First 36 SE: BENETEAU unveils its purebred gliding racer
First 36 SE: A Racing Boat with a Cruising Soul
At first glance, it resembles its older sibling. But at the helm, there’s no mistaking it: the First 36 SE is a different beast. Conceived by BENETEAU and Seascape, this Seascape Edition is designed to unlock the full planing potential of the original model. Light, responsive, and precise, this newcomer has been tested, rethought, and optimized for those who experience sailing as a field of expression, performance… and raw pleasure.
“After the first outing, I can confirm it: it’s a real racing boat!” exclaims Samuel Manuard, the project’s naval architect.
A Regatta DNA
From its inception, the First 36 SE was designed as a racing platform. It draws on the expertise of a renowned quartet: Samuel Manuard (hull), Bernard Nivelt (IRC optimization), Maurizio Cossutti (ORC optimization), and Pure Design & Engineering (structure). The goal? To evolve the First 36 into a more demanding and faster version, without stripping it of its soul.
With a weight reduction of 400 kg compared to the standard version and a redesigned hull at the front, the boat shortens its waterline and reduces its wetted surface by 3 m2, which improves acceleration and promotes planing even in light airs.
“Today, we were planing with little wind. The feeling of control is total, the helm reacts instantly, even at high speed,” says Manuard. “With its twin rudders, you can attack hard on the reaching without fear of broaching.”
The First 36 SE is aimed at both double-handed regatta enthusiasts and full crews. Its ORC test certificate displays an APH of 520 with a full crew and 530 double-handed, solid values for a production boat of 11.98 meters.
“I think it’s the fastest and most fun 36-foot production boat on the market,” says Andraz Mihelin, CEO of Seascape. “It takes off as soon as there are 12 knots of true wind, with a stunning responsiveness in light air.”
Ergonomics and Sensations at the Center
The cockpit has been completely redesigned. The twin steering wheels give way to a tiller for more direct steering. An e-bar allows fine adjustment of the stick angle. The deck is covered with a soft foam grip for more comfort underfoot and safety during maneuvers. The helm position has been optimized to avoid fatigue: everything is designed to keep the helmsman effective for hours.
Other SE-specific equipment includes:
- Standard carbon rigging
- Flush deck valves for a clean surface
- Clear cockpit, ready for dynamic maneuvers
Without Denying Cruising
Despite its sporting ambitions, the First 36 SE retains a cruising base. There are two cabins, a modular saloon, a functional galley, and a head. The interior is simply lighter, more stripped down, but the essentials are there for offshore cruising. An assumed versatility, faithful to the DNA of the First range.
“Personally, I’m keeping my First 36 cruising version, it suits me better,” says Lorenzo Argento, the boat’s designer and owner for two years. “But if I had regatta ambitions, I wouldn’t hesitate.”
Beyond the boat, the First SE range is based on a real collective dynamic. More than 1,000 enthusiasts have joined this community who share the same desire: to rediscover the taste of sporty sailing, to get out of their comfort zone and fully experience every mile.
This is the idea behind the First 36 SE: to put the sailor back at the center of the game, in a demanding but rewarding boat, designed for gliding, control, and intensity.
Technical Specifications:
- Overall length: 11.98 m (39’4”)
- Hull length: 11.00 m (36’1”)
- Width: 3.80 m (12’6”)
- Draft: 1.95 m (6’4”)
- Light displacement: 4,400 kg (9,700 lbs)
- Ballast: 1,530 kg (3,373 lbs)
- Air draft: 17.80 m (58’5”)
- Engine: 29 HP
- Fuel tank: 70 L
- Water tank: 200 L
- Mainsail: 42 m2
- Genoa: 38 m2
- Gennaker: 141 m2
- Naval architect: Samuel Manuard
- Exterior design: Lorenzo Argento
- IRC/ORC optimization: Bernard Nivelt & Maurizio Cossutti
- Structure: Pure Design & Engineering
- Interior design: Sito
With this First 36 SE, BENETEAU and Seascape have created an uncompromising sailboat: honed for racing, light for gliding, intelligent in its ergonomics, while remaining faithful to the cruising spirit of the First range. It embodies this new generation of boats capable of competing in pure performance while retaining the soul of a sailboat to live on. A real call to the helm, for sailors who want to feel the wind, the sea, and the speed as a matter of course.
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