First 53
Beneteau · Roberto Biscontini · 2019
Updated
The First 53 is a 15.92 m semi-displacement racing yacht designed by Roberto Biscontini and built by Beneteau, first launched in 2019. It races in Class A. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 64% of the designs it races against.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 64% of the boats it races against.
17th of 46 in its class.
Updated — First Race Edge for this design. Enough boats of this design have now been measured to rank it. It is strongest in medium air.
This design has been found in real race results — 13 starts across 5 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
15.92 m
52′ 3″
Beam
4.99 m
Draft
2.43 m
Displacement
17.2 t
Sail area
163 m²
On the podium
Where a First 53 finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
0%
of 13 starts by 4 boats
Wins
0%
Read from 13 starts by 4 boats between 2021 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a First 53 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
Aegean 6002026
151 Miglia - Trofeo Cetilar2025
Regata Strait Challenge2025
A.Le Coq 64. Muhu Vaina Regatt / Moonsund Regatta 2021 - offshore2021- A.Le Coq 64. Muhu Vaina Regatt - Parnu lyhirada / inshore2021
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
—
Not enough data yet: 1 race of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
—
Not enough data yet: 7 races over 10 NM carry a published distance.
Who she races against
The designs a First 53 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
Elan 450 (2 meetings), Solaris 44 (2 meetings), Grand Soleil 40 (Paperini) (2 meetings), First 40.7 (3 meetings), Pac 52 (1 meeting), JPK 10.30 (3 meetings), Cookson 50 (2 meetings), Swan 42 (1 meeting), JPK 10.80 (1 meeting), Italia 11.98 (1 meeting), Dehler 30 OD (3 meetings), XR 41 (3 meetings), HH 42 (1 meeting), First 36 (3 meetings), Sun Fast 3300 (Andrieu) (1 meeting), JPK 11.80 (1 meeting), J/121 (1 meeting), Neo 400 (1 meeting), Sly 42 (1 meeting), Neo 430 (1 meeting), Dehler 41 (Judel/Vrolijk) (1 meeting), Grand Soleil 44 (Polli) (1 meeting), More 55 (1 meeting), Pogo 50 (1 meeting), Elan 333 (1 meeting)
Some of the boats it races against
How the First 53 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
6.07
41°
Beam reach
10.36
90°
Broad reach
12.13
135°
Downwind VMG
9.40
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
This design earns its keep off the wind. A course with long free legs suits it better than a windward-leeward.
Where it gains
Its best ground is across the wind once it pipes up, where it outruns what it looks like on paper, and by a margin worth having.
Where it pays
It falls short downwind in a strong breeze, giving away time it never gets back. That is a hull that will lift and run given enough breeze.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 0.6 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the beam reach.
How fast is a First 53
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.90 | 5.44 | 5.88 | 6.07 |
| 52° | 6.12 | 8.12 | 8.66 | 8.92 |
| 60° | 6.54 | 8.49 | 9.02 | 9.27 |
| 75° | 6.88 | 8.79 | 9.43 | 9.82 |
| 90° | 6.81 | 8.93 | 9.70 | 10.36 |
| 110° | 6.88 | 9.19 | 10.10 | 11.16 |
| 120° | 6.71 | 9.14 | 10.32 | 11.54 |
| 135° | 6.06 | 8.64 | 9.97 | 12.13 |
| 150° | 5.07 | 7.57 | 9.21 | 10.85 |
| Run VMG | 4.39 | 6.56 | 8.02 | 9.40 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Nearly all carry a folding propeller. A bowsprit is standard across the fleet. Crew weight is declared around 1210 kg.
Rigging
First 53 rig and sail dimensions
A First 53 carries 22.00 m of mainsail hoist on a 6.80 m boom, a forestay 21.95 m above the deck and a 7.85 m bowsprit. Typical figures across the 9 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 193 to 288 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.