Design and Construction
Beneteau built the First 24 SE around a very light, modern vacuum-infused vinyl-ester hull whose floor assembly is laminated to the shell in a single vacuum operation anchor, with strong wings and closely spaced stringers bonded in the same pull. The interior is not merely furniture but structural: every internal component forms part of the boat's stiffness, which lets the cabin stay minimalistic and aggressively weight-sensitive without sacrificing a stable hull. A composite-build swinging keel with lead bulb pivots on a spindle set into the keel box; cranked up, it vanishes entirely into the hull, and the arrangement protects the structure in a grounding while permitting a 10-inch minimum draft for beach crawling or shallow anchoring anchor. Twin rudders, also removable, and three buoyancy bodies in the bow and amidships render her unsinkable and capsize-proof given 36 percent ballast in the GRP-and-lead keel anchor.
Rig and Handling
The sport cruiser carries a carbon-fiber rig with no backstay, a far-aft sail plan built around a powerful squarehead mainsail, and a light carbon mast that one person can raise using the smart mast-raising system and a provisional mast crane that frees the owner from fixed launch facilities anchor. The boom, bowsprit, and tiller are likewise carbon, keeping the topside featherweight, and North sails cut from thin foil stretch the extensive sail area across a 67-square-metre fractional spinnaker. A light but precise steering system and the deep, ballasted keel give complete control, while an incredible sail area to displacement ratio—a sail-load factor of 6.7 by YACHT's measure—drives fast sailing in both strong and light winds anchor. Writing in YACHT, test sailors recorded the then Seascape 24 at up to 16.6 knots and averaging 12 to 14 knots over distance anchor.
Accommodations
Below, the First 24 SE is a simple but smart interior offering basic cruising amenities for four, though YACHT notes she is better suited to weekend cruises and holidays for two. The large open-space salon sleeps up to four adults—two on the V-berth and two on extendable side beds—while removable crew bags stow personal gear under the benches and provisions sit below the settees. An indoor/outdoor table serves either the salon or the cockpit, a dedicated space houses a chemical toilet, and the cool box, porta-potti, and cooker tuck under the companionway. Spacious, open cockpit ergonomics work solo, double-handed, or fully crewed, and large-volume technical storage under the cockpit is reached from outside. The boat is highly modular so racing crews can strip weight quickly anchor.
Equipment and Systems
The First 24 SE is fitted with SEANAPPS connectivity as standard, and her CE Certification is C8. The light structure and swinging keel enable easy road transportation, and the rudders come off completely for the trip anchor. Propulsion is an outboard per the builder's specification block.
The Verdict
The First 24 SE is a rare thing: a trailerable 24-footer that races like a sportboat yet carries real overnight capability for a couple. Manuard's hull and Seascape's interior thinking produced a boat whose structure and furnishings are one, keeping her light and unsinkable without feeling like a beach toy. The carbon rig and squarehead main demand a little learning but repay it with exhilarating speed.
Pros
- Vacuum-infused hull with structural interior and unsinkable chambers
- Swing keel disappears into hull for 10-inch draft and easy trailing
- Carbon backstay-less rig with smart single-handed mast raising
- Genuine four-berth cabin in an 890-kilogram displacement package
Cons
- Minimalist interior best for two, not four, on holiday
- Light carbon rig and thin-foil sails imply higher upkeep than cruising dacron
- Outboard power only
