Simply put, this
is one of the finest boats in this size range and exciting to
sail. I actually don’t know many other boats that pack so
much into such a small package, mixing performance and usability
in a very compelling fashion.
How many 23 foot boats do you see with a galley, ice box, sink,
and 2 burner stove, directly across from a fully enclosable marine
head which doubles as a working nav station with slide out table?
How about a 23 ft boat with an aft sleeping area? How about an
interior that doesn’t demand you bend double at the waist?
Or somewhere a 6'3 person can stretch out without jamming feet
into a corner? How about the very same toe rail, chocks, cleats,
and other fittings as found on the Beneteau/Jeanneau 50? And how
many boats can combine all this with performance that embarrasses
many with longer water lines? The boat impressed me so much, I
made this dedicated website and forum.
Right up front, I'll say the Beneteau
First 235 is a blast to sail and fast to boot, rewarding
attention to detail with proper sail trim & rig tuning via
the Z Spars, light, fractional rig (9/10ths). Some of the reviews
in various mags (see Reviews)
compare the First 235 to a big racing dinghy. It has pretty impressive
acceleration and with a clean bottom and proper trim, does well
in light air (the less weight aboard, the better). The boat surely
looks fast with plumb bow and wide stern, mirroring the Mini-Transats
which define its heritage. The First 235 was designed by Finot
who took the hull form from his '84 Mini-transat. This boat looks
quite modern and distinctive and in many ways, it’s ahead
of its time. You are not talking traditional lines; she really
stands out on the water and under sail due to the plumb bow, narrow
entry, and width carried to stern.
| From
some flattering angles, the First 235 looks like the Mini-Transat
that defines its heritage. The plumb bow and wide stern
are very distinctive... |
In the US, it came with two iron
keels, the wing at 2’9 and the fin at 3’8 (EU has
the swing on worm gear & Fin - There was no wing option).
The fin does point higher than the wing but either sails very
well and I wouldn't pass on a good deal with the fin or wing.
The fin might be the first choice if racing the traditional cigar
course. Several First 235 have had different custom lead fin keels
done, one by Leif Beiley of Bravura Yachts, this on Pegasus, sailing
off California. Beiley designed a second 4'7 905lb lead fin with
more weight down low in the bulb and higher aspect ratio and cord
length. This keel is on tap to be made by MARS in Canada but needs
a minimum of five orders (info is on www.beneteau235.com). The
project is on hold at the moment. Ironically, the earliest custom
fin keel done for a US F235 was made by Mars and can also be seen
on this website (it was made to convert the boat from stock iron
wing to lead fin).
The boat is not loaded with ballast
per say, nor particularly stiff, but with proper attention to
sail trim, sail selection, tuning (back stay pressure), and weight
placement, you can handle much of anything. Her nice beam and
hull shape does a great deal here. Get your weight on the rail
(driver, too) when things pick up (and dig one of the best
views).. She will round up a bit if overpowered. On the other
hand, she feels very stable and drives forward nicely in air...
but if you've been on something like the Ranger 23, she does not
track on rails with the rail down, tending more to round up in
a gust if too much main and past 30 degrees. Does well upwind
in swell and one can stay quite dry compared to others of this
ilk. Her plumb, narrow entry bow does wonders and was ahead of
its time in 86 for a boat this size. Has a pretty good stock reefing
system that can be customized for even greater ease.
I sail off Wrightsville Beach, NC
which means 95% ocean sailing and think the boat does well in
these conditions, which are usually in the teens to the 20s (Again,
once in the high teens to 20s, you have to be on your toes). Depending
on your tastes, higher winds mean moving to a smaller headsail
and reef thrown in (some will want to move to reducing area sooner
than others - I do believe that a reef with mid-size head sail
might be a good compromise). All the lines are very accessible
with the halyards lead aft. You can run the outhaul, vang, and
reefing lines back as well with minor mods. Ditto with the Spinnaker
controls (a few owners actually have added a bowsprit and run
Asymmetricals).
Sailing from the rail is a delight
and recommended as the coaming is VERY comfortable and with some
lifeline cushions and a proper tiller extension (the stock unit
is worthless as it’s too short), it’s an excellent
vantage point and a great place to helm. I single-hand the boat
most of the time so a tiller tamer of some sort is recommended
when doing duties away from the helm. Still, it’s one of
the easiest boats I have ever single-handed. One of my main criticisms
is the rudder system which can become problematic in following
seas with swell and wind. A few mods can help here.
The boat is very fun to race and
can do some damage, keeping up with larger craft. She has a long
waterline for her size due to the plumb bow and stern design.
Some good sails with proper tune & trim and she really moves.
The only problem here is you're not going to get any favors from
the rather low PHRF, actually putting you with some stiff competition.
It's a challenging boat to get the best from but will reward skill
and time spent on the water getting to know the boat and how she
does in your conditions. I don't think it's exactly the most forgiving
boat.
The First 235 motors with ease with
great access to the outboard although at low speed, its freeboard
can occasionally cause problems in cross-wind conditions. There
is no need for any mounting gear as the F235 has a nifty starboard
cutout with wood mount rail in the transom. On a more protected
lake, a 4hp will do ok while saving weight. Put yourself in some
current and more wind, and you're looking at a minimum of 5hp
up to a 9.9 or so if you want to go some distance. Going somewhere,
a Four-Stroke would be needed for sanity, but you don’t
want to go too heavy as the motor is mounted on the starboard
side, the same side as the battery, head, holding tank, and nav
station area. While the galley does balance the weight somewhat,
all F235 tend to exhibit an ever so slight list to the starboard.
This is very minor, however. I reach hull speed with my 5HP Tohatsu
2 stroke but with current and chop, it can be a bit challenging
at times, best with a motor with a bit more thrust in these conditions.
The 9.8 Tohatsu/Nissan 4 Stroke would be a good alternative due
to its low weight compared to other 4s. Best to get as long a
shaft as possible. Below 20 need not apply and 25 is even better
if in bigger chop/waves.
The First 235, while technically
a trailer-sailer, pushes the limits of what you want to handle;
in other words, I think trailering every outing is pushing it
with the F235. On the other hand, it's nice to be able to take
this boat somewhere interesting. The wing is easier to launch
from the trailer since it's almost a foot shorter. Having a trailer
with your F235 is only a positive and trailer boats do tend to
sell easier.
To sum up, the little First 235 is
a great boat and fun to race or weekend cruise. I have stayed
as long as 10 days with my wife but after three and you would
like to have some access to facilities. While it has a nifty ice
box and water storage and holding tank, a longer stay will begin
to test the storage. Creative packing is helpful.
You want to know more? Tour this
ever-expanding site at www.beneteau235.com,
now with an active forum membership of about 550 people with over
20,000 posts. You'll find a large number of F235 pictures from
every angle, on the water and off. See mods, specs, info, articles,
and reviews, some even translated from German and French. The
forum gets daily activity and owners are responsive to questions
and welcome interested parties.
Kelly Holsten
Wrightsville Beach, NC
'89 First 235 WK ~ abstrait
