RACER-CRUISER ROYALTY
“FIRST was born forty-five years ago with the launch of the legendary FIRST 30, and we doubly celebrate the occasion this year with the announcement of the FIRST 36 in January and the arrival of the FIRST 44 today, finalizing the renewal of a standard-bearing range now entirely redrawn and complete”, says Yann Masselot, BENETEAU General Manager. “ The boat pencils itself in among such great 40’ to 45’ BENETEAU yachts as the FIRST 40.7, the 45f5 or more recently the FIRST 40 and 45”.
Today, the FIRST 44 embodies a natural link between the FIRST 36 and FIRST 53, equally refining and redefining performance, elegance and comfort – a new Biscontini/Argento creation that truly denies itself nothing. She’s a lovely sailing yacht with a remarkable design, offering through her architecture and build quality an experience underway that is simply second to none.
NAVAL ARCHITECT : Roberto Biscontini
Design : Lorenzo Argento
A DUAL DESIGN
With the new FIRST 44, BENETEAU draws to the noblest expression of the term “racer/cruiser”: an elegant and comfortable yacht that provides unequaled pleasure under sail. In keeping with the scientific approach honed with his work on America Cup racers, Roberto Biscontini went through several revisions and improvements to finally deliver a powerful and well-balanced hull, which is coupled with an ample sailplan to deliver spend and vivacity in any conditions.
The FIRST 44 was imagined with two deck layouts to satisfy a greater variety of wishes and needs. The FIRST 44 version distinguishes itself with a convivial and comfortable cockpit, wherein wide side-decks converge towards a lovely cockpit table. Four winches, a fixed centerline block for the mainsheet and a mast that is set further aft all maximize the potential of her modern sailplan, defined by a slender mainsail and generously sized foresails.
A SUPERIOR STANDARD OF ACCOMMODATIONS
The FIRST 44 is infused with Lorenzo Argento’s style, a distinctive blend of elegance and modernity. Her three-cabin, two-head layout is an assemblage of quality materials interwoven into a masterful finish. In the salon the six-seater transversal table lays opposite of the couch and nav station; its positioning in relation to the mast eases the movement between galley and master stateroom, thereby accentuating the feeling of space.
This arrangement is enhanced by superb craftsmanship, a refined combination of white lacquered surfaces, moulded woods, touches of indirect lighting and a large selection of luxurious upholsteries.
EXPERTISE AS A CORNERSTONE
Assembled in a specially dedicated workshop, the FIRST 44 takes full benefit of BENETEAU’s expertise and the knowledge of the industry’s sharpest minds. Subjected by their owners to the rigors of the offshore racing, FIRSTs are always the result of a rigorous development and perfection process. Engineering for the FIRST 44 was entrusted to the Mer Forte firm, well known for its work on high-end blue-water race boats, including the celebrated Figaro BENETEAU 3.