Beneteau First Yacht 53 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

With a light-ship displacement near 34,000 pounds and a ballast ratio around 29 percent, the First Yacht 53 has a modern, beamy hull that carries its maximum beam well aft. It represents Beneteau’s attempt to combine grand-tour living with genuine race-bred responsiveness.

Design and Construction

Roberto Biscontini drew on his America’s Cup background to create a balanced hull form, with the center of buoyancy aligned with the center of effort. The boat has a plumb bow, vertical transom, and low coachroof.

The balsa-cored hull is built using infused construction. Fiberglass stringers are fixed to an aluminum substructure to maximize rigidity under keel and rig loads, while an inner hull liner carries loads from the mast, chainplates, and engine. The deck and hull are cored and infused, with solid glass wherever hardware is mounted. Each yacht is built on a semi-custom basis.

Outboard chainplates, Dyneema lifelines, and lightweight furniture reflect the emphasis on saving weight. The standard keel is an 8-foot-2-inch cast-iron T-keel. Buyers can instead choose a 6-foot-3-inch shoal keel or a 9-foot-10-inch performance T-keel with a lead bulb. Twin rudders are intended to keep the boat controllable at any angle of heel.

Rig and Sail Handling

The standard rig uses a deck-stepped, triple-spreader Lorima aluminum mast that rises 85 feet. An optional performance carbon spar increases air draft to 88 feet. The standard sail plan carries 1,785 square feet between the mainsail and 105-percent genoa. A fixed composite sprit provides a tack point for a Code 0 or full spinnaker off the wind.

A split mainsail track halves the height of the flaked luff, while the headsail sheets lead close to either side of the mast. Harken Performa electric winches handle both sails. There’s no traveler; instead, the mainsheet runs through a centerline block just forward of the wheels.

All lines, including the double-ended mainsheet, run beneath deck panels to the helms. The genoa furler is belowdecks, and the hatches sit flush.

Writing in SAIL Magazine, the test crew found the First Yacht 53 sensationally responsive, accelerating in an instant and as lively as a dinghy. In 8.7 knots of true wind, the boat made 6.5 knots at 55 degrees apparent. It held 5.5 knots at 35 degrees apparent, then made 3 knots on a beam reach in less than 6 knots of wind under working sails alone.

Cockpit and Deck Layout

The cockpit is divided between the working area around the twin helms and a social area ahead of the wheels. Paired side tables leave a clear central aisle. Twin angled binnacles carry carbon wheels and 12-inch B&G displays, with engine controls mounted atop each binnacle for easier docking. B&G 20/20 displays on the mast remain visible from the helms.

The wide transom and open deck plan give the crew room to handle sails. Sturdy centerline handholds provide support, while raised bulwarks lift the lifelines around the quarters.

A lifting transom converts into a swim platform and conceals a tender garage. The garage can hold an 8-foot RIB inflated or a 9-foot RIB deflated.

Accommodations

Below, the saloon has a formal dinette to port and a lounge to starboard. White lacquered bulkheads, a teak sole, and molded wood furniture keep the interior bright.

The standard three-cabin, two-head layout places the master suite forward. It includes a 5-foot-3-inch island berth and a split head. Two double cabins aft share the second head. A three-cabin, three-head version gives each cabin its own private shower room.

The galley is highly customizable. It can be arranged in an L shape or as a U-shaped space with good bracing for offshore use. SEANAPPS and Ship Control allow owners to manage lighting and other systems by smartphone.

Propulsion and Tankage

Standard propulsion is an 80 hp Yanmar with saildrive. The test boat instead carried the optional 110 hp turbo diesel, driving a straight shaft through a Flexofold folding propeller. It also had a retractable Sidepower bow thruster.

At wide-open throttle, the test boat reached 9.6 knots at 3,400 rpm. At a more relaxed 2,200 rpm, it cruised at 8.7 knots while burning roughly 1.5 gallons per hour.

Tankage is 106 gallons of fuel and 190 gallons of water. Those reduced capacities reflect the priority given to sailing weight rather than long motoring range.

The Verdict

The First Yacht 53 is a thoroughly modern performance cruiser, combining dinghy-like helm feedback with a 56-foot luxury package. Its semi-custom interior and thoughtfully engineered deck suit short-handed, performance-oriented sailing.

It isn’t a long-range motor-sailer. The reduced tankage and beam-aft hull ask owners to put sailing first.

Pros