| Main features | First 26 Fin keel |
Model | First 26 |
Version | Fin keel |
Hull type | Monohull |
Category | Cruiser-racer sailboat |
Sailboat builder | Bénéteau |
Sailboat designer | |
Sailboat range | |
Country | France |
Construction | Hull and deck: GRP (glass reinforced polyester) |
Number of hulls built | About 300 |
First built hull | 1984 |
Last built hull | 1989 |
Appendages | Keel : fin without bulb |
Helm | Single tiller |
Rudder | Single transom hung rudder |
Unsinkable | No |
Trailerable | No |
Former French navigation category | 3 |
| Main dimensions | First 26 Fin keel |
Overall length | 26’ 11”8.2 m |
Hull length | 25’ 5”7.75 m |
Waterline length | 23’7 m |
Beam (width) | 9’ 2”2.8 m |
Draft | 4’ 4”1.3 m |
Light displacement (MLC) | 4409 lb2000 kg |
Ballast weight | 1455 lb660 kg |
French customs tonnage | 5.80 Tx |
| Rig and sails | First 26 Fin keel |
Upwind sail area | 411 ft²38.2 m² |
Downwind sail area | 743 ft²69 m² |
Mainsail area | 140 ft²13 m² |
Genoa area | 271 ft²25.2 m² |
Jib area | 110 ft²10.2 m² |
Stormjib area | 45 ft²4.2 m² |
Symmetric spinnaker area | 603 ft²56 m² |
Rigging type | Sloop Marconi masthead |
Mast configuration | Deck stepped mast |
Rotating spars | No |
Number of levels of spreaders | 1 |
Spreaders angle | 0 ° |
Spars construction | Aluminum spars |
Standing rigging | 1x19 strand wire continuous |
| Performances | First 26 Fin keel |
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. | 259 ft²/T24.06 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. | 468 ft²/T43.47 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. | 165 |
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. | 33 % |
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. | 6.42 knots |
| Auxiliary engine | First 26 Fin keel |
Engine(s) | 1 outboard or inboard engine |
Engine(s) power | 8 HP |
Fuel type | Diesel for inboard engine, gas for outboard |
Fuel tank capacity | 6.6 gal25 liters |
| Accommodations and layout | First 26 Fin keel |
Cockpit | Closed aft cockpit |
Cabin(s) | 1 |
Berth(s) (min./max.) | 2 / 5 |
Head(s) (min./max.) | / 1 |
Freshwater tank capacity | 13.2 gal50 liters |
Maximum headroom | 5’ 10”1.77 m |