FIRST 36 SPIRIT, the return of the gliding cruiser

First 36 Spirit brings back dreams for the sailing community, already in 1992, when Beneteau named the progenitor of the successful series SPIRIT, the philosophy of less is more became a true way of living the boat and sharing experiences through simplicity.

It is a true pride to bring the iconic First Spirit back into the BENETEAU range with this new First 36 Spirit! At BENETEAU we are a community of passionate sailors. And our passion is fueled by the ability to design and market sailing boats that share our love for the sea with others. This is what First Spirit means: joy, simplicity, no artifice. In a world and an era that often seem complex, First Spirit offers simple and authentic sailing to share our passion and expand our community. Declared Thibaut de Montvalon, Director Beneteau Sailing, CSO Sailing Division, Groupe Beneteau

First 36 Spirit, ultralight and stable

More than thirty years later, the new BENETEAU First 36 Spirit, a planing cruiser, brings the promise and joy of planing to everyone in the 36-foot range. A stable and very safe platform based on the now-proven First 36, while sailing, its simplicity and lightweight structure become immediately evident. With light winds, the First 36 Spirit responds even to the slightest gust of breeze, when the wind increases, the ultralight vacuum-infused hull, with a displacement of only 4,620 kg, begins to plane with moderate wind, no longer pushing through the water but gliding over it.

The double blades, with a Corecell core milled by CNC, robust and lightweight, offer safety, control, and a direct connection between the sailor and the boat. All sailing controls have been designed with a small crew in mind, ensuring an ergonomic layout and top-quality deck equipment, sometimes oversized to provide a higher breaking load than required under maximum effort. Designed and conceived by a team of long-time sailors and some of the most iconic designers in the industry: the famous naval architect Samuel Manuard, designer Lorenzo Argento, and the young but experienced team from SITO, all gathered and led by the passionate Seascape team.

Working on the First 36 Spirit has been particularly special for me because it closely ties to something I personally believe in: that joy often hides in simplicity. It was born from the awareness that the balance between too much, too little, and the ‘just right’ is different for every sailor. We therefore subjected the standard First 36 to an additional cycle of ‘simplify and add lightness’, continually asking ourselves what could be removed, refined, or made more intuitive. The result is a boat that I find authentically beautiful in its simplicity, and I hope it will bring what we call the joy of planing to an even wider circle of sailors. Declared Andraž Mihelin, CEO Seascape, First Range Manager

The three-cabin layout (note: the specifications/plans also indicate the 2-cabin option), the spacious salon, and the single bathroom provide everything needed for comfortable life on board, durable work surfaces, easily removable magnetic doors, innovative open lockers in each cabin equipped with a hanging bar and containment net. A compact bathroom gains space thanks to an intelligent folding sink that returns more livability than one would expect.

The First 36 Spirit has a simple goal: to make the joy of planing accessible to the largest number of sailors. Nothing complex and nothing on board that is not strictly necessary, with a starting price of €200,000 (excluding VAT), bringing the sailing experience back to essentials, the relationship with the sea and the wind.

PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATIONS

Overall Length (LOA)	11.98 m	39’4″
Hull Length	11.00 m	36’1″
Waterline Length	10.25 m	33’8″
Maximum Beam	3.80 m	12’6″
Light Displacement (MLC)	4,620 kg	10,158 lbs
Standard Ballast Weight	1,550 kg	3,420 lbs
Standard Keel Draft	2.25 m	7’5″
Reduced Ballast Weight	1,710 kg	3,770 lbs
Reduced Keel Draft	1.95 m	6’5″
Engine Power (Saildrive)	29 HP	29 HP
Fuel Capacity	70 l	18.5 US gal
Fresh Water Capacity	160 l	42 US gal
Mast Height (excluding antennas)	17.80 m	58’5″
Upwind Sail Area	80 sqm	861 ft²
Downwind Sail Area	183 sqm	1,970 ft²
Main Sail (max area)	42 sqm	452 ft²
Jib (max area)	38 sqm	409 ft²
Top-down Gennaker (max area)	141 sqm	1,518 ft²
Furling Gennaker	72.5 sqm	780 ft²
CE Certification	A6 / B8 / C10	A6 / B8 / C10

However, to admire and see it live, one will have to wait for the next Boot Düsseldorf in January 2027