beneteau 35 sailboat

Yachting Monthly

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Bénéteau First 35 review: from the archive

Chris Beeson
April 13, 2021

Is it possible to combine smouldering looks, startling pace and cruising comfort without compromise? Chris Beeson gets behind the wheel of the Bénéteau First 35 in France to find out

Bénéteau-First-35-review-external3-credit-Graham-Snook

Is it possible to combine smouldering looks, startling pace and cruising comfort without compromise? Credit: Graham Snook Credit: Graham Snook

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

The Bénéteau First range has been making waves in the cruiser racer market. But does their latest offering, the Bénéteau First 35 deliver all that has been promised?

The Sydney-Hobart Race 2009 was touted as a battle between three 100ft supermaxis, Alfa Romeo , Wild Oats XI and ICAP Leopard .

Barring disaster, line honours for the 628-mile classic was in the bag for one of them but these carbon colossi were so expensively refined, so awesomely powerful and so expertly crewed that overall victory on corrected time was surely a formality.

When the spray settled, the overall winner was Two True , a Bénéteau First 40 fresh out of the box with only a suit of sails and a bowsprit for refinement.

After collecting his silverware, owner Andrew Saies, an orthopaedic surgeon from South Australia, spent a few days cruising around Tasmania with his family on the way home.

A genuine cruiser-racer, then – and Bénéteau’s Eric Ingouf, head of development for the First range, says the Bénéteau First 35 is better than the 40. We arranged a 24-hour test.

Before arriving in St-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, Bénéteau’s base in the Vendée , on France’s Atlantic coast, we had sailed the First 45 and First 40.

Based on those experiences we expected stylish, spacious accommodation, eye-melting good looks and face-peeling speed.

We also expected Bénéteau’s usual user-friendliness: you shouldn’t need to be Russell Coutts to get a decent turn of speed out of her.

Performance

Where’s Russell Coutts when you need him? We motored out of St-Gilles and into the hazy veil of high pressure that was smothering the Bay of Biscay into breathlessness.

The last time I left here, bound for Tortola 21 years ago, it was into the foam-flecked teeth of a Force 6 – a break in the weather after a two-week gale. How times change.

We leant on the throttle, weaved through the forest of bamboo flagstaffs marking fishing pots and headed for Ile d’Yeu, 15 miles west.

It used to be a base for the Vendée’s fishermen but it’s now speckled with picturesque holiday cottages. It would provide a suitably gallic background for Yachting Monthly ‘s photographer Graham Snook’s shoot.

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Great views forward and an excellent feel at the wheel, though there’s no backrest. Photo: Graham Snook.

After lunch, a patchy 6-8 knot south-southwesterly crept in. We weighed anchor and raised full main and jib – part of a North Sails 3DL4 wardrobe that cost a startling £22,000.

We soon settled into a groove around 26-28° to the apparent wind, startlingly close for the light conditions, making 4.9-6.1 knots.

With her non-overlapping jib the Bénéteau First 35 glided through tacks, losing barely a knot before powering up.

With the wind softening we cracked off on starboard tack and eased onto a deep fetch at 60-70° to the apparent wind, making 3.4-4.5 knots in 4-6 knots of true wind.

Bénéteau-First-35-review-on-deck-credit-Graham-Snook

She needs a windlass and a permanently fitted bow roller.

Twenty minutes later we hoisted the masthead spinnaker, still at 70° apparent, and slipped along at 5-6.5 knots.

Later, still high of our course back to St-Gilles in the soft conditions, an extra knot or two of breeze allowed us to drop down to 90-100° apparent and we made 4.9-5.7 knots in 7-8 knots of true wind.

We tried to keep the big kite flying at 150° but we made just 3.4-3.7 knots, with 6-7 knots of true wind over the quarter.

Living below on the Bénéteau First 35

The Bénéteau First 35’s companionway is over 2ft wide, so it’s easy to hump sails and bags up and down. Two sturdy, stainless steel grabrails flank the three lipped, non-slip steps below.

Galley and chart table fiddles and the solidly fitted saloon grabrails make her safer below in a seaway.

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The L-shaped chart table provides a vast work space and plenty of stowage, but we don’t like the folding stool. Photo: Graham Snook

A saloon that’s secure at sea doesn’t have to be pokey. By extending into the volume aft, Bénéteau has made the Bénéteau First 35 saloon the same size, bulkhead to bulkhead, as the First 40, with the same size settees.

Headroom is at least 6ft 1in throughout and having shrouds and lowers outboard means there are no tie rods intruding into the saloon.

Lee cloths would turn the 6ft 4in settees into good seaberths and there’s some stowage in three bottom-hinged lockers outboard.

Light and ventilation comes through the saloon hatch and six opening portlights.

The obvious downside is the lack of stowage. There’s none below the saloon seating – that space is taken up by water tankage. Every effort has been made to keep weight in the Bénéteau First 35 as low and as close to the centreline as possible.

This includes a well below the sole at the bottom of the companionway to stow the anchor and chain while on passage.

The saloon table is a clever piece of engineering. From a two-leaved table for four, pull a toggle and it folds down into a convivial coffee table.

The calorifier is in the base of the table and, by undoing a couple of handbolts, both table and calorifier hinge to port to provide access to keelbolts.

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The effect of the double doors is like knocking a wall through, it’s big, bright and airy. The clever two-way table houses the calorifier, too. Photo: Graham Snook

The double cabin door in the forward bulkhead is practical, making access to the forecabin easy on either tack, and it really opens up the saloon, hugely increasing the sense of space. It’s a remarkably effective design decision.

In the L-shaped navigation station there’s a folding stool. There’s loads of stowage below the table, in a deep recess inboard and in a lid locker just forward. Instrument space outboard is good, too.

Ventilation and light in the galley are very good, but stowage is a bit haphazard. There’s only one sink, a bit too large for use offshore, no splashback panel and most of the worktop is taken up by the lid of the 100-litre Vitrifrigo fridge.

You’d certainly need a galley strap on port tack, though you could brace feet against the companionway steps.

