Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig
Description
The Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig is a performance cruiser-racer masthead sloop designed by German Frers and built by Beneteau in France from 1982 to 1987. As a standout in Beneteau's First line, it was optimized for IOR-era racing (e.g., Admiral's Cup influences) while providing spacious accommodations for coastal or short offshore cruising. The "Tall Rig" variant features a taller mast (I: 52.8 ft vs. standard 50 ft) and larger sail plan for superior light-air performance, making it ideal for variable wind conditions. Approximately 200 units were produced (including standard and tall rig), with many still racing in PHRF fleets or as family cruisers. Variants include a shoal-draft keel (5.58 ft) for shallower waters and 3- or 4-cabin layouts for charters.
Construction Details
| Designer | German Frers |
|---|---|
| Builder | Beneteau |
| Length | 42.000 ft |
| LOA | 42.000 ft |
| LWL | 36.170 ft |
| Beam | 13.080 ft |
| Displacement | 19621 lb |
| Ballast | 7937 lb |
| Max Draft | 6.800 ft |
| Year Built | 1982 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 55.44 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 16.73 ft |
| p | 49.21 ft |
| e | 14.59 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55.44 ft | 16.73 ft | 49.21 ft | 14.59 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 49.21 ft - (14999 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14.59 ft - (4447 mm) |
| Leech | * 50.42 ft - (15368 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88.01 ° |
| Diagonal | * 50.84 ft - (15496 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 365.64 ft² |
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Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig - JIBSAIL
| Luff | 46.33 ft - (14121 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 21.95 ft - (6690 mm) |
| Leech | * 40.61 ft - (12378 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 19.24 ft - (5864 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.98 ° |
| Area | * 445.68 ft² |
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Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig - GENOA
| Luff | 55.01 ft - (16767 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.85 ft - (8184 mm) |
| Leech | * 51.94 ft - (15831 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 25.1 ft - (7650 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.01 ° |
| Area | * 690.35 ft² |
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Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig - ASYMMETRICAL
| Luff | * 55.01 ft - (16767 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 27.6 ft - (8412 mm) |
| Leech | * 50.61 ft - (15426 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1139 ft² |
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Beneteau First 42 Tall Rig - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 55.01 ft - (16767 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 30.11 ft - (9178 mm) |
| Foot | * 30.11 ft - (9178 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1408 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.