Beneteau First 45 F5 Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

Three accommodation plans were offered during the production run, and all three circulate on the used market, though not equally. The three-cabin owner layout is the most common configuration you will encounter: a large forward owner's stateroom, a dedicated midships cabin to starboard, and the port quarter for the nav station with a single sea berth adjacent. The two-owner arrangement — giving the forward and aft cabins more generous proportions at the cost of the midships cabin — turns up with some regularity and suits couples or shorthanded bluewater crews particularly well. A four-cabin layout was also available and does appear occasionally, though it is the least prevalent of the three. All versions share the signature oval dinette with centerline island seating, which is comfortable at anchor and serviceable at sea. The galley is to starboard of the companionway in the typical arrangement and is well-proportioned for the hull length.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

Decades of owner stewardship means the equipment aboard a given First 45 F5 can vary enormously, but there are clear patterns across the fleet. Chartplotters, autopilots, and radar are commonly fitted — these boats have largely shed their original bare-bones navigation suites in favor of modern electronics. Solar panels and inverters are a frequent owner upgrade that turns up widely, reflecting the bluewater aspirations of most current owners. Cockpit showers, dodgers, and biminis are broadly fitted, making the cockpit considerably more livable than the original specification. Hot water systems and swim platforms appear on a majority of boats and are frequently added if not factory-installed.

Further along the upgrade spectrum, teak decks are common enough to be a routine inspection item rather than a pleasant surprise; they add aesthetic appeal but introduce their own maintenance demands and potential leak paths. Wind generators often appear alongside solar, particularly on boats prepared for extended passages. Furling mains have been retrofitted on a meaningful share of the fleet, simplifying short-handed sailing at some cost to upwind performance. Spinnaker and asymmetric spinnaker gear — the boat was designed with reaching performance in mind, so this is an appropriate addition — turns up with some frequency. Electric winches, AIS transponders, life rafts, EPIRBs, and heating systems are owner upgrades that should be verified individually: their presence should not be assumed, but they appear often enough to be worth asking about in any negotiation. Air conditioning units and lithium battery banks represent the higher-investment end of the upgrade spectrum and appear on a smaller but growing share of the fleet.

What to Inspect

The First 45 F5 is a performance boat of its era built to compete as well as cruise, and buyers should inspect it with that context in mind.

The hull-deck joint deserves early attention. The Farr hull uses substantial beam aft to generate form stability, and the junction between Pininfarina's smooth-flowing deck mold and the hull is a known area for potential water ingress on older examples — probe for soft core around the perimeter and at any through-bolted hardware. The deck itself is notable for its exceptionally clean, low-profile design, which means hardware penetrations are concentrated in fewer, larger fittings; each one should be inspected for bedding integrity.

The rig is a fractional sloop with swept spreaders and no runners, which simplifies sailing but places significant compression loads on the spreader roots and chain plates. Chain plate attachment points — through-deck or hull-side depending on the example — are a priority inspection item, particularly given the age of the boats now in circulation. Examine for staining, cracking gelcoat, and any softness in the surrounding laminate. Standing rigging of original specification is almost certainly beyond its service life and should be budgeted for replacement regardless of apparent condition.

The keel is available in two configurations: a deep fin keel of approximately 7'10" or a shallower wing keel of approximately 7'2". The deep fin uses a high-aspect foil with curved leading and trailing edges; the shallow wing keel broadens cruising ground at some cost to upwind performance. The keel-to-hull joint on fin-keel boats of this vintage warrants careful inspection; look for cracking or weeping at the joint fillet and verify that keel bolts show no corrosion staining on the interior bilge.

The original auxiliary was a Perkins Prima T80, and most boats will have had at least one engine replacement or major overhaul by now. Verify service history, check raw water impeller and heat exchanger condition, and confirm the cutlass bearing and shaft seal are sound. Fuel and water tankage — roughly 40 and 170 US gallons respectively — should be inspected for liner condition and cleanliness.

Below decks, pay attention to the quality of any added electrical systems. Boats with solar, lithium batteries, and inverters may have received multiple rounds of wiring additions from different owners; a tangled or poorly documented electrical system is a significant risk on a passage-capable bluewater boat.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The First 45 F5 is broadly available across the Mediterranean — Greece, Portugal, and Spain are well-represented hunting grounds — and the fleet is also meaningfully present in North American waters, particularly the United States and Canada. Beyond the Atlantic basin, examples appear in Southeast Asia and Central America, a testament to the bluewater use for which many owners have prepared these boats. The relatively modest build number means you will not find one in every harbor, but patient searching will surface options on most major brokerage markets.

For a buyer prepared to accept a thorough pre-purchase survey and budget for standing rigging renewal and routine diesel service, the First 45 F5 represents a well-considered used cruiser-racer: a Farr hull that still sails well above its years, a thoughtfully laid-out interior, and a distinctive deck that has not dated as badly as many contemporaries. The Pininfarina association is more than marketing — it produced a genuinely coherent aesthetic that holds up.

Pre-purchase checklist:

• Hull-deck joint integrity; probe for soft or delaminated core at perimeter and all hardware
• Chain plate attachment points and surrounding laminate — staining, cracking, softness
• Keel-to-hull joint fillet and keel bolt condition visible from interior bilge
• Standing rigging age and condition; budget for full replacement
• Engine service history, raw water system, cutlass bearing, and shaft seal
• Electrical system audit — wiring quality, fusing, and documentation of added systems
• Teak deck condition if fitted — paying particular attention to seam compound and fastener condition
• Furling gear (headsail and main if fitted) — UV cover, foil joints, bearings
• Through-hull fittings and seacocks — operation, corrosion, and backing plate integrity
• Life raft, EPIRB, and safety gear — service dates and certification if included in the sale