The heads’ white GRP liner means it’s easily maintained and the light from two opening hatches is bounced around by the mirrors on the lockers.

The prominent studs in the deckhead look a little industrial, but are part of her low weight and easy maintenance ethos.

There’s no wet locker, just two hooks and a bracket for the showerhead. Most seacocks are accessible but the shower drain and flushing inlet ones are behind a panel in the bottom of the cockpit locker, so will inevitably be obstructed by cruising gear.

The aft cabin has two opening ports so ventilation is good but it’s a little dark. An extra cockpit hatch further aft would help. The double berth is 6ft 6in long, averages 5ft wide and the plastic fuel tank is under the berth, on the centreline.

There’s a fiddled shelf and a hanging locker but no shelved locker.

The forecabin gets more light and is better ventilated with a big hatch and two hull ports. Again, there are two hanging lockers but no shelved locker.

The berth is 6ft wide at the head, but narrows to less than 2ft at the foot.

There’s a large space below the berth, with transducer access, but the bonded liner is part of the limbered bilge so it could get wet.

Design of the Bénéteau First 35

The Bénéteau First 35 is a very pretty yacht to our eyes. The ‘eyelids’ on the coachroof windows soften her appearance and keep the rain out.

Below decks there’s plenty of light and space, a neutral colour palette, clean lines and clever design. With some reservations about the galley, she’ll be fine at sea, too.

Statistically, she’s no demon in terms of power. Her sail area/displacement ratio, 23.65, is a shade higher than the Arcona 340 , 23.2, which is fast but fabulously well behaved. That’s some way above the Najad 355 , at 19.2, and in a different league to the Océanis 34 , at 17.5. The Elan 340 pitches in at 24.9 and the Dehler 34RS at 25.1, so the First is not extreme.

The performance orientation is mirrored in the displacement/length ratio, an index of speed potential.

The Bénéteau First 35 measures 189 but the Arcona, at 159, is going to slip through the water better, though she displaces 4,800kg versus 5,500kg for the First and 6,200kg for the Najad.

For reference, the Océanis measures 194, and she’s lively, against 205 for the Bavaria 34, and both displace 5,700kg.

Ballast ratio, together with draught, provides an index of stiffness – important for shorthanded sailing.

The Bénéteau First 35 rates at 30.3 against 36.2 for the Dehler, 39.6 for the Arcona and 40 for the Najad, the stiffest by comparison.

The Océanis and Bavaria are in the mid-20s so, while not the stiffest, the First certainly has scope for a cruising couple.

Construction of the Bénéteau First 35

The hull is solid laminate with polyester resin, stiffened by two full- length girders in the liner moulding bonded to the hull and two more either side of the keel between the liner’s anti-grounding crossbeams.

The deck is a combination of solid laminate, foam and balsa core, again injected with polyester resin.

Bulkheads are glassed in at the hull and bonded at the bottom. Hull and deck are glued and screwed together.

The standard keel is a cast iron T-shape but there is an L-shaped shallow draught option, also cast iron.

The rudder stock is laminate injected with polyester resin and sleeved in stainless steel.

The Bénéteau First 35 has a simple, effective fractional sloop rig. The keel-stepped aluminium mast has two sets of sweptback spreaders and a non- overlapping jib for easy tacking.

It’s quite powerful but the deck gear seems well able to cope.

This is the performance rig, the same height as the standard but with rod rigging instead of wire, and spinnaker gear fitted.

There’s also a racing rig, again the same height but carbon fibre.

Deck layout of the Bénéteau First 35

Her hybrid cockpit is big enough for the racing boys’ elbows to fly but secure enough for cruising.

The forward section has benches with space for two either side, a good backrest forward and a footbrace block on the cockpit sole.

A huge, rubber-sealed cockpit locker takes up the starboard quarter.

Aft of the seating is the cockpit- wide traveller, just ahead of the huge 5ft 3in wheel. You can squeeze around it, but it’s easier to hop onto the coaming.

A sole panel immediately behind the wheel lifts to reveal the steering quadrant, great for maintenance or repair.

Aft is a large lazarette, intended for a liferaft, to starboard the engine controls and shore power socket, to port the single bottle gas locker, shower and manual bilge pump.

The aft beam removes to make the cockpit a giant bathing platform.

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With all sail controls led aft and well specified deck gear, she’s easily managed. The helmsman has mainsheet, backstay and traveller to hand. Photo: Graham Snook

Views forward from the wheel are excellent, footblocks are good and the helmsman has backstay and traveller to hand, as well as winches for the German mainsheet system.

There are sidedeck mainsheet clutches so mainsheet winches can be used as secondaries.

On the coachroof there are recessed grabrails running forward to the mast, decent wooden toerails and easy passage inside the shrouds on the moulded non-slip deck.

Our test boat had no jib furler and, as the forestay is right on the stem, you couldn’t fit a recessed one.

A removable bow roller bolts through the stainless steel plate at the base of the forestay.

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We stopped for lunch beneath Le Phare de la Pointe des Corbeaux on Ile d’Yeu’s eastern tip, where Farr’s long, lean lined design was picture perfect. Photo: Graham Snook

There’s a fair lead to a cleat on a platform beneath the anchor locker lid, and space to fit a low-profile windlass.

Having watched Eric haul himself to near-hernia while weighing anchor, I’d want one.

There are a couple of niggles with the deck layout: when deep off the wind the mainsheet chafes the cockpit coaming gelcoat.

Trimming the traveller and backstay had already worn marks in the gelcoat above the camcleats.

Under power

The 29hp Yanmar diesel drives a two-blade Flex-o-fold prop via a saildrive.

At 2,000rpm she makes 5.4 knots and at 2,800rpm boatspeed rises to 7 knots.

Flat out she makes 7.8 knots at 3,500rpm, which is high revs, so perhaps she could do with a three-bladed prop.

Going ahead she turns in a boat length and astern in just 1.5 boat lengths.

The big wheel means controlling her in astern is a cinch.

