Beneteau First 18 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · wing

Rig

Fractional Sloop

LOA

18.04' · 5.5 m

Displ.

1,389 lbs · 630 kg

First year

1978

The Beneteau First 18 exists as a fascinating duality in the history of production boatbuilding, representing two distinct eras of accessible performance. The original iteration, launched in 1979 and designed by Groupe Finot, was a pioneer of the "microcruiser" movement, selling over 1,000 units and proving that a 18foot hull could successfully transition from a daysailer to a coastal pocketvoyager. Decades later, Beneteau revived the moniker by acquiring the Slovenianborn Seascape 18, rebranding it as the Beneteau First 18 SE. This modern version, designed by Sam Manuard, shifted the focus from utilitarian camping to highoctane sportsailing. Both versions share a core philosophy: providing a lightweight, trailerable platform that allows sailors to bypass expensive slip fees and explore diverse cruising grounds. The modern SE variant specifically utilizes a hardchined hull and a deep swinging keel, allowing it to plane with ease while remaining stable enough for less experienced crews.