Beneteau First 310, the 1990 Finot Racer-Cruiser Explained

Who should be shopping for a Beneteau 310 First

The Beneteau First 310 has a simple pitch more than 30 years after launch. It is a light, fractionally rigged 31-footer from Groupe Finot that sails like a club racer, sleeps four in two cabins and costs less than many new small cars. Buyers who search for beneteau 310 first or simply beneteau 310 are usually sailors moving up from dinghies or a sportboat, or cruisers who want a boat that feels alive under sail without a large budget.

Yachting Monthly describes it as the largest of the Finot designs in Beneteau's range of that period, appearing in 1990 and running for five years with 496 built. It was marketed as a fast family cruiser but proved a strong performer around the buoys. That dual identity is still its appeal, and it is the reason clean examples continue to sell.

Light hull, tall mast, lively manners

Sailboatdata lists a displacement of 7,054 lb on a 28 ft 8 in waterline, a displacement to length ratio of about 134. Sail area is 460 sq ft reported, giving a sail area to displacement ratio of about 20, which is where boats start to feel genuinely quick in light air. Ballast is 1,785 lb of cast iron, roughly a quarter of displacement, so the 310 relies on its beam and on crew weight for stability.

In practice that means a boat that accelerates readily in a puff and heels early, a combination that rewards a crew who reef in good time. The rig is fractional, with a main that is larger than the 100 percent foretriangle (about 245 sq ft against 201 sq ft). Mast height above the waterline is about 46 ft 7 in on the standard rig, worth knowing for fixed bridges on inland routes.

Hull speed works out at about 7.2 knots. Like other light fractional boats, the 310 can go beyond that off the wind with a spinnaker up and a crew willing to steer through the gusts.

Deep fin, shoal fin or the 310R

Three configurations turn up on the used market. The standard boat has a 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) cast iron fin. The shoal version draws 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) and, according to sailboatdata, carries more ballast, about 2,400 lb, to compensate for the lower lever arm. The First 310R pairs a deeper keel with a taller rig, raising the 100 percent sail area from about 446 sq ft to about 500 sq ft.

For thin water cruising in the Chesapeake, the Carolinas or Florida, the shoal boat makes sense and you give away some pointing ability. For club racing, the deep keel is the better buy, and the 310R is the most powerful of the three but asks more of its crew in a breeze. Confirm which version you are looking at, because listings often just say First 310.

Below decks, a big aft double and a plain forecabin

The interior follows the Finot pattern of the time. Yachting Monthly lists a large double aft cabin, a small but adequate galley, a basic aft-facing chart table, a good heads and a plain forecabin. The same review calls the finish quite sparse and plastic and singles out the stainless steel table supports as dated. In other words, it is functional rather than cozy, and that is a fair trade on a boat this light.

For a couple cruising on weekends, the aft double is the cabin to sleep in, and the forecabin becomes sail and gear stowage. With four aboard for a regatta weekend it works, but stowage fills quickly. Expect to spend on cushions, a refreshed headliner and better lighting if the boat still has its original soft furnishings.

One hull, several boats, Figaro Solo to Oceanis 300

Sailboatdata notes that the Figaro Solo, First 310, First 31.7, Oceanis 300 and Oceanis Clipper 311 share the same hull family, and lists the Figaro Solo as a related design. That connection gives the 310 a pedigree beyond its size: the Figaro Solo was a singlehanded offshore one-design, while the Oceanis versions turned the same basic shape into roomier cruising boats.

Do not confuse the First 310 with the later First 31.7 (1998 to 2010). The 31.7 is longer at about 31 ft 6 in, heavier at about 8,270 lb and has a bulbed keel. Sellers sometimes label either boat as a Beneteau 31, so check the hull identification number and the keel shape before you travel to see a boat.

Survey priorities on a 30-year-old Beneteau 310

Every First 310 is now between 31 and 36 years old, so judge the individual boat, not the model. Start with structure. Moisture readings in the cored deck around stanchion bases, winches and tracks will tell you whether water has been getting in. Inspect the keel to hull joint and the keel bolts, because cast iron keels rust where the coating is damaged and a hard grounding can crack the area around the keel sump.

Next comes the rig. If the standing rigging has no documented replacement date, assume it is due. Chainplates and their attachments deserve a close look on any boat of this age. Then the engine: our sources do not confirm the original installation, and many older boats have been repowered, so ask what is fitted now, when it was installed and whether the cooling, exhaust and drive have been renewed.

Finally the rudder. A spade rudder on a light, quick boat takes real loads, and play in the bearings or water in the blade are common findings on older boats.

What a Beneteau 310 for sale costs to buy and run

Our 2026 estimate for US asking prices is about $18,000 to $42,000. Boats at the bottom of that range usually need sails, an engine overhaul or deck repair; the top of the range is for boats with recent sails, newer engines and well kept interiors. Yachting Monthly's UK price guide was 40,000 to 50,000 pounds in 2009, which shows how much values have softened as the boats aged.

Yearly running costs of roughly $4,000 to $11,000 are realistic, covering a slip or mooring, haul-out, insurance and routine maintenance. Light boats are inexpensive to haul and paint, and the small sail plan keeps sail costs down compared with a masthead 35-footer. The one cost that can spike is a deck core repair, which is why the survey matters more than the price.