Beneteau First 435 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Beneteau First 435 means weighing a Frers-designed 44-foot cruiser-racer built between 1984 and 1987 in modest numbers, with two interior plans and a split keel choice that shape every purchase decision. The boat's competition-yacht performance and offshore-cruiser manners make her a credible bluewater candidate, but the right example depends on layout, draft, and how previous owners equipped her.
Layouts on the Used Market
Beneteau delivered the 435 in a standard owner's three-cabin, two-head arrangement and an optional four-cabin, two-head charter version differing mainly in the aft cabins—one large port berth or a split pair of starboard singles. On the resale market the owner three-cabin layout is the more common, though both appear, and ex-charter examples are common. The owner's version carries more stowage and a larger navigation station; the charter split sleeps up to eight with the saloon converted. A deep 2.4-meter fin keel and a 1.8-meter shoal wing keel were both factory options, and the shoal draft trades some upwind bite for accessibility.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a bow thruster, hot water, a bimini, teak decks, a cockpit shower, autopilot, and chartplotter as commonly fitted gear—conveniences that reduce docking stress and extend liveaboard comfort. For a buyer, the meaningful clusters are energy and steering (bow thruster and autopilot ease short-handed maneuvering), canvas and deck (bimini and teak with cockpit shower support warm-climate cruising), and navigation (chartplotter modernizes the larger nav station of the owner's layout). Less consequential owner additions are best evaluated case by case rather than expected.
What to Inspect
The keel choice demands validation: the deep fin version offers better upwind performance and stability yet limits shallow access, while the shoal wing keel compromises some speed and pointing ability and should be checked for grounding damage given its shallow profile. Confirm which keel is fitted and survey accordingly, since the two behave distinctly at sea and ashore. Verify the structural integrity of the solid fiberglass hull and the aft-cabin joinery differences between owner and charter builds, as the charter split sees heavier wear.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These yachts typically appear in the United States, Greece, Spain, United Kingdom, and Canada. For a shopper, the shortlist is: confirm owner versus charter interior and accept the storage and nav-station trade; choose keel by cruising ground and survey the shoal wing for strikes; expect bow thruster, autopilot, and chartplotter as baseline comfort; and budget for teak-deck upkeep. A well-found example remains a fast cruiser that can also race with offshore-capable safety margins.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Beneteau First 435. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 6 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 25 | 1 | $57,102 | — |
| May 25 | 1 | $87,000 | +52.4% |
| Sep 25 | 3 | $74,103 | -14.8% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $93,227 | +25.8% |
| Jul 26 | 4 | $62,000 | -33.5% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $57,102 | -7.9% |
Where they're listed
Beneteau First 435 listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 4 (44.4%), followed by Greece and Spain.
Country view
9 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $62,000 | 4 | 4 | 44.4% |
| Greece | $74,103 | 3 | 0 | 33.3% |
| Spain | $57,102 | 2 | 1 | 22.2% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeanneau Sun Sun Odyssey 43 | 43.34' | $ 110,701 | 63 | 7 |
| Beneteau First 405 | 40.67' | $ 56,000 | 39 | 13 |
| Hallberg-Rassy 43 Mk I | 44.52' | $ 384,541 | 32 | 7 |
| Dufour 35 | 35.25' | $ 30,000 | 26 | 1 |
| Privilège 435 | 43' | $ 274,000 | 22 | 2 |
| Oyster Yachts 435 | 43.42' | $ 102,221 | 16 | 5 |
| Pearson 365 | 36.42' | $ 29,000 | 12 | 1 |
| Beneteau First 435You are here | — | $ 62,000 | 9 | 5 |