At first glance, it could easily be called the ultimate racer. The Beneteau First 36 SE is the latest model from the renowned French shipyard, born from a collaboration with Seascape to deliver a true racing sailing experience. It’s more than just a boat—it’s a mindset, sustained by a global community of passionate sailors devoted to those two letters (“SE” stands for “Seascape Edition”), which open the door to a world of emotions at sea.
The mission of the First SE range is to bring people back to the heart of sailing, offering high-performance racing yachts to bold and curious sailors eager to venture beyond their comfort zones. Over the years, the First SE line has brought together a team of exceptional sailors, designers, engineers, and builders who share the brand’s values and a deep passion for sailing. The project began with the First 36, a yacht that had already proven itself by winning the Rolex Middle Sea Race. From there, the goal was to unlock its full potential. And with the Beneteau First 36 SE, that goal has clearly been achieved.
Renowned naval architect Samuel Manuard, who designed the original First 36, joined forces with legendary designer Bernard Nivelt to evolve the boat into a purebred IRC racer. To ensure top-level performance even under ORC rating, Maurizio Cossutti contributed his extensive expertise. The result of this collaboration among three leading names is a yacht that, despite a lighter displacement compared to the standard First 36, significantly enhances the overall sailing experience. With the Beneteau First 36 SE, the team shared a single vision: to create a planing race boat capable of delivering top-tier performance.
The Beneteau First 36 SE stands out thanks to its reduced displacement—400 kg less than the standard First 36. This key feature, combined with a redesigned bow, shortens the waterline length and reduces wetted surface area by nearly 3 square meters, resulting in improved acceleration and easier planing at high speeds. Moreover, the cockpit ergonomics have been refined with a highly responsive tiller, ensuring intuitive and direct helm control. Comfort and safety are further enhanced by soft foam grip handles.
As for the technical specifications of this 11-meter yacht, the Beneteau First 36 SE is equipped with flush racing valves, an electronic tiller for precise angle adjustments, and carbon hardware to further boost performance. Despite its more race-focused gear, the yacht still offers all the comforts of the standard First 36—though in a lighter and more stripped-down version.
Here’s how Samuel Manuard, naval architect of the Beneteau First 36 SE and world-renowned sailor, described the sailing experience after the first test: “After first sail I can confidently say First 36 SE is a racing boat! The 10% less displacement compared to the First 36 is something you really feel. Today we were planning in light wind conditions, which is excellent. The boat is very responsive to the helm. You can place the bow exactly where you want it and feel completely in control. She’s fitted with twin rudders because of the wide stern, which means you can really push the boat when reaching, even at high speeds, without being afraid of broaching. I’m really happy with the ergonomics—the steering position is excellent. You can spend hours racing and you won’t feel destroyed afterwards, which says a lot. She will be pretty efficient in double-handed racing as well as fully crewed racing, because you have room to manoeuvre and accommodate the whole team”.
Designer Lorenzo Argento adds: “I’ve owned a First 36 for two years now—this will be my third season—and I’ve already sailed over 6,000 nautical miles with her. While designing the First 36, I thought, this is perfect for me—it checks all the boxes. Today, I had the chance to sail the new First 36 SE. The wind was shifting, but I was truly surprised by the acceleration and the level of control. The tiller gives you a much closer, more direct feel. The SE version is lighter, cleaner, and designed to fully unleash the planing potential of the boat—and you can really feel that. Even when walking on board, the boat responds immediately. Personally, I would still choose the cruising version—the planing cruiser First 36—because it suits my needs better. But if I had ambitions in racing, I would definitely go with this one”.
