Beneteau First 51 (Std)
Description
Beneteau First 51 (Standard Rig) is a luxurious and high-performance French cruiser-racer designed by German Frers and built by Beneteau from 1986 to 1992, with approximately 130 hulls produced in France as the flagship of the early First series. Measuring 50 feet 10 inches LOA (waterline 42 feet 8 inches, beam 14 feet 1 inch), it features a lightweight fiberglass hull—solid laminate below the waterline with balsa-cored deck—and is offered in deep fin keel (7 feet 3 inches draft) or shoal draft (5 feet 11 inches) configurations, with a displacement of 29,762 pounds and 11,905 pounds of lead ballast (40% ratio) for exceptional stability and blue water motion comfort. The Standard Rig masthead sloop configuration carries ~1,130 sq ft of sail (SA/D ~18.5), with a balanced sail plan, large overlapping genoas, and robust deck gear for powerful yet manageable performance—ideal for long-distance cruising or IMS/PHRF racing—while a Tall Rig option added ~3 feet of mast height and ~100 sq ft of sail for enhanced light-air speed. The opulent teak interior sleeps six to eight in three private cabins: a full-beam aft owner’s stateroom with en-suite head and shower, forward VIP cabin with en-suite, guest double, expansive U-shaped galley, large nav station, and a bright saloon with wraparound seating and dining table. Renowned for its elegant lines, seaworthiness, and race-proven design (including Transatlantic and Round-the-World passages), the First 51 remains a coveted classic,
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 63.98 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 20.01 ft |
| p | 56.43 ft |
| e | 18.04 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63.98 ft | 20.01 ft | 56.43 ft | 18.04 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 56.43 ft - (17200 mm) |
| Foot | * 18.04 ft - (5499 mm) |
| Leech | * 58.22 ft - (17745 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 58.64 ft - (17873 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 516.62 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 53.63 ft - (16346 mm) |
| Foot | * 26.4 ft - (8047 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.74 ft - (14246 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.99 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 23.01 ft - (7013 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 616.97 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | 63.68 ft - (19410 mm) |
| Foot | * 32.23 ft - (9824 mm) |
| Leech | * 60 ft - (18288 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.02 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 30.02 ft - (9150 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.98 ° |
| Area | * 955.83 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 63.68 ft - (19410 mm) |
| Foot | * 33.02 ft - (10064 mm) |
| Leech | * 58.59 ft - (17858 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | * 1577 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 63.68 ft - (19410 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 36.02 ft - (10979 mm) |
| Foot | * 36.02 ft - (10979 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1950 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 36.87 ft - (11238 mm) |
| Foot | * 14.91 ft - (4545 mm) |
| Leech | * 30.5 ft - (9296 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 60.02 % |
| Length Perp | * 12.01 ft - (3661 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 18.97 ° |
| Area | * 221.42 ft² |
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.