Maintenance access to most engine systems is good, behind the side-hinged, gas-strutted companionway steps, a panel in the aft cabin and hatch in the heads.

The hardest thing to reach is the oil filter, another panel outside the heads would fix that.

YM’s 100-point results for the Bénéteau First 35

Performance – 10/10

With feeble puffs and no payload it wasn’t the sternest test, but there are plenty of yachts that would have struggled. In light airs she clocked up very respectable speeds – upwind at 6 knots in 7 knots true – so while it might not have been as fulfilling as a 20-mile blast reach in a Force 6, we can’t fault her performance.

At the helm – 9/19

Despite the light air and the size of the wheel, she generated wonderful feedback upwind – she ‘talks’ very clearly to the helmsman. You’d need crew for the jib but the helmsman has the mainsheet within reach. She loses a point because there’s nothing for the helmsman to lean on.

Deck layout – 7/10

She has a fine working cockpit, which is great because her owners will be performance cruisers, but even they will drop the hook some time so she needs a more substantial bow roller. The short cockpit, which also lacks a table, isn’t ideal for relaxing at anchor. Several lines chafe against the gelcoat, including the mainsheet when sailing offwind.

Sailplan – 9/10

Bénéteau has produced a really well-judged sailplan. Her sail area/displacement ratio is towards the exciting end of the spectrum but it’s not extreme and the sails are very easy to handle, with good-sized winches and effective purchase systems. All she needs, like the Sydney-Hobart winner, is a bowsprit from which to fly a gennaker.

Design & construction – 8/10

She has smouldering good looks and plenty of pace. Down below she’s light, comfortable, spacious, well ventilated and clever expect to see other builders copy the double forecabin doors. However, the cast iron keel is a cost compromise and we’re not entirely comfortable with a composite rudder stock.

Maintenance – 9/10

Engine access is very good, oil filter aside, and most seacocks are easily accessible. Maintaining or replacing deck gear is easy because all the securing bolts are visible in the deckhead. The calorifier is comparatively easy to get at too, as are the keelbolts. Smooth surfaces mean she’ll be easy to keep clean.

Chart table – 8/10

We like the professional feel of the L-shape, but apart from stowage beneath, what use is the fiddle-free surface outboard? The canting seat position has been improved but we’re still not fans – space saver it may be, but comfortable it is not. That aside, the nav station is a good size and the stowage is fantastic.

Galley – 6/10

Light and ventilation are exemplary but other than the facing lockers outboard, stowage is limited. Aft of the stove are three drawers 6in square and 16in deep – how much cling film do we need? The lid of the big fridge is all the worktop space there is and we’d much rather see a double sink than a single big one.

Heads – 8/10

The heads is easy to clean, well ventilated and bright. Bracing and stowage are pretty good too and there’s a bracket for the shower head. On the downside there’s no wet locker, just two hooks. Another mark is lost for the seacock access, which involves rummaging blind through a hatch into the cockpit locker.

Living below – 8/10

The First 35 has a very clean-looking interior, with tidy lines. The cabin is easily maintained but has enough solid grabrails to keep you safe under way. Stowage is the biggest gripe but she does have just enough space for four people on a week’s cruise. The forecabin is the better of the two sleeping cabins.

Total score – 82

In winds so light that most yachts would be rattling along spluttering diesel fumes, she’s a silent gossamer glider. It’s remarkable to design and build a yacht with this sort of pace, that looks this good and yet is still capable of comfortable family cruising. The First 34.7 and 36, both of which she replaces, set a high bar and this yacht sails clear over it. If you’re a couple who enjoy performance cruising, there’s a lot of competition, but the combination of Farr and Bénéteau looks hard to beat. Just ask an Aussie supermaxi owner.

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Sailboat Guide

Beneteau Oceanis 35

Beneteau Oceanis 35 is a 32 ′ 9 ″ / 10 m monohull sailboat designed by Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot) and built by Beneteau starting in 2014.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
LOA: Length overall in feet
Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

Displacement - (daysailer - gte): 5207 kg/11476 lbs Displacement - (cruiser - gte): 5533 kg/12195 lbs deep draft (min): 1.85m/6.08’ deep ballast weight: 1559 kg/3436 lbs shallow draft (min): 1.45m/4.75’ shallow ballast weight: 1825 kg/4022 lbs Keel/CB draft: 1.15 m / 2.30 m - 3.75’ / 7.58’ Keel/CB ballast: 1995 kg / 4397 lbs mast height above WL: 1545 m - 50.67’

freshwater capacity (standard): 130 l - 34 US gal freshwater capacity (optional): 200 l - 53 US gal

Sail Area: mainsail (classic) 27.50 m²/297 sq.ft. genoa (103%) 26.72 m²/288 sq.ft. asymmetric spinnaker 83.45 m²/898 sq.ft. code 0 - código 0 50.9 m²/548 sq.ft. self tacking jib 25.5 m²/274 Renamed and undated to OCEANIS 35.1. (2016?)

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Beam: 14' Draft: 6'

Beam: 16'4'' Draft: 7'3''

Beam: 16.3'

Beam: 16' Draft: 8.6'

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Beam: 16.25' Draft: 5'7'

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Beam: 15.75' Draft: 6.3'

Beam: 15.6' Draft: 6'

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Beam: 15.6' Draft: 5.9'

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Beam: 14.67' Draft: 7.6'

Beam: 15'11' Draft: 6'9'

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Beam: 15.5' Draft: 5.8'

Beam: 15' Draft: 5.83'

Beam: 15' Draft: 7'

Beam: 12.5' Draft: 6'

Beam: 14.8' Draft: 5.8'

Beam: 15 1'

Beam: 15'7' Draft: 6'4'

Beam: 145' Draft: 6.5'

Beam: 13.92' Draft: 6.0'

Beam: 14' Draft: 8'

Beam: 14.9' Draft: 6'

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Catalina 270 vs. The Beneteau First 265 Used Boat Match-Up

Both the Beneteau and the Catalina utilize modern wide-body, fin-keel, spade-rudder configurations, relatively long waterlines, and moderate rigs with shrouds moved inboard to permit a narrower sheeting base. The Beneteau has a slightly shorter LOA but longer LWL (length waterline), and a nearly plumb bow. The 265’s draft is mid-range (4′ 2″ vs. the Catalina’s choice of 5′ 0″ deep fin or 3′ 6″ fin with wings).

