Beneteau First 38
Description
The Beneteau First 38 is a classic fiberglass masthead sloop designed by J&J Design and built by Beneteau in France from 1978 to 1985. As an early performer in Beneteau's First line, it was influenced by IOR racing rules, blending speed and seaworthiness for club racing or coastal cruising. Approximately 150 units were produced, many customized for Moorings charters (e.g., 1983–1984 models with 3 cabins and 2 heads). Known for its fine ends, sweeping sheer, and well-laid fiberglass hull with an iron keel, it's praised for close winded performance and reduced pounding in seaways compared to modern designs.
Construction Details
| Designer | J&J Design |
|---|---|
| Builder | Beneteau |
| Length | 38.170 ft |
| LOA | 38.100 ft |
| LWL | 31.500 ft |
| Beam | 12.670 ft |
| Displacement | 15873 lb |
| Ballast | 5952 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.830 ft |
| Year Built | 1987 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 49 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 15 ft |
| p | 44 ft |
| e | 12.50 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 49 ft | 15 ft | 44 ft | 12.50 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Beneteau First 38 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 44 ft - (13411 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12.5 ft - (3810 mm) |
| Leech | * 44.91 ft - (13689 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 45.32 ft - (13814 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 281.29 ft² |
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Beneteau First 38 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 41 ft - (12497 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 19.73 ft - (6014 mm) |
| Leech | * 35.85 ft - (10927 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.25 ft - (5258 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.01 ° |
| Area | * 353.66 ft² |
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Beneteau First 38 - GENOA
| Luff | 48.68 ft - (14838 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.1 ft - (7346 mm) |
| Leech | * 45.93 ft - (13999 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.5 ft - (6858 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 547.62 ft² |
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Beneteau First 38 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 48.68 ft - (14838 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 27 ft - (8230 mm) |
| Foot | * 27 ft - (8230 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1117 ft² |
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Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.