Design and Construction
The straight-stemmed hull has little overhang. It’s a single-skinned shell built over an integral GRP structural grid for stiffness single-skinned hull with integral grid. Above it, the deck is balsa-cored, while the coachroof has a gently sloping profile that looks elegant from any angle.
The hull remains wide at the transom, with volume carried above the waterline rather than below. This contributes form stiffness and adds righting moment as the boat heels. The deep, L-shaped keel has a ballast bulb extending aft from its leading edge. Compared with the earlier First 310, from which this hull evolved, the 31.7 received a deeper keel and rudder, a heavier bulb, and a slightly taller rig.
At the companionway, a solid mahogany footchock makes moving around below more comfortable and adds some visual warmth.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The First 31.7 carries a nearly masthead, keel-stepped Sparcraft rig. Its straightforward double-spreader arrangement has no extreme spreader sweepback, and there are no runners to manage. The forestay attaches just a few centimeters below the black band, so the headsail isn’t quite masthead. A 140% overlapping genoa was standard, giving a working sail area of around 500 square feet.
Test sailors found the boat capable of planing dead flat on a deep reach under a single-reefed main and #4 jib as gusts came over the stern quarter. The stern kept the bow down, and there was no awkward transition—just a surge.
Upwind in a brisk breeze, the 31.7 heels until it settles onto its broad aft section, then accelerates. It tracks extremely well and showed no desire to broach or stagger when overpressed. Its wake remained quiet from the leeward quarter, regardless of angle.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The cockpit is wide and short because the beam carries aft at deck level. Its seats are teak-surfaced, and each coaming incorporates a recessed teak bum pad for the helmsperson.
A traveller bridgedeck runs from coaming to coaming, bisecting the cockpit and providing end-boom sheeting. The 8:1 backstay tails pass through the transom to cams on the bridgedeck. On each side of the recessed companionway are twin Lewmar #30 halyard winches and three jammers. The sheet winches are self-tailing Lewmar #40s.
A huge lazarette sits beneath the starboard seat. The engine controls are set into the cockpit sides to port, with the throttle to starboard. Steering is by tiller only—Beneteau offered no wheel option—and a nifty push-button tiller extension can be lengthened or shortened as needed. B&G instruments are mounted on a tubular console at the mast’s trailing edge.
Accommodations
Below, the standard arrangement provides two cabins and one head. The forward master cabin has a V-berth and just under six feet of standing headroom, except when the filler cushion extends the berth. A large overhead hatch provides ventilation, and lockers sit on both sides. When the berth isn’t in use, a removable panel in the vee opens up more floor space.
In the main saloon, twin straight settees flank a drop-leaf centerline table with the usual Beneteau bottle stowage. Four people can dine comfortably, or six when the slightly curved settees are pressed into use.
The portside aft main cabin has a berth almost two meters long. The galley, also to port, includes a 12-volt refrigerator, a single sink, and a two-burner propane stove-oven. Just aft is the door to the second private cabin, which has a double berth and standing headroom beside the hanging locker. Opposite is a combined shower and head with a wet-gear bin.
White molding with cherry veneer was standard—a rather high-end finish for a boat likely to pick up bruises during Wednesday-night racing.
Engine and Tankage
Most First 31.7s were powered by a 21 hp Yanmar diesel, although some early models had Volvo engines. Tankage consists of eight gallons of fuel and 42 gallons of water. Those capacities are modest, but consistent with a light-displacement racer-cruiser intended for coastal sailing and club racing.
Verdict
The First 31.7 is a Finot hull that punches above its weight. It can outsail many lighter boats of the same length and offers genuine planing performance without giving up a civilized two-cabin interior.
This is a focused design. Tiller steering, the absence of a wheel option, and a deep bulb keel suit sailors who value response over creature comforts.
Pros
- Finot/Conq hull adapted from the Figaro delivers flat planing and tenacious upwind tracking
- Deeper L-shaped bulb keel and taller rig than the First 310 provide greater stability and drive
- Wide, short cockpit with a full-width traveller and self-tailing winches is set up for racing
- High-end cherry-and-white interior with a practical two-cabin, one-head layout
Cons
- Eight-gallon fuel capacity limits range under power
- Tiller-only helm won’t suit sailors who want wheel steering
- Balsa-cored deck requires careful moisture vigilance over time
