# Beneteau First 42



## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

We are presently considering moving up in size from a late 70s C&C 36 to something in the 42 foot range. We are looking for something similar in character: reasonably fast, deep-keeled (we sail primarily in deep water), a little roomier and maybe slightly stiffer. We have been very happy with the C&C.

There are several Frers designed Beneteau First 42's from the early to mid eighties available in my area. Does anyone have any experience with these boats? Although there seem to be a fair amount of them around, I have not been able to find many reviews, even on Sailnet.

Many thanks in advance.


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## vsteveh (Mar 10, 2010)

I guess I am a bit late answering, but this is a great boat. We have had ours for 15 years, and love it. I started by going thru our entire San Francisco Bay Area Membeship roster, and calling everyone who oned a First 42....The response was amazing, everyone loved their boat, no one was interested in selling. I looked in the Great Lakes area, but luckly found one in southern California.


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## chef2sail (Nov 27, 2007)

2006 post...just about 4 years late


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## vsteveh (Mar 10, 2010)

*So, what did you do?*

Did you buy a new boat?


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## smackdaddy (Aug 13, 2008)

No big deal. It's good getting your opinion on the boat vsteve. Thanks.


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## marksaviation (Jun 1, 2010)

That is a great boat! and on my short list for the next boat. My dads friend bought one the same time we bought a Newport 41 MK2 in the early 80's. I sailed on the First 42 allot as a kid/teenager as well as some racing as an adult . Any one that owns one have any more comments? I am looking for the keel stepped tall rig with lead keel. I know they had quite a few variations on the 42 some had deck stepped masts and iron keels.


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## SeaFever2000 (Sep 10, 2008)

Hi vsteveh,

How much did you buy yours at? What year is it? Just curious. Now that you have had it for some time, what do you feel? Good, Bad?


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## marksaviation (Jun 1, 2010)

did not own a First 42 I had a Newport 41MK2 for 23 years that was bought new in 1982.


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## CBinRI (May 17, 2004)

vsteveh said:


> Did you buy a new boat?


If you are asking me, the answer is yes. Wound up with a Swan 41 fro the late 70s that is in very nice shape. Have sailed a lot on a friend's First 42, though, since that time and it is a great boat.


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## Kaptajnseb (Sep 27, 2010)

Anyone have an opinion about the deck stepped version vs. keel stepped for a First 42 for trans Atlantic / Pacific passage, considering that there could be a 20k (USD) price difference (It seems like the prices differs a lot at the moment, maybe because of the unstable market )…? Is the keel stepped version a must or..?
Thanks in advance


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## marksaviation (Jun 1, 2010)

From a 40 year old with 36 years of sailing and 40k offshore I would most certainly go with the keel stepped mast!( just my opinion) the First 42 had a few variations, some had iron keels some lead some had deck stepped rigs and others keel stepped. The best combo is the keel stepped mast with lead keel. The keel stepped mast is what you find on true offshore yachts. It is important to be sure the base of the step is good condition, on a vessel of this vintage it may have already been rebuilt. The only thing a deck stepped mast is good for is less water coming in to the cabin from the masthead shives or the hole the mast comes threw the cabin at! I never remember much water coming in on these keel stepped boats. In addition in the worst case situation of a dismasting you are likely to loose the rig from the deck step and have nothing left to jury rig to get you making headway again. I have seen deck stepped mast come down a hand full of time times on some newer production 40-45 footers not good! would be much worse 1000 miles offshore. The First 42 is a great boat.. fast, good looking and comfy offshore and in port. It was built in another era and has stood the test of time. good luck in your search.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

There is another discussion on the First 42 that you might want to look at. (See http://www.sailnet.com/forums/gener...21-beneteau-first-42-german-frers-design.html .)

