Design and Construction
Biscontini approached the hull with the methodical revision process he honed on America's Cup racers, and the result deliberately avoids the hard chines many high-volume cruisers use to inflate interior space. Instead the First 44 draws a narrow waterline and a more rounded canoe body to cut wetted surface, with a fine bow and pinched-in stern at the waterline that Yachting World linked to a slightly deeper canoe body and more rocker. The boat shows high topsides and a wide stern with twin rudders, yet the absence of hard hull chines keeps her section shape closer to a classic performance hull than a beam-maximized cruiser. Engineering was entrusted to the Mer Forte firm, known for high-end blue-water race boats, and the yacht is assembled and finished in a dedicated Beneteau workshop rather than on the standard production line.
Rig and Handling
The sail plan is modern and ample, built around a fractional 9/10ths two-spreader aluminium rig with a slender mainsail and generously sized foresails. Four winches, a fixed centerline mainsheet block, and a mast stepped further aft are specified to wring full potential from that rig, while a dual-cylinder hydraulic backstay from Harken controls shape. The cruising version optimizes for shorthanded sailing with two pairs of winches per side and adds roughly 163 square feet of canvas over the performance model; the performance version instead carries three pairs of winches around the cockpit and two extra pit winches with clutches and diverters for cross winching, plus a longer carbon bowsprit. An optional carbon mast stands 1.8 meters taller than the standard rig, adding 11 square meters of upwind area and about 10 percent to the Code 0 and spinnaker sizes. Under power, a 57 hp Yanmar with saildrive and a three-bladed folding prop moves a hull whose displacement sources place between roughly 21,600 and 23,500 pounds depending on version.
Ballast and Stability
A distinctive feature is the electronically controlled water-ballast system, with twin 80-gallon tanks filled or emptied from the helm stations using simple electric pumps. Beneteau drew on experience from earlier ballast systems and the Figaro 2 to bring the technology to First 44 owners; the option equates to about 350 kg of rail weight per side, or roughly four people on the rail, and takes three to four minutes to fill — suited to a long beat rather than short tacking. The performance version further sheds weight with smaller tanks, no windlass or associated battery, and lithium service batteries, saving about half a tonne versus the cruising hull while adopting the deeper 2.6 m iron-fin-and-lead-bulb keel.
Accommodations
Below, Argento carried a concept close to the First 53: a three-cabin, two-head layout with a streamlined, well-lit interior of white lacquered surfaces, molded woods, and tasteful upholstery accented by indirect lighting. The saloon holds a six-seat table opposite the settee and nav station, and a 1.9 m starboard settee with optional lee cloth doubles as crew seating. The forward cabin uses a peninsula double but gives up stowage to do so. Craftsmanship and material finish are presented as masterful, with the builder citing the dedicated workshop's full scope of expertise in the fit-out.
The Verdict
The First 44 is a rare dual-persona design: a light-air cruiser with genuine volume and finish, and a ballast-equipped performer with a taller carbon rig and stripped cruising ballast. Its rounded hull and dedicated engineering give it a coherence many crossover racer-cruisers lack, though the forward cabin's stowage compromise and the water-ballast fill time remind you it is still a calculated compromise.
Pros
- Narrow waterline and rounded canoe body reduce wetted surface for light-air performance
- Electronically controlled water ballast derived from Figaro 2 race experience
- Three-cabin, two-head interior with refined Argento styling and dedicated-workshop finish
- Optional taller carbon rig adds meaningful upwind and downwind sail area
Cons
- Forward cabin peninsula berth lacks stowage
- Water-ballast cycle of three to four minutes limits short-course tactical use
- Performance version sacrifices windlass and tank capacity for weight savings
