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Beneteau 423
I don''t know who Jeff McCord is but having gone through both boats in a fari amount of detail, there are huge differences between the Farr designed Firsts and the Beneteau numbwer series in terms the engineering and construction. The Firsts have a pretty sophisticated series of longitudinal and transverse framing as well as tabbed bulkheads vs the glued in bulkheads of the number series and comparatively minimal internal framing. The Firsts were engineered by Farr''s office which has some of the most sophisticated structural engineering knowledge that is out there. The number series are engineered in house. The differences in these two lines of boats are enormous. The Firsts have much better quality hardware in terms of matching winch sizes, etc. to loadings, and much better ergodynamics in terms of sail handling gear.
The Firsts offer much more easily driven hulls and much higher stability which make it easier to deal with heavy going. They offer better motion comfort and a higher limit of positive stability.
The Firsts are better as both cruisers and as racers. They are more robust. They are easier to handle shorthanded. As most of us have been trying to tell you, the 423 and 473 are just not the kinds of boats that are designed to be robust enough to take the kind of wholesale abuse of a circumnavigation.
Respectfully,
Jeff
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