The Beneteau First 30 was named European Yacht of the Year 2026 in the Performance category. This is the boat’s fourth and most important international recognition to date. The award was presented by the editors and test managers of 12 leading European sailing magazines after extensive sea trials.
The competition was impressive: the Dragonfly 36, JPK1050 and XR41. The prize is worth just as much as the competition you’re up against – and it really was top class.
So what does it take to create a 30-foot yacht that outperforms the world’s best boats? It takes a lot of very smart people who can work together – I can assure you of that.
What the jury said
Italian juror Alberto Mariotti described the boat as easy to handle and excellent value for money, which would even fit into the hypothetical young sailor category. Dutch representative Marinus van Sijdenborgh de Jong praised the First 30’s ability to sail remarkably smoothly and quickly both upwind through steep waves and downwind in stronger winds – easily reaching speeds in double figures.
The result of teamwork
The First 30 is the result of a close and intense collaboration between BENETEAU and Seascape, who joined forces to create something almost contradictory: the pleasure of gliding – previously only available to highly skilled sailors – made accessible to all.
Working with a large team, where everyone was very capable but also strong in their own opinion, was always a challenge, but this award proves that we hit the mark.
With First 30, we challenged the notion that more automatically means better. Through iterative design and real user feedback, we struck the right balance between performance, livability and emotion to create a new kind of value – a boat that feels just right: clear in purpose, user-friendly and confident in what it delivers.
Instead of just adding more, we focused on adding better. By challenging established norms, we created a balance where performance, comfort and character support each other in a natural way.
Luka Stepan, Director of SITO
The numbers speak for themselves
In the first year, more than 130 boats were sold in 17 countries. 2025. In 2005, 50 boats were delivered, while the 51st corps was deployed at Boot Düsseldorf.
The project involved
- Samuel Manuard – naval architect, geometry of the planning hull
- Lorenzo Argento – General design
- SITO – structural engineering and interior design
- Pure Design & Engineering – technical development
- Seascape & Beneteau R&D teams
Previous awards
- Yacht Style Award (Singapore)
- British Yachting Award – Performance Yacht of the Year
- Voile Magazine Voilier de l’Année 2026 – overall winner (France)
Rebirth of a legend
The First 30 will be presented at Boot Düsseldorf in January 2025 under the slogan “The Icon is Reborn”. This is a reference to the legendary 1977 Beneteau First 30, which sold nearly 1,000 units and created the performance category. Almost 50 years later, the new First 30 brings the same excitement with its modern construction, innovative hull geometry and clever interior design.
