a much bigger head. The S7 has a much larger rear cabin. This is the 'owner cabin.' The .7 has two cabins in the rear. One small, the other smaller.

As you mentioned the .7 has a large OD fleet. Not so with the S7.

The S7 came with your choice or 3 keels. The standard is an iron keel with draft of 6' 2". Options were shoal draft wing (draft around 5'?) and a 'performance' keel with 6' 11" and made or lead. The .7 came with 7' 2-3" or 5' 11" shoal.

IMHO if you want to race the .7 is the better choice. If not, it's really up to you.

IMHO the S7 looks like a bargain.

Barry


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