Design and Pedigree
The First 41 S5 sits at the apex of the First S5 family, which also included the 32, 35, 38, 42, and 45 variants. Jean Berret's involvement brought racing-proven fin-keel geometry to a boat Beneteau described as the new master of the racing-cruise. The Philippe Starck interior commission was a genuine design landmark in production sailing — an industrial designer of international profile working on a boat interior was genuinely novel at the time.
The Verdict
The First 41 S5 represents a specific and intentional creative collaboration: Berret's racing pedigree on deck, Starck's design sensibility below. That combination was unprecedented for a production sailing yacht of its era.
Pros
- Pedigree naval architecture from Jean Berret
- Philippe Starck interior marks it as a design landmark in production sailing
Cons
- Relatively rare on the used market, which limits parts and refit documentation availability
