| Main features | First 18 Fin keel |
Model | First 18 |
Version | Fin keel |
Hull type | Monohull |
Category | Coastal cruiser-racer sailboat |
Sailboat builder | Bénéteau |
Sailboat designer | |
Sailboat range | |
Sailboat collection | |
Country | France |
Construction | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): - Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester - Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester |
Number of hulls built | 1065 |
First built hull | 1978 |
Last built hull | 1982 |
Appendages | Keel : fin without bulb |
Helm | Single tiller |
Rudder | Single transom hung rudder |
Unsinkable | No |
Trailerable | Yes |
Former French navigation category | 4 |
| Main dimensions | First 18 Fin keel |
Overall length | 19’ 5”5.9 m |
Hull length | 18’5.5 m |
Waterline length | 16’ 7”5.05 m |
Beam (width) | 7’ 11”2.4 m |
Waterline beam (width) | 6’ 5”1.94 m |
Draft | 2’ 7”0.78 m |
Fore freeboard | 2’ 7”0.79 m |
Mid-ship freeboard | 2’ 4”0.69 m |
Light displacement (MLC) | 1323 lb600 kg |
Maximum displacement (MLDC) | 2293 lb1040 kg |
Ballast weight | 397 lb180 kg |
Ballast type | Cast iron |
French customs tonnage | 2.68 Tx |
| Rig and sails | First 18 Fin keel |
Upwind sail area | 189 ft²17.55 m² |
Downwind sail area | 307 ft²28.5 m² |
Mainsail area | 108 ft²10 m² |
Genoa area | 81 ft²7.55 m² |
Jib area | 54 ft²5 m² |
Stormjib area | 22 ft²2 m² |
Symmetric spinnaker area | 199 ft²18.5 m² |
I iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment) | 22’ 7”6.9 m |
J iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay) | 6’ 7”2 m |
P iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head) | 22’ 6”6.85 m |
E iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew) | 8’ 6”2.6 m |
Rigging type | Sloop Marconi 7/8 |
Mast configuration | Deck stepped mast |
Rotating spars | No |
Number of levels of spreaders | 1 |
Spreaders angle | Swept-back |
Spars construction | Aluminum spars |
Standing rigging | Continuous |
| Performances | First 18 Fin keel |
HN (French rating) iHN or "Handicap Nationale" is an empirical rating system used in France allowing various monohulls, of different sizes and designs, to race each other fairly. It is particularly suitable for cruiser and cruiser-racer. Therefore, by comparing these values, we can have an indication of the relative speed of 2 boats. | 3.0 |
Upwind sail area to displacement iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size. Upwind: under 18 the ratio indicates a cruise oriented sailboat with limited performances especially in light wind, while over 25 it indicates a fast sailboat. | 266 ft²/T24.67 m²/T |
Downwind sail area to displacement iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size. | 431 ft²/T40.06 m²/T |
Displacement-length ratio (DLR) iThe Displacement Length Ratio (DLR) is a figure that points out the boat's weight compared to its waterline length. The DLR is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement in tons by the cube of one one-hundredth of the waterline length (in feet).The DLR can be used to compare the relative mass of different sailboats no matter what their length: a DLR less than 180 is indicative of a really light sailboat (race boat made for planning), while a DLR greater than 300 is indicative of a heavy cruising sailboat. | 132 |
Ballast ratio iThe Ballast ratio is an indicator of stability; it is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement by the mass of the ballast. Since the stability depends also of the hull shapes and the position of the center of gravity, only the boats with similar ballast arrangements and hull shapes should be compared.The higher the ballast ratio is, the greater is the stability. | 30 % |
Wetted area | 108 ft²9.99 m² |
Maximum transverse section | 4 ft²0.37 m² |
Critical hull speed iAs a ship moves in the water, it creates standing waves that oppose its movement. This effect increases dramatically the resistance when the boat reaches a speed-length ratio (speed-length ratio is the ratio between the speed in knots and the square root of the waterline length in feet) of about 1.2 (corresponding to a Froude Number of 0.35) . This very sharp rise in resistance, between speed-length ratio of 1.2 to 1.5, is insurmountable for heavy sailboats and so becomes an apparent barrier. This leads to the concept of "hull speed".The hull speed is obtained by multiplying the square root of the waterline length (in feet) by 1.34. | 5.45 knots |
| Auxiliary engine | First 18 Fin keel |
Engine(s) | 1 outboard engine |
| Accommodations and layout | First 18 Fin keel |
Cockpit | Closed aft cockpit |
Maximum headroom | 4’ 5”1.35 m |
| Saloon | First 18 Fin keel |
Berth length | 6’ 1”1.85 m |
Berth width | 1’ 10”0.55 m |