The design team is coordinated by the experienced hand of Kristian Hajnšek, CTO of Seascape, who works closely with the team at BENETEAU to bring race-grade construction technologies into the segment of production racer-cruisers. On top of this hugely experienced team, we added an elite international group of designers; all of them are passionate sailors in their own right.
Due to the easily achievable performance potential of the new BENETEAU First 36, we expect her to be a serious weapon for club handicap racing. Therefore, during the design process, the team studied numerous possibilities in seeking a balance between an easily planing hull and upwind performance.
The First 36 is optimized for short-handed sailing, making her perfect for the ever-more-popular short- handed adventure distance races. Her very high sail area/displacement ratio and balanced nautical design make her a top performer as a club-racer, a safe and fun family cruiser, or simply a thrilling daysailer.
The positioning of the six winches, steering wheels, and other deck gear was thoroughly tested on several mock-ups and a full-scale testbed sailboat to enable the sailing experience promised on the previous page. Details like an offshore hatch on the foredeck or removable cockpit benches show the priority of sailing functionality over style used throughout the design process.
In the racing layout, the wide and modern cockpit allows for different helm and trim positions, either for short-handed or fully-crewed sailing. In this setup, the table and bench extensions are removed, opening the working area in the cockpit.
A higher than average steering wheel position leaves enough room for the helmsman to move forward towards the mainsail winch when sailing shorthanded. The cockpit winches' positioning allows one or two crew members to sail with legs in and work the mainsail or primary winches in full crew mode. It also allows cross-sheeting of all sheets to the windward side. Harken, Ronstan, Spinlock and Antal deck gear were combined for performance.
When you remove your racing gear and take your family cruising or daysailing, the cockpit benches with cushions increase the seating area and add storage space and line organization. The cockpit table is big enough to accomodate a crew of six. Additionally, the design team developed an ultralight bathing platform to give sailors easy access to the water without affecting the boat's performance.
The wide hull of the BENETEAU First 36 offers a spacious interior comparable to much larger predecessors. The new First 36 has about the same living volume as the legendary First 40.7.
Simple, comfortable and versatile, the First 36 interior was developed around three-cabin cruising functionality. Its most notable feature is the large central fridge (with a removable cutting board), making this sailboat's galley the largest of her class. A corridor created together with the foldable and removable table helps sailors move around the saloon safely and offers stacking possibilities.
Going against the trend, the 36 features a full-sized navigation table. While vital to navigation, it is also a suitable home office. Two portlights in every cabin allow air flow and natural light, while sectional indirect lighting with a red racing option illuminates the boat at night. Three cabins with easily accessible full-sized double berths and innovative heads round up the features of this bright and spacious interior.
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