Beneteau First 25 S Sailboats for Sale

The resin transfer molded construction made the First 25 S notably lighter than its predecessor, and that lightness defines the boat's character. She accelerates quickly, stays lively in light air when heavier boats stall, and responds well to a single-hander or a small crew. Her twin kick-up rudders — a consequence of the beamier transom — track reliably through a range of heel angles, and the unstayed fractional rig with aft-swept spreaders simplifies sail handling considerably. The absence of a backstay allows the flat-top mainsail, which drives the boat unusually well upwind. All of this translates to a used-market proposition that sits closer to "performance daysailer with cruising capability" than to "small cruiser that occasionally races."

Layouts on the Used Market

The interior arrangement is consistent across the production run, so buyers can expect the same fundamental layout regardless of which example they view. A V-berth forward is separated from the saloon by a small pass-through containing a sink and enclosed head — a genuine privacy feature on a boat of this size. The saloon offers twin settees with a drop-leaf table between them; the starboard settee converts to a double berth, making four-berth accommodation genuinely feasible for a weekend. To port of the companionway sits the galley with its icebox, sink, and manual pump; to starboard, an aft-facing chart table. The nav station is an unexpectedly thoughtful touch at this LOA.

Headroom stands at roughly five feet ten inches at the companionway and tapers forward, so the boat functions well for those under that height but will feel confining at the nav station for taller sailors. The layout has no significant variants to watch for — what changed across the production run was equipment fit, not the cabin plan.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Boats that have been actively sailed tend to arrive on the used market with asymmetric spinnakers or conventional spinnakers aboard, reflecting the design's clear performance orientation. Chartplotters and autopilots are commonly fitted, often added by owners who used the boat for short-handed coastal sailing. The Raymarine instrument package, commonly fitted when new as an option, is frequently intact on used examples, though condition varies with the care the boat received.

A short-handed sailing setup — clutches organized at the companionway, halyards led aft, perhaps a furling headsail traveler adjustment — is a frequent owner upgrade reflecting how many First 25 S boats are sailed by one or two people rather than a full race crew. The two cabin-top winches that serve both halyards and genoa sheets are a clean, minimal layout that most owners leave in place rather than augment.

The swing keel option, where fitted, includes a hand crank and winch mechanism. Check that this operates freely and that the pendant and hardware show no signs of deterioration — it is the sort of system that benefits from regular attention and suffers quietly when ignored.

What to Inspect

The RTM (resin transfer molded) construction gives the hull good stiffness and a favorable strength-to-weight ratio, but buyers should conduct a careful survey of the hull-to-deck joint, which on small production boats of this generation can be a source of moisture intrusion if seals have been compromised over time. The boat's deep-V forward entry and flat underbody sections aft handle seaway well, but pay attention to any signs of stress cracking at the bow where slamming loads concentrate.

The unstayed rig eliminates shroud-related failure points but places the entire rig load on the mast step and forward bulkhead. The design integrates the mast prop into the forward bulkhead — inspect this bulkhead carefully for any signs of compression failure, delamination, or water damage. A survey that includes a tap test here is time well spent.

The Yanmar 14hp diesel is a robust unit with a long service history in small sailboats, but the eight-gallon fuel tank limits range under power, and any boat that has sat unused will benefit from a fuel system flush. Check the raw water impeller, heat exchanger, and shaft seal as a baseline; the straight shaft and underwater exhaust arrangement is conventional and straightforward to inspect.

On swing-keel examples, the centerboard trunk and pivot should be inspected for signs of water intrusion into the hull structure. The swing keel deploys to over six feet and retracts to under three feet of draft — confirm the mechanism operates smoothly across its full range of travel and that the hull around the trunk shows no stress cracking or soft spots.

The twin rudder arrangement works well in practice but means two sets of fittings, bearings, and pintles to assess. Both rudders should operate freely without play, and the transom fittings that carry them deserve close attention on any boat that has sailed actively.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The First 25 S circulates across the used market in North America — particularly along the US East Coast — as well as in France and the broader European Atlantic seaboard, with occasional examples appearing in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The boat's trailerable dimensions have kept a portion of the fleet mobile, meaning good examples do surface in inland sailing markets and on lakes as well as coastal brokerage.

Before committing to a purchase, work through this checklist:

• Confirm keel type (fixed at four feet nine inches or swing keel at up to six feet one inch deployed) and verify it matches your sailing waters
• Inspect the forward bulkhead at the mast step for any compression damage or delamination
• Operate the swing keel mechanism through its full range if applicable; check trunk and hull for moisture
• Survey the hull-to-deck joint for water intrusion, particularly at the bow and chainplates
• Assess both rudders for play in the bearings and check transom fittings
• Run the Yanmar diesel under load; verify impeller, heat exchanger, and shaft seal condition
• Check the fuel tank and lines for contamination or deterioration
• Confirm the asymmetric or cruising spinnaker is in serviceable condition if included in the sale
• Verify the Raymarine instruments are functional or price their replacement into your offer
• If the boat has been trailered extensively, inspect the keel bolts and hull bottom for fatigue cracking