Beneteau First 375
- Thread starter Live Wire
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I haven't been able to find an article or review of this boat. Does anyone know where I might find one?
I bought a shoal draft model about 2 years ago. Love the way it sails, I imagine a deep keel would be even better. Over 6-1/2 knots upwind yesterday in 15 true, 7-1/2 knots off the wind sliding down the waves. I regularly sail it singlehanded. Construction seems pretty tough, wife likes the interior. More storage than you might expect, especially in the galley, although the icebox is a little small. Babystay a bit of a pain tacking, and the runners are good to have when sailing into waves, because the mast will pump without them.
Biggest issues are headliner sag, common to most Bene's of this era, and the cast iron keel.
Biggest issues are headliner sag, common to most Bene's of this era, and the cast iron keel.
Oh, I forgot. Keelbolts can be ugly in boats from this era, but they can be replaced without dropping the keel or even hauling the boat.
Thanks Sandy,
I am in contract to purchase the boat, the survey is next Tuesday. This is the deep draft version 6.5' which reportedly sails very well. The keel bolts will need to be replaced as well as the standing rigging and life lines. I will also have the bottom striped, barrier coated and painted. The boat is very clean for its age, spotless bilge and engine. This boat has an origional Yanmar engine. Most came with a Volvo I think I am happier with the Yanmar. We will see how the compression test goes. The head liner is sagging in a few spots any solutions for this?
Thanks Joe H
I am in contract to purchase the boat, the survey is next Tuesday. This is the deep draft version 6.5' which reportedly sails very well. The keel bolts will need to be replaced as well as the standing rigging and life lines. I will also have the bottom striped, barrier coated and painted. The boat is very clean for its age, spotless bilge and engine. This boat has an origional Yanmar engine. Most came with a Volvo I think I am happier with the Yanmar. We will see how the compression test goes. The head liner is sagging in a few spots any solutions for this?
Thanks Joe H
This sadly this will all fall. The material that Beneteau (and Jeanneau) used for headliners in the 80s and early 90s was backed by a dense foam and glued to the hull or cabintop. It looked great and felt nice to the touch. But sadly over the years the foam will oxidize and turn to black dust. The glue is still on the hull, and the outer material is still good, but there is nothing in between. 99% of the time, attempts to just re-glue fail because of the amount of loose dust that make re-attachment impossible. The real solution is to pull it down, clean off the old glue and dusty foam, and put up new material. I've done this to two Beneteaus and its a big job... and the bigger the boat, the more time it takes. The actual material cost is quite low, its the labor that gets you.
I blogged all about this a few years ago on my old small 235.
http://messingaboutintheboat.blogspot.com/2010/04/headliner-replacement.html
I have had limited success with something from Ace Hardware called, I think, vinyl mender or vinyl adhesive. I comes in the same kind of tube as airplane glue. In small areas I scrubbed off all the disintegrating foam from the inside of the hull and the back of the headliner and glued it back up. Words cannot express what a messy job this is, and the long-term results are questionable. If you have to deal with a large area, I would make sure I only had to do the job once, by following Jackdaw's methods. Or better yet, pay somebody else to do it.
I think there was an article in SAIL magazine a couple of months ago about this exact project, written by a B375 owner.
I think there was an article in SAIL magazine a couple of months ago about this exact project, written by a B375 owner.
I only ask that you carefully consider a boat of that size that requires running backstays. Many, many others do not. It's not an inherent point of failure, it just makes tacking the boat harder because of the fact that the running backstays are needed in the first place. Just understand what you are buying, regardless of how nice the rest of the boat may be. Good luck, hope it works for you.
This boat does not have running back stays. The current owner has been sailing like this for 14 years. I think they are only necessary in big breeze and waves. There are places for them to attach to the mast and deck so they may have come with the boat origionaly. I will investigate further. The headliner is only a problem in the head that I have noticed so far.
Thanks for all the advice.
Joe
Thanks for all the advice.
Joe
Yes, I hope I didn't give the impression you needed the runners all the time. They are nice to have when beating into significant waves, but I don't use them for 'normal' sailing.
Live,
Has the boat been on the northern east coast all its life? The reason I ask is because in my experience, one of the biggest factors on the timing of the liner failing has been the SUN, and heat. Boats from FL, TX, and LA seem to suffer the worst. I've seen boats that were always slipped with one side towards the sun in Dallas, and that side failed, and the other side was still OK.
So if it has been in the NE its whole life, you might still have some more time. Its important to note that the general consensus is that at some time, it will ALL FALL. Its just a matter of time, sadly.
