First 40
Production boat · Farr Yacht Design · Bénéteau · since 2008
- Boats
- 12
- Results
- 22
- Wins
- 7
- Races
- 16
- Length
- 12.24m
- Beam
- 3.89m
- Draft
- 2.45m
- Weight
- 7.9t
- Sail area
- 90.5m²
Why sailors choose the First 40
The First 40 replaced the hugely popular 40.7, and Farr drew it to rate well under both IRC and ORC while keeping a full cruising interior. It proved itself offshore, including top IRC places in the Sydney-Hobart, and judges found it stiff, solid and quiet in a seaway. It is heavier than older boats of its size, and the galley and forward berth are tight.
- Designed to rate well under IRC and ORC
- Strong offshore results including the Sydney-Hobart
- Stiff, powerful boat that handles chop well
- Good deck ergonomics for crewed racing
- Heavier than earlier 40-footers; small galley
Our note
Specifications
Production boat
- Designer
- Farr Yacht Design
- Builder
- Bénéteau
- First built
- 2008
- Length
- 12.24m
- Waterline
- 10.67m
- Beam
- 3.89m
- Draft
- 2.45m
- Displacement
- 7,900kg
- Ballast
- 2,925kg
- Sail area upwind
- 90.5m²
- Keel
- bulb
Deep-draft version; loa_m is hull length as listed by the source
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
Judges found it stiff, quiet and powerful through steep chop, hitting upwind targets, and noted IRC trends made it heavier than older rivals.
Sailing World Boat of the Year judges, report by Dave Reed · Sailing World, 2010
He considers it clearly fast, citing its Sydney-Hobart IRC results, but finds the galley small and the forward berth cramped.
designer and critic Robert Perry · SAILING Magazine, 2010
Against its rivals
The First 40 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First 40 | 12.2 m | 3.89 m | 2.45 m | 7.9 t | 91 m² | 23.2 | 12 | 7 |
| Oceanis 393 | 12.0 m | 3.96 m | 1.55 m | 7.8 t | 59 m² | 15.4 | 2 | 2 |
| First 40.7 | 11.9 m | 3.78 m | 2.40 m | 7.0 t | 95 m² | 26.4 | 21 | 29 |
| First 42 S7 | 12.7 m | 4.12 m | 2.30 m | 8.5 t | 96 m² | 23.4 | 2 | 5 |
| First 44 | 13.2 m | 4.24 m | 2.15 m | 10.3 t | — | — | 1 | 3 |
| Boat | Sail no. | Skipper or owner | Years | Results | Wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tevere Remo Mon Ile | ITA16677 | Gianrocco Catalano | 2021–2026 | 6 | 4 |
| Adelie | — | Mairead Ni Cheallachain | 2025 | 1 | 1 |
| HEDEF YELKEN 40 - Trapez Sailing T. | 3131 | HEDEF YELKEN / ENGİN ÖZGEN | 2021 | 1 | 1 |
| Tevere Remo Marevivo | — | Gianrocco Catalano | 2022 | 1 | 1 |
| ANYUTA | TUR 2018 | Valentin Dudukalov | 2025–2026 | 3 | — |
| Cristina A | — | Francisco Brito e Abreu | 2023–2025 | 3 | — |
| MSI Sailing Team AG | 4004 | Ahmet Köroğlu | 2021–2023 | 2 | — |
| Calypso-Europsat | — | Andrea Orestano | 2025 | 1 | — |
| Hedef Yelken 40 | — | Engin Özgen | 2021 | 1 | — |
| Mon Ile | ITA16677 | Catalano Artusi | 2026 | 1 | — |
| UTOPIA | GRE-1715 | Κ. Μπαστιάνος | 2021 | 1 | — |
| Utopia-Web Ideas | — | Κωνσταντίνος Μπαστιανός | 2024 | 1 | — |
| Race | Results of this design | Wins | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mirpuri Foundation Sailing Trophy | 3 | — | 2023, 2024, 2025 |
| PasquaVela | 2 | 2 | 2026 |
| Rolex Middle Sea Race | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| 151 Miglia – Trofeo Cetilar | 2 | — | 2021, 2026 |
| La Lunga Bolina | 2 | 1 | 2022, 2025 |
| Loro Piana Giraglia | 1 | — | 2021 |
| Ruta de la Sal Rumbo Ibiza | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| TAYK – Eker Olympos Regatta | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| International Mediterranean Yacht Championship (Marmaris) | 1 | — | 2026 |
| Loryma Cup | 1 | — | 2026 |
| Presidential International Yacht Races – Cyprus Cup (Marmaris–Kyrenia) | 1 | — | 2025 |
| Bosphorus Cup | 1 | — | 2023 |
| TAYK Coast Guard Cup – East Aegean Yacht Championship | 1 | — | 2021 |
| Bosphorus Kabotaj Cup | 1 | — | 2021 |
| Eurobank Andros John B. Goulandris International Race | 1 | — | 2021 |
| Hydra Race | 1 | — | 2024 |