Both test boats have inboards. Catalina does not offer an outboard option as it once did with its old 27. Catalina’s chief engineer, Gerry Douglas, doesn’t think it’s suitable for a 27- footer, especially one weighing 6,400 pounds-and, he says, neither did most buyers of Catalina 27s over the last several years. (Among other problems, in a seaway an outboard prop tends to ventilate excessively).

Both the Beneteau and Catalina offer easy access to their respective sugar-scoop transoms for boarding, but the Beneteau’s standard tiller simplifies transit through this space. Note the single lifeline and pelican hook arrangement to secure the transom (so-so) and the nicely canted cockpit seat backs with integrated grab rails.

Still, Beneteau, with a 4,800-lb. boat, offered an outboard version of the First 265 when the boat came out in the 90s, and recommends a 9.9-hp. outboard for those who wish to go this route. So far, few buyers have. Beyond the ventilating prop problem, the reason is mostly economic: By the time Beneteau buyers acquire the outboard engine and associated paraphernalia, the dollar difference between inboard and outboard shrinks to around and those who opt for the outboard miss the shore power option and electric hot water heater option which Beneteau threw in” free” with the inboard package.

The rigs of the two boats may appear quite similar at first glance, but upon close inspection a number of important differences emerge.

Beneteau First 265	Courtesy: Sailboatdata.com

Hull Type:	Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type:	Fractional Sloop
LOA:	26.00 ft / 7.92 m
LWL:	24.17 ft / 7.37 m
S.A. (reported):	323.00 ft² / 30.01 m²
Beam:	9.42 ft / 2.87 m
Displacement:	4,800.00 lb / 2,177 kg
Ballast:	1,430.00 lb / 649 kg
Max Draft:	4.92 ft / 1.50 m
Construction:	FG
Ballast Type:	Iron
First Built:	1990
Last Built:	1997
# Built:	520
Builder:	Beneteau
Designer:	Group Finot
Fuel:	7 gals / 26 L
Water:	10 gals / 38 L
S.A. / Displ.:	18.21
Bal. / Displ.:	29.79
Disp: / Len:	151.76
Comfort Ratio:	15.13
Capsize Screening Formula:	2.24
S#:	3.51
Hull Speed:	6.59 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion:	813.53 pounds/inch
I:	31.33 ft / 9.55 m
J:	10.07 ft / 3.07 m
P:	30.51 ft / 9.30 m
E:	10.82 ft / 3.30 m
S.A. Fore:	157.75 ft² / 14.66 m²
S.A. Main:	165.06 ft² / 15.33 m²
S.A. Total (100% Fore + Main Triangles):	322.81 ft² / 29.99 m²
S.A./Displ. (calc.):	18.2
Est. Forestay Length:	32.91 ft / 10.03 m

The Beneteau features a seven-eighths rig with single spreaders, adjustable split backstay, mast stepped on deck with compression strut in the cabin, and shrouds tied into a force grid molded into the cabin top via a set of studs threaded into a patented configuration involving stem balls set into bronze plates. (We’d prefer a set of conventional-and more easily adjustable and replaceable turnbuckles.) The mast is stepped on a hinge for lowering the spar at bridges, trailer ramps, or for maintenance, but Beneteau says use of the hinge is not recommended without side-sway preventers- currently available as an option in Europe, but not in the U.S.

The Beneteau’s genoa sheets lead to cars riding on C-shaped aluminum tracks, which double as handrails, on the cabintop. It’s not easy to grab the tracks/rails, which require feeding your fingers through a narrow slot molded into the coach roof. We’d rather see separate handrails. We’d also prefer to see the Beneteau’s cockpit mounted mainsheet traveler track moved forward onto the cabintop (as the Catalina is configured), so crew moving from cockpit to cabin don’t have to dodge the mainsheet and car. But, unfortunately, moving the track forward isn’t feasible because of the long companionway bridge deck, which reaches forward beyond the boom’s midpoint.

Catalina 270	Courtesy: Sailboatdata.com

Hull Type:	Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type:	Masthead Sloop
LOA:	28.33 ft / 8.63 m
LOD:	27.00 ft / 8.23 m
LWL:	23.75 ft / 7.24 m
S.A. (reported):	316.00 ft² / 29.36 m²
Beam:	9.83 ft / 3.00 m
Displacement:	6,240.00 lb / 2,830 kg
Ballast:	1,840.00 lb / 835 kg
Max Draft:	5.00 ft / 1.52 m
Construction:	FG
First Built:	1992
Last Built:	2007
Builder:	Catalina Yachts (USA)
Designer:	Gerry Douglas
Make:	Perkins
Model:	20
Type:	Diesel
HP:	18
Fuel:	14 gals / 53 L
S.A. / Displ.:	14.96
Bal. / Displ.:	29.49
Disp: / Len:	207.94
Comfort Ratio:	18.28
Capsize Screening Formula:	2.14
S#:	2.38
Hull Speed:	6.53 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion:	834.19 pounds/inch
I:	33.33 ft / 10.16 m
J:	9.25 ft / 2.82 m
P:	28.25 ft / 8.61 m
E:	11.50 ft / 3.51 m
S.A. Fore:	154.15 ft² / 14.32 m²
S.A. Main:	162.44 ft² / 15.09 m²
S.A. Total (100% Fore + Main Triangles):	316.59 ft² / 29.41 m²
S.A./Displ. (calc.):	14.99
Est. Forestay Length:	34.59 ft / 10.54 m
Mast Height from DWL:	37.42 ft / 11.41 m

Notes

Wing keel:
- draft: 3.5'/1.07m.
- ballast: 2,060 lbs / 933 kg
- displacement: 6,460 lbs / 2,930 kg
Later models were available with a Yanmar 2GM20F motor.
LE (Luxury Edition) version also available.

