Beneteau First 45: A Mini Review
To continue its update of its First line of performance boats, Beneteau called in the design firm of Philippe Briand to create the First 45. The result is a lean looking boat with a moderate, by current measures, beam and a choice between a 9-foot draft fin keel with a hint of a whale tail to its tip and a shallower but by no means shoal-draft fin with a T-bulb.
Twin steering wheels put the driver outboard to the side of preference, and aft of the traveler. The cockpit is open aft but a molded bridge across the stern at seat height provides a perch for the afterguard.
Pale-colored woodwork belowdecks enhances the sensation of lightness in the boat's design, while light streams in through hatches and deadlights in the centerline of the overhead. Three double cabins, two heads, and adequate amenities provide very civilized quarters for racing or cruising crews.
