Hull Design and Performance Character
Farr's underwater work is the backbone of what makes the 45 F5 interesting. The bow shows minimal overhang with a fine entry that quickly fairs into U-shaped sections, rounding toward amidships before flattening slightly as it approaches the stern. Lots of beam carried well aft gives the boat initial stability and helps it stay on its feet in a breeze. At a displacement of around 23,100 pounds with a waterline of 39 feet, the boat is not a lightweight flier, but polar plots indicate strong reaching performance, which is where most offshore miles get made anyway. Two keel configurations were offered — a shallower wing keel drawing about 7.2 feet or a deeper fin at nearly eight — letting owners calibrate draft to their home waters.
Rig and Sailing Qualities
True to Farr's origins, the rig is a fractional sloop with a short J dimension that keeps the foretriangle tidy and the sail plan manageable. Spreaders are swept aft and no runners or checkstays are drawn, a practical choice that simplifies tacking and reduces cockpit clutter on a boat intended for shorthanded sailing as much as racing. The SA/D ratio of 18.59 is enough for swift cruising without demanding a full race crew to keep the boat upright in fresh air. The rig carries handsome proportions; the one point of mild criticism from the original design review concerned mid-boom sheeting on the main — convenient for a charter or family context, but a compromise in pure pointing efficiency that owners racing under IRC should be aware of.
Deck and Exterior Styling
Pininfarina's influence on the deck is unmistakable and deliberately unconventional. The entire profile flows in an almost unbroken clean line from the short foredeck down to the tip of the transom, producing a silhouette closer to a sports car than a traditional cruising yacht. The deck shows exceptionally smooth lines that indicate very low windage — a genuine functional benefit offshore — though the amorphous shapes that Pininfarina favored are a matter of taste. The transom carries no swim step in the original configuration, which is worth noting for anyone accustomed to modern boarding arrangements. The deck treatment does demand a fairly subtle sheer to work aesthetically, a constraint that runs through the whole hull design.
Accommodations
Three interior layouts were offered under the Pininfarina collaboration: a two-owner-cabin plan, a three-owner plan, and a four-cabin version. Each layout features double berths, with the two- and three-owner versions including a single berth adjacent to the forward double. All three layouts share a common oval dinette with centerline island seating — an arrangement that feels genuinely social at sea rather than the cramped L-shape that corners so many production interiors of the era. Sergio Pininfarina brought the same eye for interior volume and proportion he applied to Italian coachwork, and the result is a cabin that feels considered rather than simply fitted out. A parallel variant, the 45s5, was also produced with an interior by Philippe Starck for buyers who wanted an even bolder aesthetic statement.
The Verdict
The First 45 F5 is a boat that rewards understanding what it actually is: a performance cruiser that happened to get one of the most distinguished design pedigrees ever assembled for a production yacht. Beneteau was pushing the design envelope in 1990 when it brought Farr in for what became the first of several large-boat collaborations, and the result is a hull that remains genuinely quick reaching and capable offshore. Buyers who care primarily about pointing in light air or maximizing interior volume may find the priorities misaligned, but for those who want a boat that sails with purpose and looks like nothing else in an anchorage, the 45 F5 still makes a compelling case.
Pros
- Bruce Farr hull with strong reaching performance and a sensible fractional rig
- Swept spreaders eliminate the need for runners, simplifying shorthanded sailing
- Three interior layouts available, all with a generous oval dinette
- Pininfarina deck delivers genuinely low windage and a distinctive profile
- Robust production run of around 240 hulls means parts and sistership knowledge exist
Cons
- Mid-boom sheeting compromises upwind efficiency for racing applications
- No swim step on the original transom requires retrofitting for modern cruising convenience
- The amorphous Pininfarina deck styling divides opinion sharply
- Heavier displacement limits light-air performance relative to more modern designs
