Beneteau First Class 8 Buyer's Guide
The Beneteau First Class 8 is a trailerable 8-meter monotype that nearly a thousand sailors bought into during more than twelve years of steady development, and it remains a small French one-design with a strong used presence. Conceived by Groupe Finot and Jacques Fauroux and built by Beneteau, it trades cabin comfort for a long waterline, a lifting ballast keel, and a runner-equipped fractional rig. Shopping one means judging a racing dayboat on racing-dayboat terms rather than as a miniature cruiser.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every example follows the same minimal interior: four berths, a small table, and a small kitchen, with no alternative accommodation plan. The hull stays under 2.50 meters beam so it can be easily transported, and the raisable keel stows into a centerboard box while the rudder also lifts. What varies between boats is condition of the lifting gear and how the cockpit is organized, since all control operations return to the helm and wear shows there first.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The only equipment theme that matters at survey is the lifting and steering hardware. The ballast keel is held by an axis, two side bearings, and a jack, and the rudder is raisable on the same hull that is carried partly by a stern beam. A buyer should treat the keel jack, bearings, and rudder pivot as the critical systems, because everything else on the boat is sail plan and cockpit. The 7/8 rig with two runners and a large main over a moderate foresail defines the sail-handling layout, and a 49-square-meter spinnaker is the only downwind asset of consequence.
What to Inspect
The keel mechanism is the boat's known pressure point. The raisable keel fits into a centerboard box and is held by an axis, two bearings on each side, and a jack, so examine the box for impact, the bearings for play, and the jack for corrosion or leakage. The rudder is raisable as well, and the stern beam that helps carry the boat was built first in aluminum and later in laminate, so verify which material your candidate has and check the beam-to-hull joint accordingly. With all cockpit operations returning to the helm, inspect the cockpit for worn leads and overloaded fittings where the controls converge.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Regional availability is not characterized in the current market summary, so no specific coastline density should be assumed. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm the keel box, bearings, and jack are sound; verify the rudder pivot and the stern-beam material; and accept the bare four-berth interior as the whole accommodation. A clean lifting system and an honest cockpit are the difference between a bombshell and a project.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Beneteau First Class 8. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 4 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 4 | $9,499 | — |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $4,546 | -52.1% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $23,311 | +412.8% |
| Aug 26 | 1 | $9,685 | -58.5% |
Where they're listed
Beneteau First Class 8 listings appear across 5 countries. Switzerland has the most listings with 2 (28.6%), followed by Ireland and Austria.
Country view
7 listings · 5 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland | $8,567 | 2 | 1 | 28.6% |
| Ireland | $9,499 | 2 | 0 | 28.6% |
| Austria | $21,365 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| France | $4,546 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
| Poland | $23,311 | 1 | 0 | 14.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Franchi First 31.7 | 31.53' | $ 52,800 | 67 | 18 |
| Beneteau First 285 | 28.16' | $ 17,669 | 47 | 13 |
| Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) | 29.36' | $ 79,795 | 44 | 12 |
| BENETEAU First 29 | 29.67' | $ 21,993 | 34 | 4 |
| Beneteau First 24 | 24.61' | $ 20,979 | 27 | 6 |
| Jeanneau First 28 | 28.21' | $ 26,597 | 12 | 3 |
| Beneteau First 25 | 24.61' | $ 8,917 | 10 | 2 |
| Beneteau First Class 8You are here | — | $ 9,685 | 7 | 1 |