Design and Construction
Jean-Marie Finot's Groupe Finot penned the First 285 as a versatile '80s-era racer/cruiser from Beneteau. The hull is solid fiberglass, while the decks are cored with end-grain balsa to keep panel stiffness without piling on weight aloft. Structurally, a molded interior pan carries berth flats and cabin furniture and includes a grid that is bonded to the hull to stiffen it. Ballast is cast iron, and the boat was sold with a bulb keel drawing 5 feet 3 inches or a wing keel drawing 3 feet 10 inches. A generous 9-foot 10-inch beam gives the hull good form stability, and the displacement-to-length ratio of 193 places the design toward the lighter side for its period lighter side for its era.
Rig and Handling
The 285 carries a powerful 7/8 fractional rig on a single-spreader mast that is deck-stepped and supported under the deck by a compression post seated on the structural grid. An adjustable split backstay lets the helm tune fore-and-aft bend, and the partially balanced spade rudder gives the boat easy maneuvering for a smooth cruise. Under power, an 18-horsepower Volvo with a folding propeller moves her along, and some owners report better maneuverability and performance after fitting a larger three-bladed feathering prop. On the numbers, a modest sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 16.2 keeps her from being overcanvased, though a number of owners say they struggled to sail to the base PHRF of 183 to 186 seconds per mile for the bulb keel and 192 for the wing keel.
Accommodations and Deck Layout
The sugar-scoop transom is a genuine boarding and swimming platform, with a swim ladder that can be grabbed and deployed from the water — a real safety plus. An opening portlight in the transom brings light and air into the aft cabin. Below, pressurized fresh water from a 10-gallon tank is standard, backed by a 6-gallon water heater that was a seldom-seen creature comfort in a boat this size, and waste tankage runs 10 gallons. A manual bilge pump is mounted in the starboard coaming where it stays within reach. Steering was offered as tiller or wheel, letting buyers pick race-feel or cockpit ease.
Known Issues
Owner complaints cluster around deteriorating headliners and cracked portlights that eventually leak. The leak path is the real concern: moisture pooling where a plywood bulkhead meets the hull can cause that bulkhead to delaminate. A shower that drains into the shallow bilge is also flagged as undesirable, since it leaves water where you do not want it. These are localized, inspectable faults rather than structural epidemics.
Refits and Ownership
The most cited owner-driven upgrade is the propeller swap to a bigger three-bladed feathering unit for improved handling under power. Otherwise the boat's systems are simple and the molded pan limits invasive modification, so ownership tends to center on seal maintenance and cosmetic refresh rather than structural rework.
The Verdict
The First 285 is a thoughtfully packaged small Finot design that trades a little PHRF pace for a beamy, comfortable cabin and a forgiving deck plan. The wing keel broadens where she can cruise, and the bulb keel keeps her competitive at the club level. Watch the portlights and the bilge drainage, and the boat rewards its owner with easy maneuvering and a practical pocket-cruiser layout.
Pros
- Light, beamy hull with good form stability for its length
- Sugar-scoop transom with water-deployable swim ladder
- Offered in bulb- and wing-keel versions for racing or shallow draft
- 6-gallon water heater and 10-gallon fresh/waste tanks as standard creature comforts
Cons
- Cracked portlights can leak and delaminate plywood bulkheads
- Shower draining into the shallow bilge is undesirable
- Some owners report difficulty reaching base PHRF ratings
- Headliner deterioration is a common owner complaint
