Beneteau First 29?

Fishboat · #1 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004

I continue my search for a 28-ish foot boat & have a number of ideas from several posts over the last few months. The Beneteau First 29 just came across my radar...anyone have any thoughts? Performance, build quality, ease of handling short handed?

This would be used as a coastal cruiser on the Great Lakes (Lake Michigan)..vacations, long weekends, maybe a race occasionally.

Jeff_H · #2 (**permalink**) 02-24-2004

While the First 29 has generally struck me as a nice boat for that era, the First 285 has always been more appealing to me. Both offer reasonably good build quality (with some French quirkiness and some very nice features) and good sailing manners at a reasonable price. I have not been through the 29 in any detail but have been quite impressed with what I have seen of the 285 and close cousin the 305.

Jeff