The Catalina’s masthead rig, even with double spreaders (permitting use of a lighter spar than the Beneteau), is more conventional. Although the Catalina’s mast is shorter and its mainsail is smaller, the foretriangle height is two feet taller than the Beneteau’s, resulting in more total sail area when setting a big genoa.

The Catalina’s rig design strives for simplicity and ease of use (no backstay bridle adjustment, no line-adjusted genoa car position as on the Beneteau). Helping to make sailing the Catalina a no-hassle experience is an impressive array of standard equipment not seen on the Beneteau: A double-ended mainsheet, adjustable either at a cam cleat on the traveler car or at a cabin top stopper, where a winch can be used; a pair of two-speed Lewmar self-tailing #30s (compared to Beneteau’s single speed #16s); a standard 135-percent genoa on a good quality Hood single-line furler (compared to Beneteau’s standard 100-percent jib and furler hardware available only as an option); a total of five cabintop rope clutches (vs. three for the Beneteau); Dutchman mainsail flaking system; and single-line reefing (though our Catalina test boat did not have single-line reefing rigged).

Other features on deck also favor the Catalina. Working aft from the bow: The welded pulpit, like the stanchions, is 1-inch stainless steel tubing (vs. the Beneteau’s 7/8-inch), has two horizontal rails (vs. one for the Beneteau) and four legs (three for the Beneteau). There are twin anchor rollers at the stemhead (one on the Beneteau). Both boats have anchor lockers built into the forward deck, but the Beneteau’ s locker has a water tank fill cap in its bottom. This can make it extremely inconvenient to fill the tank when line and chain are piled over the cap. And the combination bow light is mounted directly behind and partly obscured by the center support of the pulpit.

Moving further aft, the Catalina’s six stanchions are fitted with double lifelines and, being 24-3/4 inches off the deck, give a good measure of security. In contrast, the Beneteau has only four stanchions, less than 18 inches high, with single lifelines. The low lifelines are at “tripping height,” and while the scale may be aesthetically pleasing, safety is compromised.

The cockpits on both boats have comfortably high, canted coamings and angled seats. The Catalina’s cockpit is noticeably roomier, due not only to the absence of a cockpit traveler, but also to the placement of the wheel way aft, with an athwartships helm seat 5 feet wide-big enough for three for cocktails at the mooring. On the Catalina, there’s room for nine at the dock, as big a cockpit as could be desired in this size boat. And that doesn’t include a pair of “observation seats” built into each corner of the push pit.

In contrast, the Beneteau seats no more than seven at the dock, and that assumes that one passenger is seated atop the traveler and the tiller is swung up out of the way.

We have no objection to tillers-in fact we generally prefer them in this size boat—provided there’s no noticeable drag in the rudder tube and that the forward end is a comfortable height over the sole.

Catalina chose Edson for its 32-inch stainless steel destroyer wheel on a pedestal, a brand we associate with high quality and reliability. The size and placement is good for steering from either a sitting or standing position; brake and compass binnacle (4- inch Danforth Constellation) are standard; pedestal-mounted brackets for additional instruments such as depth sounder and speedo are extra.

The Beneteau’s compass is optional, mounted along with any other optional instruments on the cabinhouse bulkhead, a better position for crew viewing but not as good for the helmsman.

Both boats have swim platforms and stainless swing-down swim ladders. The Catalina easily wins the Ladder Sweepstakes with a four-step, 24-inch wide ladder with flat plastic treads, compared to the Beneteau’s three-step, 8-1/2-inch wide ladder with treads only 1-1/4-inch wide, made by flattening the stainless tubing a bit.

The Catalina’s ladder swings up to form the center part of the push pit, a clever and neat-looking design. The Beneteau ropes off the transom area with a length of lifeline and a pelican hook.

Both swim platforms are molded into “sugar-scoop” transoms, and both are elevated 9 inches off the water, with a bit of transom projecting below.

CONSTRUCTION

Both boats utilize external bolt-on lead keels, suitably thick fiberglass lay-up schedules, solid glass hulls and balsacored decks, with reasonably stout hull-deck connections. Both have highly engineered force grids molded into their hull liners, of particular note since the shrouds in both boats lead not to traditional chainplates but to intermediate tie rods that in turn are joined to metal plates for the most part hidden behind interior liners. On both boats we would prefer better inspection ports to view these crucial connections.

On both boats, the pulpits and stanchions are fastened to the deck with a single large threaded stud, projecting down through the deck and secured with a large washer and nut. Four through-bolts and large backing plates to distribute the load would be better.

Deck hardware (blocks, tracks, hatches, ports) on the Catalina is mostly made by Garhauer, Nibo, and Beckson, all vendors noted for producing decent-quality but low-cost equipment. On the Beneteau, Harken, Spinlock, and Lewmar are predominant and, in our opinion, something of an upgrade. As already mentioned, both boats use Lewmar winches. We judged all branded hardware on both boats to be of acceptable quality.

The interior layouts on the two boats are quite similar: a large double-berth aft, galley to port next to the companionway, head opposite the galley, U-shaped dining area around a smallish table supported by the mast compression post with a V-berth forward. (See line drawings.)

All berths on both boats have comfortable 4-inch cushions. The aft berth on the Beneteau measures 60″ x 77″, and you sleep parallel to the keel; the Catalina is slightly narrower at 57 inches wide, is 74 inches to 86 inches long depending on which side you’re on, and you sleep athwartships. We wouldn’t be inclined to sleep two in either aft berth, since the inside party not only doesn’t have much vertical roll-over room due to incursion of the cockpit sole, but also must crawl over the outside party to get up.

Neither the Catalina nor the Beneteau forward berths have these problems. On the Beneteau, you can lower the table and set up the berth without undue commotion; but setting up the Catalina berth involves a lot of fussy positioning of the raised forward seat and locking it in place with a pair of hard-to-reach latches.

