Beneteau First 211

An ultra-modern small fast cruiser/racer - in style very much a miniaturised Open 60, the Beneteau First 211 offers very high sailing performance for her size, plus simple accommodation for up to four. The boat is very much dinghy-style to sail, although the keel does make her self-righting, and foam buoyancy renders her unsinkable.

Designed by Groupe Finot, and introduced in 1998 as a replacement model for the 1992 model First 210, the Beneteau First 211 is a small high performance yacht designed to be simple to sail, and able to take the ground or be trailed. The words 'pocket rockets' tend to be used to describe these boats!

The design was revised to become the Beneteau First 21.7 in 2005. All three models, 210, 211 and 21.7 are very similar in style and concept, and share many actual components, probably including the hull moulding itself.

The hull of the Beneteau First 211 is solid GRP, with sandwich construction for the deck moulding. There is foam buoyancy at bow and stern, guaranteeing unsinkability. The ballasted drop keel is raised by a manual jack, and allows easy transport of the boat as well as drying out if required, supported level by the twin rudders.

The sailplan has a non-overlapping jib to keep sheet loads down, and a large spinnaker to achieve high speeds downwind. With almost 6 ft draught with keel down, and twin rudders for control, upwind performance is also excellent.

Owned since January 2023

SBS Trailer

Replaced standing rigging 2024

Mast lowering kit

Drying legs

Cruising, racing Jolly Tasker genoa and new jib (2025)

Cruising and racing Jolly Tasker main

Racing asymmetric and spinnaker

Yamaha 6C outboard 2-stroke motor

Jibs converted to hanked-on Draft reduces to 0.7m with the keel up