Beneteau -Briand First 45 Buyer's Guide
Shopping a used Beneteau First 45 means looking at a Briand-designed 46-foot fast cruiser, a boat that shares the First 50's looks and a minimalist interior some owners adore and others dismiss. She was built from 2008, and the used fleet shows the same sharp bow, broad shoulders, and slight quarter chine that mark her as a performance cruiser rather than a heavy displacement passagemaker.
Layouts on the Used Market
The saloon is split by a portside joiner wall with a polygonal table and L-shaped settee, while a straight settee to starboard seats three. The galley sits to starboard of the companionway with twin fridges and a four-burner stove; opposite is the aft head with a proper shower. Two near-identical aft double cabins use PVC hanging lockers, and the forward owner's stateroom is the larger, brighter space with an ensuite head and separate shower cubicle. Tankage for fuel and water is fitted below each berth, and the nav station aft of the saloon table faces outboard on a swivel seat.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most examples carry a 54-horsepower Yanmar saildrive, and the rig option worth noting is the carbon-fiber spar some owners specified. For canvas and sail handling, the German-style split mainsheet and Harken 60 primary winches are standard, with all other lines led aft to coachroof winches for crewed sailing. Navigation kit centers on a plotter and the switch panel above the chart table, with black-box electronics such as the autopilot course computer stowed in a kickspace locker. Comfort items include two fridges, a liferaft locker between the lazarettes, and an optional removable transom beam that is not usable as a seat.
What to Inspect
At a viewing, crouch behind the port wheel and confirm the chart plotter sits at roughly ankle height where the builder put it, since that low position hinders sightlines and is hard to live with unless relocated plotter sited low behind the port wheel. Check the open transom and any fitted removable beam: lifelines run directly over the beam so it cannot serve as seating, and inspect the broad transom for stress or delamination from uncomfortable motion going astern in waves. Verify the hull/deck joint where mechanical fasteners and polyurethane adhesive meet, and look at the balsa-cored deck around hardware for softness, since only solid-glass areas were laid under mounts.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
- Inspect the low portside plotter location for a planned relocation
- Check the open transom and lifeline-routed beam for damage
- Press the balsa deck around winches and stanchions for soft spots
- Confirm the hull/deck adhesive joint is intact and dry
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Soleil 45 German Frers | 44.25' | $ 196,856 | 51 | 19 |
| Beneteau First 45 F5 | 46.59' | $ 93,186 | 37 | 11 |
| Elan 45 | 44.03' | $ 86,197 | 23 | 1 |
| Sweden Yachts 45 | 46.42' | $ 318,811 | 23 | 6 |
| Beneteau First 45 (Farr) | 46.59' | $ 190,501 | 14 | 0 |
| Swan 45 | 45.37' | $ 319,729 | 14 | 1 |
| Jeanneau Sun Sun Odyssey 45 Performance | 45.01' | $ 175,000 | 11 | 6 |
| Performance 45 E | 45.76' | $ 203,845 | 11 | 3 |
| Salona 45 | 44.45' | $ 108,038 | 8 | 2 |
| Frers 45 | 45' | $ 58,508 | 4 | 1 |