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First Class 7 Beneteau
Designer: Jean-Marie Finot / Jacques Fauroux  ·  Builder: Beneteau (Fra)  ·  First built: 1983
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About the First Class 7 Beneteau

Designed by the renowned French team of Jean-Marie Finot and Jacques Fauroux, this compact 21.5-foot sailboat represents Beneteau's early 1980s approach to versatile coastal cruising. Built between 1983 and 1985 with only 120 hulls produced, the First Class 7 offers a unique combination of shallow-water accessibility and sailing performance through its innovative swing keel design. The swing keel configuration allows sailors to reduce the draft significantly for exploring shallow bays and anchorages while maintaining excellent upwind performance when fully deployed at 4.9 feet. This versatility makes the boat particularly appealing for coastal cruising and gunkholing in areas where fixed-keel boats cannot venture. With a fractional sloop rig and 216 square feet of sail area on a relatively light 1,975-pound displacement, the First Class 7 delivers spirited sailing performance. The boat's SA/Displacement ratio of 22.01 indicates good light-air performance, while the low comfort ratio of 9.35 reflects its racing-influenced design philosophy prioritizing speed over ultimate cruising comfort. The fiberglass construction and Beneteau's reputation for quality ensure durability, though prospective buyers should pay particular attention to the swing keel mechanism's condition given the boat's age.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 21.50 ft / 6.55 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 20.00 ft / 6.10 m
Beam 8.00 ft / 2.44 m
Max Draft 4.90 ft / 1.49 m
Min Draft 2.08 ft / 0.63 m
Displacement 1,975.00 lb / 896 kg
Ballast 740.00 lb / 336 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 216.00 ft² / 20.07 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Swing Keel
Rigging Type Fractional Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Jean-Marie Finot / Jacques Fauroux
Builder Beneteau (FRA)
First Built 1983
Last Built 1985
Number Built 120
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 22.01
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 37.47
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 110.21
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 9.35
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.55
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 5.99 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 5.31
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 571.70 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 25.46
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 27.23 ft / 8.30 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 8.53 ft / 2.60 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 27.19 ft / 8.29 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 9.84 ft / 3.00 m
SA Fore 116.14 ft² / 10.79 m²
SA Main 133.77 ft² / 12.43 m²
SA Total (100%) 249.91 ft² / 23.22 m²
Est. Forestay Length 28.53 ft / 8.70 m
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