Hull and Design
Finot's brief was clear: bring cutting-edge technology and genuine performance to the smallest boats in the First family without sacrificing the character that made the range famous. The 25.7 achieves this with a hull that punches well above its waterline length — top speed in testing reaches ten knots, a remarkable ceiling for a boat of this size. The light grey gel coat and purposeful proportions signal intent: this is not a day-sailor dressed up as a racer, but a coherent design package from the keel up. The lifting centerboard is a defining feature, allowing the boat to spend winters on a trailer in a driveway and dramatically reducing the ownership overhead that sinks so many small-boat programs.
Rig and Handling
Under sail the First 25.7 is described by experienced hands as genuinely exciting. The sailplan is versatile: standard equipment includes aluminium winches and a lazy bag, and the boat is offered with an optional asymmetric spinnaker that transforms downwind performance into something approaching sport-boat territory. Five aboard for a buoy race is not just feasible but genuinely competitive, with real trophies attainable against club fleets. The lifted-keel configuration means the boat can be launched, rigged, and sailing with minimal infrastructure — a practical advantage that extends the season at both ends.
Accommodations
Below decks the 25.7 makes a compelling case for weekend cruising in a small footprint. The accommodation is laid out around a forward double V-berth, a heads compartment, and a galley with sink and a small stove — the basics required to move from day-sailing to overnight passages without asking the crew to feel they are camping aboard. Total berth count runs to four or five depending on layout. The woodwork is finished in a light pear tone and the upholstery has been updated across the generation refresh, giving the interior a contemporary feel rather than the dated aesthetic that can make older small boats feel claustrophobic. The boat is realistic about what it offers: no chart table, no standing headroom — but within those constraints it is a genuinely liveable small cruiser.
The Verdict
The Beneteau First 25.7 is one of those rare designs that does not ask you to choose between racing and cruising, between performance and ownership simplicity. Jeremy Wyatt, organiser of the ARC and a sailor with decades of bluewater miles, nominates the 25.7 as his ideal precisely because it delivers a huge amount of fun per pound spent — an endorsement worth taking seriously from someone who has access to far larger boats. The trailer-sailer lifting keel keeps running costs in check, the Finot hull produces genuine speed, and the accommodation is honest rather than optimistic.
Pros
- Lifting centerboard enables trailer-sailer storage, reducing marina and haulout costs
- Genuine racing capability in club fleets; competitive with five crew
- Forward double berth, heads, and galley make weekend cruising viable
- Asymmetric spinnaker option opens up serious downwind performance
- Jean-Marie Finot pedigree in a well-resourced production package
Cons
- No standing headroom and a compact galley demand realistic expectations of comfort
- A 14 hp auxiliary leaves little margin in heavy windward conditions or strong tidal gates
- The small waterline length caps light-air boatspeed and pointing ability relative to larger First models
- Capsize screening ratio sits above 2.0, which limits offshore ambition to protected coastal passages