As for whether the keel stepped or deck stepped mast is preferable, some argue that the keel stepped mast offers some advantages vis-a-vis mast bend when racing. As a practical matter, however, the spar on the First 42 is so stiff, mast bend is not much of an issue. As to whether it confers an advantage when racing, perhaps so over a very long race but I haven't seen it. Our sistership, two slips away from us, has a keel stepped mast while ours is deck stepped. We have raced against one another and on one anothers boats (I just crewed on his boat for the Bradenton Regatta-the first race of the new fall/winter season-where we came in 4th) and there is little if any appreciable difference between the boats' performance. One major difference is the fact that with our deck-stepped mast we have an absolutely dry--with dust--bilge. Our sister-ship always has water in the bilge and, frequently, leaks around the mast boot into the overhead. That is not a minor inconvenience as they discovered during their last race to Mexico.

As for the matter of which boat is better in the event of a roll-over, frankly if I'm going to loose a mast, I'd rather a deck-stepped mast that leaves the hull and cabin top undamaged. With the cabin top mast step one can (reasonably) easily jury-rig a spinnaker pole as a make-do mast. But, as evidenced in the Fastnet, yachts with keel-stepped masts suffered much greater damage. On one case, releaving the tension on the shrouds allowed the remains of the keel stepped mast to jump it's step and leaver around in the accomodation like a syth before punching through the unreinforced hull near the step. In another case, the broken mast leavered the entire top of the coachroof in the way of the partners off the yacht in a subsequent roll. While yachts with deck stepped masts also lost there rigs, there was little of the structural damage experienced by their keel stepped cousins and all were recovered.

FWIW...


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## Kaptajnseb (Sep 27, 2010)

Marksaviaton and svHyLyte.
Thanks for your reply.
My first thought was to go for the keel stepped version like Marksaviation recommends, mainly because it would be the more classic set up for my propose. But if a non keel stepped version shows up for, lets say 50-75 % of the price of a keel stepped in similar condition, I would have more money to spend on general maintenance, safety equipment and so on. But svHy have some good points, considering that I never would race the boat across the Atlantic with full sail and strong pressure on the rig… 
Another thing is that it seems like the majority of the keel stepped version is on “the other side of the pond” (in US/Caribian) like most of the very interesting ocean cruisers.
Hope to hear some more opinions.
Thanks again in advance..


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## oceanscapt (Aug 1, 2009)

I've sailed the "Bendy Toys" quite a bit and the only one I'd consider is the First. The build quality seemed better, the vessel creaked and groaned less, and the systems seemed a bit above the Beneteau line. They also sail very well.


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

We've sailed through some pretty crappy weather and the only creaks on the boat are those of my joints when heading below for coffee and the only groans if we have some less experienced crew suffering a touch of Mal-de-Mer. On our last trip to Key West my wife came up for her watch to discover it blowing like heck and commented that she didn't realize we were going through a storm. (After our arrival several other yachts struggled in with blown-out sails and one with sea weed in her spreaders. The lady on that boat vowed to never go to sea on it again and flew home!).

FWIW...


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## SeaFever2000 (Sep 10, 2008)

svHyLyte,

You really mean 'seaweed in her spreaders"? and not on the 'shrouds'?

Just checking...


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## svHyLyte (Nov 13, 2008)

SeaFever2000 said:


> svHyLyte,
> 
> You really mean 'seaweed in her spreaders"? and not on the 'shrouds'?
> 
> Just checking...


Spreaders--aka cross-trees. The boat was apparently rolled down and put her spreaders in the sea. Reportedly, everything in the lockers emptied out onto the cabin sole and many bottles and jars broke and created a most hellacious mess. The woman was sitting in the ladies lavatory at the Galleon Resort in Key West and crying when my wife came in and discovered and tried to comfort her.

FWIW...


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## rockDAWG (Sep 6, 2006)

With all nice thing able First 42, just wonder how about the newer replacement of her, i.e. First 40.7 and the latest on First 40. 

How do they compare to First 42 in turns of built quality and handling rough seas?


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## Heinous (Mar 25, 2009)

rockDAWG said:


> With all nice thing able First 42, just wonder how about the newer replacement of her, i.e. First 40.7 and the latest on First 40.
> 
> How do they compare to First 42 in turns of built quality and handling rough seas?


They are lighter and faster, but not as cool looking. The new First 40s win all kinds of ocean races.


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