Beneteau First 235 Buyer's Guide
The Beneteau First 235 is a compact cruiser-racer built between 1986 and 1991, with about 680 hulls turned out in France and Beneteau's American factory — over half of the total came from that United States plant. Jean-Marie Finot of Groupe Finot drew the design, loosely following an early 1978 Finot concept, and the boat was sold in fixed fin, lifting (swing) keel, and a wing-keel form popular in the United States. For a shopper on the brokerage market, the 235 is a light, simple coastal boat whose age and minimal systems define the buying calculus.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most used Beneteau First 235s show the standard interior: a V-berth forward, quarter berths aft, a port-side galley, and a starboard portable head, with two saloon bunks and an aftercabin double that let the boat claim four-adult sleeping. Volume below is good for the length thanks to the 2.5 meter breadth and 6.2 meter loaded waterline, but headroom tops out around 5 feet 4 inches. The lifting-keel version trails a swing mechanism that fixed-fin and wing-keel boats avoid, and United States-market examples often carry the wing keel.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Used boats often carry a heater, a spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker for offwind fun, and a chartplotter at the helm. Beyond those, the 235 left the factory with only basics — a simple alcohol stove, no fixed refrigeration, no pressurized water, and no holding tanks — so any comfort gear is a later owner addition. A buyer should view the standard fit as a blank slate rather than a deficit.
What to Inspect
The swing-keel pivot is the first worry: the mechanism can wear or seize without proper maintenance on lifting-keel boats. Deck hardware on these era boats can let water intrude through poorly bedded fittings, so check around stanchion bases and other penetrations for staining. The twin rudders are a size rarity and their mounting brackets and bushings may develop play or corrosion, worth a close look on the hard. Some owners report condensation below from limited insulation in the tight spaces.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The First 235 typically appears in the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, and Spain. For a buyer, the short list is: confirm keel type and inspect any swing pivot; test twin-rudder play and bracket corrosion; survey deck cores and fitting beds for leaks; and budget for adding heat, spinnaker gear, and navigation electronics if the boat lacks them. It is a coastal sailor's boat, not a bluewater passage-maker.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Beneteau First 235. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 2 | $5,350 | — |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $12,202 | +128.1% |
| Oct 25 | 2 | $8,887 | -27.2% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $7,200 | -19.0% |
| Jan 26 | 3 | $22,332 | +210.2% |
| Mar 26 | 2 | $9,468 | -57.6% |
| May 26 | 1 | $7,000 | -26.1% |
Where they're listed
Beneteau First 235 listings appear across 3 countries. United Kingdom has the most listings with 3 (37.5%), followed by United States and Germany.
Country view
8 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | $9,274 | 3 | 0 | 37.5% |
| United States | $7,200 | 3 | 0 | 37.5% |
| Germany | $24,319 | 2 | 0 | 25.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
9 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 285 | 28.16' | $ 17,500 | 44 | 14 |
| Beneteau First 25.7 | 24.57' | $ 36,941 | 34 | 12 |
| Parker Boats 235 | 23.5' | $ 17,853 | 24 | 10 |
| Beneteau First 24 | 24.61' | $ 8,612 | 23 | 8 |
| Beneteau First 27.7 | 29.04' | $ 33,555 | 18 | 4 |
| Beneteau First 25 S | 24.58' | $ 46,000 | 13 | 1 |
| Beneteau First 25 | 24.61' | $ 8,396 | 11 | 4 |
| Beneteau First 265 | 26' | $ 25,059 | 11 | 3 |
| Beneteau First 235You are here | — | $ 9,274 | 8 | 0 |