Oh, and no need to fret about runners. If you use them, you would get used to them quickly. But as noted, for coastal cruising most people take them off, or leave them at the mast.
Has the boat been on the northern east coast all its life? The reason I ask is because in my experience, one of the biggest factors on the timing of the liner failing has been the SUN, and heat. Boats from FL, TX, and LA seem to suffer the worst. I've seen boats that were always slipped with one side towards the sun in Dallas, and that side failed, and the other side was still OK.
So if it has been in the NE its whole life, you might still have some more time. Its important to note that the general consensus is that at some time, it will ALL FALL. Its just a matter of time, sadly.
Oh, and no need to fret about runners. If you use them, you would get used to them quickly. But as noted, for coastal cruising most people take them off, or leave them at the mast.
I agree with Jackdaw about the sun damage -- and can also attest that the Beneteau vinyl / foam didn't end in the early 90's ... my boat is a 2005 and has the same foam. A bit of the aft cabin started to fall on me already. Not wanting to try and take out all the cabinetry to get it back up, I settled for a re-glue of the current material.
The 99% figure for failure is probably true, but I was able to catch this before too much had deteriorated, and was successful. I had to remove all of the foam from the back of the vinyl as well as on the hull. By getting it clean at the top part where the most force is (via hanging), I was able to successfully re-glue it using contact cement. The area where the foam is gone is slightly rougher as it no longer has the thickness to hide the imperfections in the hull. (The glass is never smooth under the liner.) However, it is almost unnoticeable, and I am quite satisfied with the result vs having to tear out the whole back end of my boat.
If its falling all over, I do recommend replacing it all with fresh new vinyl, and do it right completely.
You will like the 375, I have sailed many of them and surveyed a number of them over the years. I like the boat great coastal sailer.
Thanks for all the advice guys.
I had the boat surveyed yesterday. Acording to the surveyer the boat was way above average for her age (1986) but there are a few things that came up. (1) the strut is loose which I didn't realize before. I contacted Beneteau and they emailed me directions and pictures on how to fix this. Doesn't look to dificult. Anyone have experience with this? (2) On the topsides at the forward bulkhead on both sides there seems to be a minor creese in the hull. the surveyer said that it was caused by the bulkhead being too tight against the hull but that it wasn't structual. It could be grinded out and regellcoated but you never get the gellcoat to match. Or down the road grind it out fair it and awlgrip it. This seems to be just a cosmetic thing and its not that noticible but I am anal about things like that. Is this a common problem or is this an isolated issue. (3) The standing rigging, lifelines, and keel bolts all need to be replaced but I knew that going in. The boat has a yanmar 24 hp desil which tested well and is very clean. All the sails are in good shape including the newer racing sails.very little water intrusion at some deck fittings which is easily fixed. The asking price was $65,000.00. What is a fair price given all the issues.
Thanks again for all the advice
I had the boat surveyed yesterday. Acording to the surveyer the boat was way above average for her age (1986) but there are a few things that came up. (1) the strut is loose which I didn't realize before. I contacted Beneteau and they emailed me directions and pictures on how to fix this. Doesn't look to dificult. Anyone have experience with this? (2) On the topsides at the forward bulkhead on both sides there seems to be a minor creese in the hull. the surveyer said that it was caused by the bulkhead being too tight against the hull but that it wasn't structual. It could be grinded out and regellcoated but you never get the gellcoat to match. Or down the road grind it out fair it and awlgrip it. This seems to be just a cosmetic thing and its not that noticible but I am anal about things like that. Is this a common problem or is this an isolated issue. (3) The standing rigging, lifelines, and keel bolts all need to be replaced but I knew that going in. The boat has a yanmar 24 hp desil which tested well and is very clean. All the sails are in good shape including the newer racing sails.very little water intrusion at some deck fittings which is easily fixed. The asking price was $65,000.00. What is a fair price given all the issues.
Thanks again for all the advice
Well I would love for you to pay 65,000 for that. I paid 55 for mine, 5 years ago since I have done keel bolts and standing rigging. Sails were poor, motor crapped out (big expense as it was Volvo) didn't do a motor survey (Grrr). So mine was maybe a little worse than this one but not by too much.
On the other hand I really like the boat dare I say love? sails well, easy to single hand,pretty fast, nice looking, nice interior. Surely the seller expects some dickering I mean you ought to get 5% off just by asking I would think
On the other hand I really like the boat dare I say love? sails well, easy to single hand,pretty fast, nice looking, nice interior. Surely the seller expects some dickering I mean you ought to get 5% off just by asking I would think
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