Beneteau First 42 S7 Buyer's Guide
The Beneteau First 42 S7 is a 1994-introduced Bruce Farr design with Philippe Starck interiors, a 42-foot performance cruiser that has aged into a credible brokerage-market option for sailors wanting speed without abandoning comfort. Two interior plans exist, and ex-charter examples are common, so a shopper should know which layout and which wear points matter before stepping aboard.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner's-version boats place a double stateroom aft with an adjoining head and a forward double with its own private head, while the three-cabin version gives two aft cabins a shared head and a third cabin forward with a second head. Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available. The owner's plan puts a U-shaped galley beside the engine compartment; the three-cabin plan sets the galley opposite the dining area. Either way the boat carries double staterooms fore and aft, each with a dedicated head, and finishes in varnished pearwood.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Commonly fitted gear on used Beneteau First 42 S7s includes spinnaker and asymmetric spinnaker packages, bimini, dodger, cockpit shower, chartplotter, and autopilot, with air conditioning frequently present as well. Often-seen upgrades include electric winches, radar, hot water, teak decks, and a swim platform. Buyers should verify the manual under-deck roller furler and the Lewmar 52 primary winches forward on the coamings are intact, since these are central to the easy-handling deck the design is known for.
What to Inspect
The opening portlights deploy outboard and are apt to catch lines and feet when left open under way, so check their frames and seals for impact or leakage anchor. Safety harness pad eyes were not fitted in the cockpit, a gap a buyer may wish to remedy. The lower of the two rudder bearings is housed in the boat's bottom, and the upper one mounts in a large fiberglass cone rising from that bottom; inspect the cone for stiffness, wear, or water weeping anchor. The mast is stepped through the deck, and bulkheads are slotted into the deck liner, so look for any separation at those bonded joints.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats turn up across the United States, Croatia, France, the Netherlands, Canada, and Finland. For a shopper, the short list is:
- Confirm whether you are looking at the owner's or three-cabin plan
- Verify the under-deck furler and primary winches are serviceable
- Inspect rudder cone and through-deck mast step for separation or weeping
- Check outboard-opening ports for damage from lines or feet
- Plan to add cockpit harness pad eyes if offshore work is intended
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Beneteau First 42 S7. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 12 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 25 | 3 | $69,500 | — |
| Aug 25 | 2 | $79,000 | +13.7% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $112,778 | +42.8% |
| Oct 25 | 5 | $85,000 | -24.6% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $29,999 | -64.7% |
| Jan 26 | 7 | $86,752 | +189.2% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $69,286 | -20.1% |
| Mar 26 | 7 | $74,000 | +6.8% |
| Apr 26 | 4 | $69,500 | -6.1% |
| May 26 | 5 | $85,000 | +22.3% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $121,132 | +42.5% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $78,133 | -35.5% |
Where they're listed
Beneteau First 42 S7 listings appear across 10 countries. United States has the most listings with 22 (59.5%), followed by Croatia and Canada.
Country view
37 listings · 10 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $79,000 | 22 | 2 | 59.5% |
| Croatia | $86,752 | 3 | 0 | 8.1% |
| Canada | $109,198 | 2 | 0 | 5.4% |
| Finland | $68,363 | 2 | 0 | 5.4% |
| France | $106,121 | 2 | 1 | 5.4% |
| Netherlands | $112,778 | 2 | 0 | 5.4% |
| Australia | $105,590 | 1 | 0 | 2.7% |
| Spain | $63,618 | 1 | 0 | 2.7% |
| Martinique | $69,286 | 1 | 0 | 2.7% |
| US Virgin Islands | $29,999 | 1 | 0 | 2.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau, USA Marion First 36.7 | 35.76' | $ 74,500 | 89 | 10 |
| Beneteau, France First 40.7 | 39.25' | $ 90,064 | 78 | 11 |
| Bavaria Yachts Vision 42 | 41.99' | $ 258,120 | 54 | 15 |
| Beneteau First 42 S7You are here | — | $ 79,000 | 38 | 4 |
| Beneteau First 45 F5 | 46.59' | $ 91,776 | 37 | 8 |
| Beneteau First 35 S5 | 35.42' | $ 37,284 | 30 | 6 |
| Beneteau First 38 S5 | 38.25' | $ 49,500 | 28 | 8 |
| First First 42 | 42.92' | $ 49,500 | 23 | 7 |
| Beneteau First 41 S5 | 41.33' | $ 57,000 | 19 | 5 |
| Beneteau First 45 (Farr) | 46.59' | $ 189,303 | 14 | 0 |
| Beneteau First 35.7 | 34.58' | $ 58,137 | 10 | 2 |