The forward berth on the Beneteau measures 19 inches at the front, 76 inches at the back, and is 88 inches long. On the Catalina it’s 10 inches at the front, 68 inches at the back, and 75 inches long. Tall folks will appreciate the larger Beneteau berth.

The Beneteau has the edge on locker space, with three separate hanging lockers (including one open-air unit in the head), and a liquor cabinet under what a Beneteau brochure describes as a nav station. Still, this small horizontal surface gives the galley slave some countertop space. The Catalina also suffers from lack of sufficient galley top working space…one of the compromises you’ll find in boats of this size range.

The use of maintenance-hungry exterior wood has been completely eliminated on the Catalina, and minimized on the Beneteau except for the companionway drop slides (King StarBoard plastic on the Catalina, nicely varnished cherry-veneer plywood on the Beneteau). Below, both boats use some wood to visually warm up the otherwise mostly white interior. The surface is totally fiberglass on the Catalina, but on the Beneteau, soft white foam-backed vinyl lines the upper halves of the hull sides. .

Catalina’s use of wood is sparing (varnished teak doors and trim, teak dining table, small patch of maple and teak sole forward), while Beneteau’s is lavish (varnished cherry bulkheads and trim, full teak sole). The wood is set off on both boats by neatly made upholstery on berths and settees, on the Catalina by a combination of Ultrasuede-like material and light patterned cotton fabrics, on the Beneteau by a practical and soft dark green velvet.

The Beneteau interior gives an impression of good craftsmanship with a dark though pleasantly airy cabin. On the Catalina, the impression is of a more basic, but much lighter and equally airy boat. The Catalina’s lightness is helped by a skylight of milk-white Plexiglas (two layers thick) aft of the mast, and more area in the main cabin ports. For ventilation, the Catalina has six opening ports plus a forward hatch, while the Beneteau has eight plus a forward hatch. Screens for the ports (but not for either the forward or main hatch) are standard on both the Catalina and the Beneteau. Neither boat has a rollup sunshade over the forward hatch, which would be a nice touch.

PERFORMANCE

We did our testing on the Manatee River off Palmetto, Florida. Both boats seemed quite stiff, well balanced, and very responsive to the helm. Both could be spun in more or less their own length. The day we sailed the Beneteau, it was blowing 15 knots steadily and 20 in gusts, and the 265 heeled not more than 25 degrees close-hauled with full sail. This impressed us. So did the Catalina, which was at least as stable on a breezier day (wind 20-25, occasional gusts to 30) with full sail, only burying the rail once in a particularly vicious wind burst. In short, we wouldn’t hesitate to sail either boat in dusty weather.

Though hard to judge in such strong, shifting winds, we think the Beneteau had the edge in sailing speed, as her specifications would indicate. Under power, however, her smaller engine and prop (single-cylinder, 9-hp., 26-CID Volvo, 15 x 12 optional folding prop) was definitely not as effective upwind as the Catalina’s (three-cylinder, 18-hp, 3 7-CID Perkins, two-blade 13 x 10 prop). The Catalina’s Perkins also was smoother and quieter, despite the fact that its engine box (two removable clam-shells back to back, of fiberglass-foam sandwich construction) had no added insulation, while the Beneteau’s plywood box was lined with soft foam. Engine and shaft log access was very good on the Beneteau, superb on the Catalina.

At the moment, PHRF for the Beneteau is 168. The Catalina’s is 198.

THE BOTTOM LINE

To some extent, the choice between the Beneteau 265 and the Catalina 270 is a trade off between elegant French styling on the one hand, and no-nonsense American practicality on the other.

The choice comes down to the Beneteau’s lighter hull with quicker acceleration, and the Catalina’s equally maneuverable but heavier hull with greater load-carrying capacity and living space below.

All boats are compromises, and personal taste and prejudices do enter the picture. That said, we admit to a clear preference for the Catalina. We especially like the lightness and brightness of its interior, enhanced by numerous large ports and an overhead skylight. Most of all, we like the Catalina’s greater value for the money-not just because the overall price is about 10 percent lower than a comparable Beneteau, but because of the better choice of standard items. For example, note the differences between some of the Beneteau’s items and the Catalina’s: 9-hp. raw-water-cooled engine vs. 18-hp. freshwater-cooled; no engine tach or fuel gauge vs. both standard; 8.25-gallon fuel tank vs. 14 gallons; 16.25-gallon water tank vs. 26 gallons; holding tank 11.5 gallons vs. 18; single-speed #16 self-tailing Lewmars vs. two-speed #30 STs; a 1.6- gpm Shurflo pressure water pump vs. a 2.8-gpm Shurflo pump: a gimbaled two-burner non-pressure alcohol stove vs. a gimbaled two-burner LPG stove, and so on.

The Catalina is heavier, more stable, roomier, and better equipped. The Beneteau has more stowage lockers, faster acceleration, and French-flavored rather than California flavored Eurostyle. Both boats do well in heavy air. Neither is a racehorse likely to win much in competition. Neither wins the prize as the ultimate low-cost 27-footer, though the Catalina 270 may come close. Now if Catalina had only installed a good-size hanging locker, put in more working counter surface in the galley, make it easier to make up the forward berth…

Beneteau First 265/Catalina 270

1993 Beneteau First 265	Murray Yacht Sales
$14,000	(985) 789-4210
New Orleans LA

1994 Beneteau First 265	Colorado Sail and YC
Price on request	(970) 531-9008
Grand Lake CO

1995 Catalina 270	Snug Harbor Boats
$26,950	770-790-5261
Buford GA

1995 Catalina 270	Murray Yacht Sales
$21,900	985-789-4210
Dallas TX

This review was first published November 23, 2015 and has been updated.

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After nearly five decades in production, the capacity of the Antares line to imbue modestly sized platforms with big versatility is well known – and that’s nowhere more evident than on the flagship 42-footer Beneteau Antares 12 .

