Beneteau 34.7 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Beneteau First 34.7 means weighing a 2006-era Farr-designed racer-cruiser built for IRC competition against the realities of owning a light, performance-minded 33.66-footer on the brokerage market. The boat's primary design focus was competitive sailing rather than heavy offshore cruising, so the right buyer is someone who values a crisp helm and a simple interior over long-range accommodation luxury. Knowing the documented construction methods and the few handling quirks helps separate a well-kept example from one that has been pushed past its limits.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 34.7 was offered with a consistent interior plan centered on weight savings and practical cruising for a small crew. The main saloon uses a pair of settee berths either side of a fixed table, with the hull interior forming the seat backs. A galley to port and a dedicated navigation area opposite both carry plenty of stowage, and the heads sits forward of the mast so it doubles as a wet area for spinnaker retrieval through the foredeck hatch. Under the cockpit are two double cabins, available either as an open-plan space or with the starboard cabin closed off as an owner's cabin. The beamy open transom and long cockpit give the feeling of space, and the cockpit itself is deep enough for occasional family cruising with decent lockers. A 26-gallon freshwater tank supports weekend and short coastal use for up to four people.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, autopilots, chartplotters, spinnakers and asymmetric spinnakers are commonly fitted, reflecting the boat's racing brief and downwind focus. A code zero, AIS, heating, electric winches, an EPIRB and shorthanded setup are often seen, while a gennaker, freezer, hot water, teak decks, cockpit shower and life raft appear less commonly as owner upgrades. The original specification included a carbon retractable bowsprit as standard and a large stainless wheel spanning almost the cockpit width; the carbon mast with rod rigging was a factory option, and most of the first 60 boats left the 2006 line with that black spar instead of the alloy standard. The standard Yanmar 20-horsepower diesel remains the typical power plant.
What to Inspect
The documented handling traits point to the items worth checking closely. The boat is prone to losing grip and rounding up upwind if the helmsman and mainsheet trimmer are not attentive, and she gives little warning before the rudder stalls with no regaining control until back on her feet — a consequence of the deliberately small rudder sized as an IRC trade-off. Inspect the rudder and its bearings for signs of stall-induced loads or earlier damage. Tester notes also flag a control line layout not as refined as the X-Yachts X-35, a fine-tune block and jammer that should be fastened to the mainsheet car rather than the pedestal moulding, spinnaker sheet chafe against the cockpit coamings when cross-sheeted, a stanchion position that makes genoa skirting trickier, and a solid kicker obstructing the 20/20 displays — all worth verifying for crude owner fixes or unrepaired wear.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the 34.7 are the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, France, New Zealand and the Netherlands. For a buyer, the takeaway is a short checklist: confirm which mast was fitted (carbon or alloy standard), check the rudder and keel-to-chainplate structure for racing wear, verify the spinnaker and bowsprit gear are complete, and assess whether the simple interior and modest comfort ratio suit your cruising ambitions. A well-kept example rewards an attentive crew with genuine IRC-bred performance.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Beneteau 34.7. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 25 | 1 | $ 77,790 | — |
| Sep 25 | 2 | $ 82,835 | +6.5% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $ 94,174 | +13.7% |
| Jan 26 | 2 | $ 83,737 | -11.1% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $ 85,798 | +2.5% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $ 76,759 | -10.5% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $ 90,946 | +18.5% |
| May 26 | 1 | $ 90,946 | 0.0% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $ 76,759 | -15.6% |
| Jul 26 | 2 | $ 67,248 | -12.4% |
Where they're listed
Beneteau 34.7 listings appear across 6 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 5 (31.3%), followed by Australia and Italy.
Country view
16 listings · 6 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $ 86,164 | 5 | 2 | 31.3% |
| Australia | $ 80,248 | 4 | 1 | 25.0% |
| Italy | $ 82,652 | 4 | 0 | 25.0% |
| France | $ 90,374 | 1 | 0 | 6.3% |
| Netherlands | $ 90,946 | 1 | 1 | 6.3% |
| New Zealand | $ 63,603 | 1 | 0 | 6.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau, USA Marion First 36.7 | 35.76' | $ 74,358 | 87 | 27 |
| Beneteau, France First 40.7 | 39.25' | $ 89,500 | 75 | 14 |
| Beneteau First 31.7 | 31.53' | $ 53,767 | 64 | 21 |
| Beneteau First 35 | 35.17' | $ 55,641 | 51 | 19 |
| Beneteau First 33.7 | 32.74' | $ 44,428 | 33 | 22 |
| Beneteau First 36 | 39.33' | $ 399,000 | 27 | 8 |
| Beneteau 34.7You are here | — | $ 83,737 | 16 | 4 |