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Beneteau First 235

Beneteau · designed by Group Finot Design · 1986

fin keelFractional rigged sloopFrance

The Beneteau First 235 is a 23-foot fractional rigged sloop sailboat designed by Group Finot Design and built by Beneteau, first launched in 1986.

Beneteau First 235 sailboat
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

General

Builder Beneteau
Designer Group Finot Design
Years built 1986
Hull type fin keel
Rig type Fractional rigged sloop
Construction fiberglass
Origin France

Dimensions

LOA23.33 ft7.11 m
LWL20.25 ft6.17 m
Beam8.17 ft2.49 m
Draft (max)3.80 ft1.16 m
Displacement2,826 lb1,282 kg
Ballast825 lb374 kg
Sail Area249 ft²23.1 m²

Design ratios

Computed from the specs above using the standard formulas. Try the sailboat calculators with your own numbers.

SA / Displacement 19.93 Cruiser — good all-round performance
Ballast / Displacement 29.2 % Higher = stiffer / more sail-carrying power
Displacement / Length 152 Light
Comfort Ratio 12.6 Racing / light coastal
Capsize Screening 2.31 Better suited to coastal use (> 2.0)
Hull Speed 6.0 kn Theoretical max displacement speed
How these numbers are calculated
SA / Displacement
SA ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(2/3) — Power-to-weight. < 16 under-canvassed, 16–20 cruiser, > 20 racer.
Ballast / Displacement
Ballast ÷ Disp × 100 — Stability/stiffness. Higher carries sail better.
Displacement / Length
Disp(lt) ÷ (0.01 · LWL)³ — < 100 ultralight, 100–200 light, 200–300 moderate, > 300 heavy.
Comfort Ratio (Brewer)
Disp ÷ (0.65 · (0.7·LWL + 0.3·LOA) · Beam^1.33) — Motion in a seaway. Higher = more comfortable offshore.
Capsize Screening
Beam ÷ (Disp ÷ 64)^(1/3) — ≤ 2.0 favored for offshore; > 2.0 better for coastal use.
Hull Speed
1.34 · √LWL — Theoretical max displacement speed in knots.

Estimated price

$16,000 typical range $13,000 – $19,000

⚠ Rough estimate only — not market data. Derived from a simple model based on length and hull age; actual asking prices vary widely with condition, equipment, engine hours and location.

Data sources: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia (CC-BY-SA)