While its spacious flybridge, expandable cockpit and beamy bow lounge all function very effectively as independent open-air dayboating zones, the lower deck is pretty well arranged for extended cruising too. The owner’s bow cabin and the primary twin cabin both come with ensuite bathrooms and, while the latter is shared as a day heads, there’s still space for a modular third cabin that can be specced as a single berth, a double berth or a dedicated storage room.

The dinette takes potential sleeping capacity to eight

A convertible settee in the airy, single-level wheelhouse enables you to sleep eight people at a time if you need to and performance isn’t overlooked either. In fact, with a pair of beefy V10 400hp Verados or triple V8 300s on the cards, you can expect a top end that pushes right up into the high 30s.

Some people will continue to favour the equally brilliant Jeanneau Merry Fisher 1295 but if you’re looking for a well-priced, all-weather multi-purpose cruising machine, this will undoubtedly be one of Southampton’s star attractions.

New Boats at Southampton Boat Show: Rustler 41

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Beneteau antares 12 specifications:.

LOA: 42ft 7in (12.97m) Beam: 12ft 5in (3.78m) Engines: Twin 400hp – triple 300hp outboards Top speed: 37 knots Price: from €415,000 ex VAT Contact details: www.beneteau.com

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Swift Trawler 48

Swift trawler 54, grand trawler 62.

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Description

Specifications

A safe, comfortable, and ingenious boat designed for the high seas. The many features and the size of the Swift Trawler 35 will tempt you to go on a long cruise . She has strong, harmonious lines allowing you to feel assuredly safe, a quality repeated in the design and features throughout the entire boat.

NAVAL ARCHITECT : BENETEAU POWERBOATS DESIGN : Andreani Design

Exterior design

Built on a semi-planing hull developed through the expertise of BENETEAU Power, the Swift Trawler 35 has a Cummins 425 hp engine. Together they promise pleasure underway and offer easy maneuvering. Protected by either a Bimini or a soft top, the Swift Trawler 35's flybridge has a comfortable living space with a sea view.

Interior Design

Intended for long cruises, the Swift Trawler 35 offers a spacious interior with contemporary fittings. The glazed wheelhouse affords a 360° view and creates a pleasant atmosphere. A gullwing door opens to the owner cabin with ensuite shower room and a second cabin with bunk berths. There is plenty of space for guests on the Swift Trawler 35. Fitted with a twin sink that converts to a worktop and an extra forward-facing seat, the U-shaped galley offers a convivial living space on board. The sofa-bed in the salon converts to a comfortable double berth. The teak wood matches the wonderfully easy to clean Efficiency© upholstery, creating a cozy atmosphere indoors. Enjoy a completely different cruise experience onboard.

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The easiest way to keep your boat safe and ready to cruise anytime.

The new Seanapps app is the ultimate solution to help you indulge your passion for boating. With the touch of your finger, you can easily connect, monitor and order services for your boat – from routine maintenance, to requesting a wash or fuel or having us complete a repair.

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The information below is intended for general informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice and does not constitute a contractual agreement. Any descriptions, representations, or statements made in this document are not to be considered binding unless explicitly stated otherwise in a formal contractual agreement.

Length Overall

Beam overall

Light displacement

Air Draft Max

Fuel Capacity

Water Capacity

2 x 40 US Gal

Max. engine power

Cabin Number

CE Certification

B8 / C10 / D11

FLYBRIDGE / FOREDECK

1x Cummins QSB 6.7 425hp (312KW) engine.
Large foredeck sun pad.
U-shaped seating area for six with folding table.
Adjustable pilot seat.
Adaptable aft fly area.

Innovative opening transom coaming featuring integrated flip-up seats.
Comfortable salon with transverse convertible bed settee and optional privacy curtain.
Well equipped U-shaped galley forward.
Side door & bulwark gate adjacent to pilot station bench seat.

Owner cabin with super wide entrance, plentiful storage & large hull windows.
Port guest cabin with hi-low berths and storage.
Bathroom with vanity & shower cubicle with toilet.

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Other models in the range

Swift Trawler 41 Sedan

13.43 m / 44’1’’

4.25 m / 13’11’’

Swift Trawler 41 Fly

14.74 m / 48’4’’

4.5 m / 14’9’’

17.13 m / 56’2’’

4.98 m / 16'4''

18.95 m / 62’2’’

5.45 m / 17’10½’’

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Our Review of the Beneteau 423 Sailboat Ep 35

