Figaro 3
One-design class · VPLP Design · Beneteau · since 2017
- Boats
- 13
- Results
- 16
- Wins
- 8
- Races
- 4
- Length
- 9.75m
- Beam
- 3.47m
- Draft
- 2.5m
- Weight
- 2.9t
- Sail area
- 70m²
Why sailors choose the Figaro 3
The Figaro 3 is the foiling one-design raced by France's top solo offshore skippers, so results come down to the sailor rather than the boat. The foiling design is clearly faster on a reach than its predecessor. Skippers found it tricky to sail fast upwind, physically demanding, and noisy at speed.
- One-design raced by leading French solo skippers
- Much faster reaching than the Figaro 2, up to about 20 knots
- Lighter and more responsive, quick to accelerate
- Hard to sail fast upwind and out of tacks
- Physically demanding sail handling for solo sailors
- Foils add little in light air; vibration noise above 12 knots
Our note
Specifications
One-design class
- Designer
- VPLP Design
- Builder
- Beneteau
- First built
- 2017
- Length
- 9.75m
- Waterline
- 9m
- Beam
- 3.47m
- Draft
- 2.5m
- Displacement
- 2,900kg
- Ballast
- 1,100kg
- Sail area upwind
- 70m²
- Keel
- bulb
Fitted with foils; used for the solo Figaro class.
Published figures for the design; individual boats are often modified. Sources: boat-specs.com
What sailors and testers say · in our words, from the linked pages
Reaching speeds are well up on the old Figaro, around 20 knots in strong wind, but getting it moving upwind after tacking takes new skills.
Figaro skippers Fabien Delahaye and Tanguy Leglatin, Tip & Shaft · Tip & Shaft, 2019
Hardy felt the foils only really help in very strong wind; Le Pape praised its calm under spinnaker but found it noisy above 12 knots.
Figaro skippers Adrien Hardy and Christian Le Pape, Tip & Shaft · Tip & Shaft, 2019
Against its rivals
The Figaro 3 against four designs like it, from published figures. Swap any of the four. Each spoke is scaled to the largest of the five; a figure that isn't published sits at the centre (— in the table).
| Design | Length | Beam | Draft | Weight | Sail area | Power (SA/D) | Boats racing | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Figaro 3 | 9.8 m | 3.47 m | 2.50 m | 2.9 t | 70 m² | 35.0 | 13 | 8 |
| First 32 | 9.6 m | 3.37 m | 1.80 m | 3.8 t | 57 m² | 23.9 | 1 | 4 |
| First 34.7 | 10.0 m | 3.37 m | 2.00 m | 4.5 t | 70 m² | 26.1 | 15 | 16 |
| First 34.7 SD | 10.0 m | 3.37 m | 1.65 m | 4.5 t | 70 m² | 26.1 | 1 | 4 |
| First 31.7 | 9.5 m | 3.23 m | 1.90 m | 3.8 t | 53 m² | 22.1 | 9 | 6 |
| Boat | Sail no. | Skipper or owner | Years | Results | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aeronautica Militare | — | — | 2026 | 2 | 2 |
| Marina Militare | — | Andrea Pendibene / Giovanna Valsecchi | 2021–2022 | 2 | 1 |
| Gli Isolani | — | Davide Foti / Fabrizio Carboni | 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| Muttley - BDM Audit | — | Luca Bettiati / Marco Trincia | 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| One Ponant | FRA 16F3 | André Morante-Perez | 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| Team Belgium-Red Dolphins Volvo | — | Sophie Faguet / Jonas Gerckens | 2021 | 1 | 1 |
| Team Deas | — | Francesco Farci / Pietro Mureddu | 2024 | 1 | 1 |
| Guardia di Finanza | — | — | 2026 | 2 | — |
| Muttley BDM Audit Migliaccio | — | Luca Bettiati / Federico Sazzini | 2023 | 1 | — |
| Team RORC 1 | — | Ivar Elstrodt / Jelle Lourens | 2024 | 1 | — |
| Team Spain-Pulsee | — | Guillermo Altadill / Alina Bouzà | 2021 | 1 | — |
| Team Waving Meadows | — | Silvio Sambo / Manuel Polo | 2024 | 1 | — |
| Verein Seglerhaus am Wannsee | — | — | 2026 | 1 | — |
| Race | Results of this design | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marina Militare Nastro Rosa Tour | 13 | 6 | 2021, 2022, 2024, 2025, 2026 |
| RAN 630 – Regata dell'Accademia Navale | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Massilia Cup Offshore – Trophée Corsica Med | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Palermo–Montecarlo | 1 | — | 2023 |