Beneteau -Mauric First 30 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

A. Mauric /A. Maurie·1977 – 1981·~965 hulls·Beneteau

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull Type: Monohull · fin
Rig: Masthead Sloop
LOA: 29.36' · 8.95 m
Disp.: 7,606 lbs · 3,450 kg
First year: 1977

The Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) marks a turning point in the Vendée builder's history: it was the first time Bénéteau called upon an external architect, and with André Mauric everything was rethought — the sail plan, the keel, the interior layout, and the shape of the roof anchor. Introduced in 1977 as one of the earliest models in the highly successful First series, the boat was a revelation at its Paris boat show presentation and became a legendary series anchor. In 1978 it was chosen as Boat of the Year, and the First line it launched has since delivered more than 25,000 boats and remains the gold standard of performance cruising.

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Measurements

Imperial Metric

Dimensions 01

Length Overall: 29.36 ft
Length on deck: —
Waterline Length: 25.42 ft
Beam: 9.38 ft
Draft: 5.58 ft
Maximum Headroom: —
Air Draft: —

Construction & hull 02

Construction: Fiberglass
Hull Type: Monohull
Keel Type: Fin
Rudder: 1× Skeg-Hung
Ballast: 3,748 lbs (Iron)
Displacement: 7,606 lbs
Water Capacity: 22 gal
Fuel Capacity: 8 gal

Rig & sails 03

Rigging Type: Masthead Sloop
Mainsail luff: 32 ft
Mainsail foot: 11 ft
Foretriangle height: 36.8 ft
Foretriangle base: 11.2 ft
Forestay Length (estimated): 38.47 ft
Sail Area: 382 sqft

Calculations 04

Sail Area to Displacement Ratio: 15.8
Ballast to Displacement Ratio: 49.28
Displacement to Length Ratio: 206.72
Comfort Ratio: 22.4
Capsize Screening Ratio: 1.91
Hull Speed: 6.76 kn

Design and Construction

Mauric's rethink produced a moderate displacement hull with a fine entry and a transom that balances form stability against reduced drag anchor. The hull carries a fin keel and spade rudder, while the Mauric version protects its rudder with a skeg for a slightly more traditional stance anchor. Construction is solid fiberglass layup typical of the late-1970s era. At 29 feet 4 inches overall on a 25-foot 4-inch waterline, she displaces about 7,600 pounds with 3,748 pounds of iron ballast — a ballast-displacement ratio near 49 percent — and her Displacement/Length ratio sits around 200 with Sail Area/Displacement in the mid-teens.

Rig and Handling

The First 30 carries a masthead sloop rig described as simple and forgiving anchor. The fin-and-spade or skeg-rudder combinations give her a maneuverable footprint underfoot. Her Capsize Screening Formula of roughly 2.0 and Comfort Ratio near 20 place her in the performance-cruiser band, and those figures let her feel quick and balanced.

Accommodations

Below, the boat sleeps four to six across a V-berth forward, two settees in the saloon, and an aft quarter berth, a layout using the 9-foot 4-inch beam anchor. A compact but functional galley, a chart table, and an enclosed head fill out the interior. The accommodations stay in proportion to a 30-foot hull conceived as a do-everything First.

Refits and Ownership

With 965 hulls built between 1977 and 1981, the Mauric First 30 is numerous enough that spares exist, yet scarce enough to feel like a chosen classic. The Renault diesel with shaft drive and an 8-gallon fuel tank points to a simple mechanical package, and the 22-gallon water capacity keeps the cruising radius honest.

The Verdict

The Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) is the boat that proved a production builder could hand the pencil to an outside naval architect and come away with a legend. She is quick, balanced, and genuinely accommodated for a 30-foot hull.

Pros

First Bénéteau to use an external architect; Mauric rethought rig, keel, layout, and roof
Legendary First-series launch; Boat of the Year 1978
Solid FG hull and deck; skeg-protected rudder on the Mauric version
Performance-cruiser ratios: ~49% ballast, D/L ~200, SA/D mid-teens

Cons