Beneteau First 345 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the brokerage market for a Beneteau First 345 means looking at a Jean Berret-designed racer-cruiser built from 1984 to 1988, with 460 hulls produced and most remaining in France though examples appear across several regions. The boat's dual-purpose lineage and Bureau Veritas offshore rating make it a credible club racer and coastal cruiser, but the used buyer must weigh known construction traits against the comforts later owners have added.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are more common on the used market, but both interior configurations remain available, and ex-charter examples are common. The original plans offered a sole aft cabin with an enlarged forward sleeping space for the owner, or a pair of quarter cabins aft with walk-through head; the three-cabin version dominates listings. Practical Sailor notes the Euro-style saloon with dual settees, double V-berth forward, L-shaped galley, and wet head draining to a forward sump. Headroom exceeds six feet, and a double sliding hatch serves as spinnaker launch.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Commonly fitted gear on the used fleet centers on self-steering and power: autopilots and solar panels appear widely, alongside chartplotters and radar for navigation. Sail-handling canvas is well represented, with biminis, dodgers, and furling mains common, plus asymmetric spinnakers for downwind cruising. A swim platform is a frequent addition. Often-seen comforts include electric winches and cockpit showers. Less common owner upgrades are gennakers, spinnakers, and hot water. The Volvo Penta 2003 diesel and a raw-water-cooled 22-hp unit from the original spec remain, so energy clusters matter more than stereos.
What to Inspect
A surveyor should check the balsa-cored decks for soft spots and delamination. The vinyl headliner adhesive fails on virtually all boats, dropping the liner. The iron keel requires ongoing maintenance, and hull blistering affects these mid-1980s Beneteaus as with many production boats of the era.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets include the United States, Türkiye, France, Greece, Netherlands, and United Kingdom. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm deck core integrity, budget for keel maintenance, expect headliner redo, and verify the chosen layout and equipment tier. The 345 rewards the diligent with a certified offshore racer-cruiser at modest complexity.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Beneteau First 345. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 7 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 8 | $43,783 | — |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $34,271 | -21.7% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $21,500 | -37.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $19,750 | -8.1% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $52,859 | +167.6% |
| Jul 26 | 4 | $30,496 | -42.3% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $35,724 | +17.1% |
Where they're listed
Beneteau First 345 listings appear across 8 countries. France has the most listings with 5 (25.0%), followed by Greece and Turkey.
Country view
20 listings · 8 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | $34,271 | 5 | 3 | 25.0% |
| Greece | $23,816 | 3 | 1 | 15.0% |
| Turkey | $47,502 | 3 | 0 | 15.0% |
| United States | $44,000 | 3 | 0 | 15.0% |
| United Kingdom | $16,280 | 2 | 0 | 10.0% |
| Netherlands | $36,304 | 2 | 1 | 10.0% |
| Italy | $37,176 | 1 | 1 | 5.0% |
| Sweden | $38,567 | 1 | 0 | 5.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
11 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance Sun Odyssey 45 | 45.01' | $ 168,452 | 104 | 26 |
| Hanse 345 | 34.12' | $ 135,652 | 45 | 14 |
| Beneteau First 375 | 37.08' | $ 43,464 | 24 | 7 |
| First First 42 | 42.92' | $ 49,500 | 24 | 6 |
| Elan 45 | 44.03' | $ 85,969 | 23 | 1 |
| Beneteau First 325 | 32.48' | $ 27,697 | 23 | 6 |
| Beneteau First 345You are here | — | $ 34,271 | 21 | 7 |
| Beneteau First 305 | 30.5' | $ 23,119 | 21 | 6 |
| Tartan 3400/345 | 34.42' | $ 179,900 | 19 | 10 |
| Scanmar 345 | 34.45' | $ 40,661 | 5 | 3 |
| Frers 45 | 45' | $ 58,492 | 4 | 1 |