COMMENTS

OCEANIS 35 (BENETEAU)
A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls.
Oceanis 35
Exterior design. The Oceanis 35's chined hull offers particularly surprising cruising comfort. Good and taut to aft and low on the water, the rigidity under sail of this cruiser takes her further and faster, with exceptional stability. It is a real joy to have two helm stations, a mainsail arch and a huge swim platform on a sailing yacht this ...
Boat Review: Beneteau Oceanis 35
Beneteau's groundbreaking Oceanis 38, which featured a dramatic new approach to accommodation space in a cruising monohull, scored a host of awards during its 2013-14 debut season, including a Best Boats nod from SAIL.Now comes a slightly smaller sibling, the new Oceanis 35, with the same sort of flexible modular interior.
BENETEAU Oceanis 35.1
Layouts. Loyal to the spirit of this earlier generation and in the tradition of the 38.1, the Oceanis 35.1 combines performance and comfort at sea. The Oceanis 35.1 interiors have been rethought and their exteriors redesigned, delivering significant innovations and offering a choice of four versions in all. NAVAL DESIGNER : Finot - Conq.
Beneteau Oceanis 35 review: from the archive
The first day of the test was blighted by light winds - a flat calm. The second day, we had a few knots more and still flat seas. The performance of the Beneteau Oceanis 35 was transformed: much more respectable and enjoyable. As the apparent wind built from 15 to 18 knots, boatspeed jumped from 5.4 to a more engaging 6.8 knots.
Beneteau boats for sale
Beneteau. There are presently 1,989 yachts for sale on YachtWorld for Beneteau. This assortment encompasses 634 brand-new vessels and 1,355 pre-owned yachts, all of which are listed by knowledgeable yacht brokers and boat dealerships predominantly in United States, France, United Kingdom, Spain and Croatia. The selection of models featured on ...
Beneteau Oceanis 35.1: one of the best family cruisers
The Beneteau Oceanis 35.1 is a progression of the Oceanis 35, a good option if your budget won't stretch to the Beneteau Oceanis 35.1. The updated version included a line on the hull to show off the hull chine, the additional option of an L-shaped galley, and doing away with the removable forward bulkhead in favour of double forecabin doors.
Bénéteau First 35 review: from the archive
The First 35 has a very clean-looking interior, with tidy lines. The cabin is easily maintained but has enough solid grabrails to keep you safe under way. Stowage is the biggest gripe but she does have just enough space for four people on a week's cruise. The forecabin is the better of the two sleeping cabins.
Beneteau Oceanis 35
Beneteau Oceanis 35 is a 32′ 9″ / 10 m monohull sailboat designed by Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot) and built by Beneteau starting in 2014. ... The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more. Formula. D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³ D: Displacement of the boat in ...
Beneteau First 35 boats for sale
2012 Beneteau First 35. US$121,413. ↓ Price Drop. US $922/mo. SC Yachts - CNB France | CAP D'AGDE, 34 - Hérault. Request Info; In-Stock; 2010 Beneteau First 35. US$109,271. ↓ Price Drop. ... Iconic Marine Boat Sales & Service | Washington, North Carolina. 2017 NauticStar 215 XTS. US$39,000. Yachts360 | Wilmington, North Carolina. 2002 PDQ ...
Beneteau 35 Oceanis boats for sale
1988. $44,015. Private Seller. 37. Contact. 1. Sort By. Filter Search. View a wide selection of Beneteau 35 Oceanis boats for sale in your area, explore detailed information & find your next boat on boats.com. #everythingboats.
FIRST 35S5 (BENETEAU)
A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls.
Sailboats Oceanis 35
Exterior design. The Oceanis 35's chined hull offers particularly surprising cruising comfort. Good and taut to aft and low on the water, the rigidity under sail of this cruiser takes her further and faster, with exceptional stability. It is a real joy to have two helm stations, a mainsail arch and a huge swim platform on a sailing yacht this ...
Beneteau sailboats for sale by owner.
Beneteau preowned sailboats for sale by owner. Beneteau used sailboats for sale by owner. Home. Register & Post. View All Sailboats. Search. Avoid Fraud. ... 35' Sadler Yachts Sadler 34 New York City, New York Asking $24,000. 25' TPI Freedom 25 Somerset, Massachusetts Asking $5,000. 34' Hunter 340
Beneteau Oceanis 35 boats for sale
Find 28 Beneteau Oceanis 35 boats for sale near you, including boat prices, photos, and more. Locate Beneteau boat dealers and find your boat at Boat Trader!
The Reference in Cruising & Performance Sailboats since 1884
Sailboats. For over 140 years, we've crafted every innovation in hull design and navigation with your ultimate experience in mind. Since our inception in 1884, BENETEAU has tirelessly pursued perfection, shaping living spaces and setting new standards on the water. Our commitment to building the sturdiest, safest, and most breathtaking boats ...
2021 Beneteau 35' Yacht For Sale
2021 Beneteau . Boat Name: "Re-Berth" ... 35 ft Beam:-- ... Sail your boat as often as you'd like, while generating revenue when the boat would otherwise be tied to the dock. If you desire to own a new Beneteau for a fraction of the cost of traditional boat ownership, Charter Placement with Harbor Sailboats is the answer.
FIRST 35 (BENETEAU)
Referred to in the US as BENETEAU R/C 35. Shoal draft: 4.42'/1.35m IDYLLE 11.50 based on the same hull. Sailboat Forum. View All Topics: ... Like the LWL, it will vary with the weights of fuel, water, stores and equipment. A boat's actual draft is usually somewhat more than the original designed or advertised draft. For boats with adjustable ...
Beneteau boats for sale
Beneteau is a boat builder in the marine industry that offers boats for sale in a variety of sizes on Boat Trader, with the smallest current boat listed at 14 feet in length, to the longest vessel measuring in at 62 feet, and an average length of 35.98 feet. Boat Trader currently has 624 Beneteau boats for sale, including 336 new vessels and ...
Catalina 270 vs. The Beneteau First 265 Used Boat Match-Up
And hull speed with appropriate sail and engine power typically permits average-weather runs of 35 to 40 miles in an 8-hour day—long enough legs to satisfy the wanderlust of most cruisers. Two of the most popular 27-foot cruising boat designs are from Beneteau and Catalina, both huge builders.
Sailboats First 35
Exterior design. Designed by Farr Yacht Design, the First 35 hull has taut lines accentuated by her particularly elegant hull and roof decoration. The huge cockpit, mainsheet traveller further aft and 'German System' make life on board safer and easier. The long draft lead keel promises outstanding performance.
New Boats at Southampton Boat Show: Beneteau Antares 12
After nearly five decades in production, the capacity of the Antares line to imbue modestly sized platforms with big versatility is well known - and that's nowhere more evident than on the flagship 42-footer Beneteau Antares 12.. While its spacious flybridge, expandable cockpit and beamy bow lounge all function very effectively as independent open-air dayboating zones, the lower deck is ...
Swift Trawler 35
A safe, comfortable, and ingenious boat designed for the high seas. The many features and the size of the Swift Trawler 35 will tempt you to go on a long cruise. She has strong, harmonious lines allowing you to feel assuredly safe, a quality repeated in the design and features throughout the entire boat. NAVAL ARCHITECT : BENETEAU POWERBOATS.
FIRST 35-2 (BENETEAU)
A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls.
OCEANIS 351 (BENETEAU)
It takes into consideration "reported" sail area, displacement and length at waterline. The higher the number the faster speed prediction for the boat. A cat with a number 0.6 is likely to sail 6kts in 10kts wind, a cat with a number of 0.7 is likely to sail at 7kts in 10kts wind. KSP = (Lwl*SA÷D)^0.5*0.5