August 23, 2026
by Stanton Murray
The Beneteau First 30 (2025–Present) is a new-generation “planing cruiser” developed in partnership with Seascape and designed by naval architect Samuel Manuard and designer Lorenzo Argento. Official production commenced for the 2025 model year following its debut in January 2025. Hull #84 was delivered to New Orleans in July 2026.
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on an effortless plane (note the wave patterns) – Photo credit: Beneteau Marketing Team
First Sail
Although the Murray Yacht Sales Team had spent considerable time aboard the Beneteau First 30 in 2025 and had been presented with design briefs from the production team and our friend Lorenzo Argento, we finally enjoyed our first sail on a not-as-hot-as-usual August 16 morning in New Orleans. The 8 AM sail on Lake Pontchartrain was delightful with 8 to12-knot winds. The mast had been stepped the previous Friday afternoon, and the rigging was safely secured but not complete. Without a boom vang or adjustable jib leads, we left the slip with excitement. Pursuit (of Happiness) IV charged to weather under full control, with the leeward rudder allowing fingertip control of the tiller. The Beneteau First 30 has a waterline length of 28.71 feet (LWL).
The standard hydrodynamic formula used by naval architects to determine the hull speed of a displacement monohull vessel is:
Note: This rule of thumb represents the point where wave-making resistance increases exponentially for displacement hulls. It does not apply to planing hulls, which can easily exceed this threshold.
The formula above produces a Hull Speed of 7.18 Knots for the First 30 in displacement mode.
7.18 knots on a hot morning is nothing to write home about. Pursuit IV’s top GPS-recorded speed that morning reached 9.47 Knots, 31.89% faster than the standard hydrodynamic formula allows for a displacement vessel. The boat’s speed created a strong, refreshing apparent wind and produced smiles among the crew.
First Sail Conclusions:
The Beneteau First 30 met and exceeded her design briefs on our first sail. Note: next time set up a temporary boom vang.
Second Sail
Six days after the First Sail, Pursuit IV ventured out for a “fun” race to shake out the running rigging and start learning the boat. The biggest issue of the day, other than very light winds, was that the onboard refrigerator had frozen all our water bottles, and we needed a new supply. (Note: turn down the temperature and add a mark at the freeze level). Pursuit IV had the benefit of a seasoned and competent crew to get her around the racecourse. All new boats have a learning curve; “should we twist the main more or sheet harder?” “How tight can the jib be trimmed in light winds without stalling?” According to her performance polar data and first-hand experience, the First 30 excels on spinnaker reaches. Our race course, unfortunately, contained no spinnaker reaches, only light air beating, a jib reach, and runs. The crew was very patient with the learning curve and racecourse, earning a third-place trophy on her first outing. The photos below are from Saturday’s race.
The Gulf Yachting Association has adopted ORRez, a simplified version of the ORR handicap racing rule. ORRez incorporates a Velocity Prediction Program (VPP) to calculate speed potential over a variety of wind velocities, angles, and courses. Some ORRez races use multi-number ratings tied to wind speed and course dynamics for accurate results, while others use a single-number, “PHRF equivalent” rating for simplicity. Saturday’s race used the First 30’s single number of 84.7.
Second Sail Conclusions:
The Beneteau First 30 is a fun and physically manageable boat to race. The cockpit & deck layouts are very well designed for crew comfort.
Model Technical Overview
Production Years: 2025–Present
Production Facility: Podpeč / Preserje, Slovenia (Seascape d.o.o. manufacturing plant)
Design Team: Naval Architecture by Samuel Manuard; Exterior/Styling by Lorenzo Argento; Structural Engineering by Pure Design & Engineering; Interior Design by SITO; Concept & R&D by Beneteau & Seascape.
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on a beat in 4-6 knots of true wind – Photo credit: Murray Yacht Sales’ Team member, Michael James
Interior Layout: 2 Cabins / 1 Head (forward double berth, aft quarter cabin, central salon seating 4, galley, and enclosed marine head).
Cockpit Layout Options:
- Cruising Layout: Mainsail bridle with German mainsheet system keeping the cockpit sole clear.
- Racing Layout: Transom-mounted mainsail traveler with fine-tune mainsheet controls.
Keel Options:
- Standard Deep Keel: Cast iron T-bulb keel with 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) draft; ballast 2,360 lbs (1,070 kg).
- Shoal Keel Option: Cast iron fin keel with 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m) draft.
Mast & Rig: Z-Spars deck-stepped 9/10 aluminum mast with double swept-back spreaders. Bridge clearance: 48 ft 3 in (14.7 m). Upwind sail area: 646 sq ft (60 m²).
Engine & Drivetrain: Yanmar 2YM15 14 HP inboard diesel with direct shaft drive.
Major Equipment Options: North Sails performance package, bowsprit, Facnor FD1011 furler, Garmin instrument pack, Dometic 12V refrigeration, US 115V charging package, cork interior decking, removable textile storage lockers.
First 30 Model Evolution:
- 1st Generation (1977, Andre Mauric design)
- 2nd Generation (2010, Juan Kouyoumdjian design)
- 3rd Generation (2025–Present, Samuel Manuard / Seascape planing cruiser).
Construction & Hull Integrity: Lightweight vacuum-infused vinylester/PVC foam sandwich hull (6,700 lbs displacement).
Interior Modular Concept: Uses lightweight, removable textile lockers rather than heavy structural wood joinery, reducing weight.
Competitive Models Comparison
| Specification | Beneteau First 30 (2025+) | Jeanneau Sun Fast 30 OD | Pogo 30 | J/99 |
| Length Overall (LOA) | 30 ft 8 in (9.35 m) | 31 ft 2 in (9.51 m) | 30 ft 0 in (9.14 m) | 32 ft 6 in (9.90 m) |
| Length Water Line (LWL) | 28.71′ | |||
| Hull Speed / Knots (Displacement) | 7.18 | |||
| Beam | 9 ft 9 in (2.99 m) | 9 ft 10 in (2.99 m) | 12 ft 2 in (3.70 m) | 11 ft 2 in (3.40 m) |
| Standard Draft | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 6 ft 7 in (2.00 m) | 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m) | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Displacement | 6,700 lbs (3,040 kg) | 6,945 lbs (3,150 kg) | 6,170 lbs (2,800 kg) | 8,400 lbs (3,800 kg) |
| Engine Power | 14 HP Yanmar | 10 HP Nanni / Electric | 13 HP Volvo Penta | 18 HP Volvo Penta |
| Hull Concept | Planing Cruiser | One-Design Offshore | Planing Offshore Cruiser | IRC/PHRF Racer-Cruiser |
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on a beat in 4-6 knots of true wind – Photo credit: Murray Yacht Sales’ Team member, Michael James
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on a beat in 4-6 knots of true wind – Photo credit: Murray Yacht Sales’ Team member, Michael James
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on a run in 4-6 knots of true wind – Photo credit: Murray Yacht Sales’ Team member, Michael James
Photo above – Beneteau First 30 on a run in 4-6 knots of true wind – Photo credit: Murray Yacht Sales’ Team member, Michael James