Beneteau First 25 S Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Two keel configurations dominate the used fleet. The standard fixed keel draws 4 feet 9 inches, while the optional swing keel reaches 6 feet 1 inch when deployed and retracts into the centerboard trunk for shoal draft—ideal for skinny-water sailing anchor. Either way the boat is 25 feet 11 inches long with a 9-foot beam and a 4,739-pound displacement, with a deep-V forward hull and flatter sections aft. Below, the mast prop is built into the forward bulkhead to open the saloon, where twin settees flank a drop-leaf table and the starboard settee converts to a double berth; the V-berth forward is the master stateroom, reached past a sink and marine head through a sliding door. A complete portside galley with manual-pump sink, top-loading ice box, and optional gimbaled stove, plus a dedicated aft-facing nav station, make the layout usable for overnight coastal hops.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Commonly fitted electronics on the used market include a chartplotter and autopilot, usually within the Raymarine or Tacktick option packs, alongside the code zero that Beneteau added in 2016. An asymmetric spinnaker and a conventional spinnaker are commonly fitted for reach-running performance, and a short-handed setup appears as a less frequent owner upgrade rather than standard gear. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are navigation—chartplotter and autopilot reduce solo workload—and sail handling, where the spinnaker options and code zero extend light-air range but add deck gear to inspect. The unstayed mast and cabin-top winches that manage halyards and genoa sheets mean a clean cockpit even without a wheel, so most upgrades center on sails and instruments rather than steering.

What to Inspect

The lifting-keel mechanism is operated by a hand crank and winch and retracts into the centerboard trunk, so check the trunk for wear, water intrusion, and smooth operation of the crank and winch anchor. The unstayed mast rises 41 feet and carries a large flat-top mainsail with no backstay, so inspect the deck-stepped mast partners and the single aft-swept spreader root for compression or cracking. The deep-V forward and flatter aft hull sections should be checked for gelcoat and laminate condition consistent with the boat’s age, and the transom traveler attachment point examined for stress where it meets the broad transom. The 14 HP Yanmar straight-shaft diesel with underwater exhaust warrants a look at shaft alignment and exhaust through-hulls.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

These boats typically appear in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, and France. For a shopper, the checklist is short and centered on the distinctive gear: confirm keel type and inspect the swing-keel trunk and crank if fitted; verify the unstayed mast partners and spreader root; confirm Raymarine or Tacktick electronics and code zero are present as expected; and check the trailer if the sale includes one, given the boat is hauled on its own trailer. A fixed-keel example suits deeper moorings, while a lifting-keel version extends cruising ground but adds a mechanism to maintain.