Vicsail celebrates 20th Bénéteau First 44.7

by Media Services on 21 Jul 2006 Bénéteau Vicsail Australia has recently launched the 20th Bénéteau First 44.7 in to Australia. The original First 44.7 arrived in Australia in 2004 and was an instant success, since then podium placings in major races and regattas have become standard fare for this impressive cruiser/racer.

Tom Palmer, owner of the new First 44.7 'Nessie Too' is racing down in the southern Sydney waters of Cronulla and Port Hacking and plans plenty or 'R & R' on board in the future.

Tom outlines the reason for his decision 'I was looking for a yacht to provide comfort, space, good storage and a high standard of finish. Bénéteau has the reputation for this type of internal design and finish. I was also impressed by the layout and ergonomic design below.':

'In conjunction with the requirement stated above, I wanted to best balance in a cruiser/racer.

I researched carefully and spoke to a lot of experienced sailors and I recognised that the 44.7 achieves this in a manner never seen before. She is quick, responsive and has surprised many an 'out and out' racer in the Cronulla area. It seems the 44.7 has no competition in terms of the best cruiser/racer balance in a production boat'


As a relative newcomer to sailing, the Palmers are easing into the sport 'As this is our first boat, we are not as experienced as many other 44.7 owners.

At present our set up is just a No. 2 furling headsail with the main. Racing the Cronulla Sailing Club Winter Series has given us the confidence to also race the Summer Offshore Series.

'The boat has performed extremely well always in the top three despite competing against other boats with spinnakers. Towards the end of the Winter Series we will gain a spinnaker and other sails to bring us up to IRC levels'

Plans for cruising: 'in the short time we have had the boat, racing and whale watching cruises, has given us the confidence to plan long trip such as the Whitsundays and next year’s Hamilton Island Race Week'

Ray Harris from Middle Harbour Yacht Club owns his fourth Bénéteau, previously owning First yachts 36.7, 40.7, 47.7 and now owning a First 44.7 Honeysuckle.

As Ray gets to know his new yacht in preparation for this year’s Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island, he has entered into two Middle Harbour Winter series races, winning them both.

Ray explains, 'This is an exceptional boat for the money that I find well mannered and very responsive. There is good feel through the wheel and behaves particularly well in the lighter breezes'

In almost all major local ocean and regatta races in which the Farr designed First 44.7 has been entered, podium results have been the norm. High profile yachtsmen such as Michael Spies have campaigned this yacht with incredible success, in its first incarnation of First National, then 'Dimension Polyant' and more recently 'Sirromet Life Style Wines'.












The original First 44.7 into the country was David Mason’s highly successful Prime Time.

[Sorry, this content could not be displayed] Launched in Australia in 2004, she was extensively optimised for racing with the assistance of Vicsail. She has just won the coveted Cruising Yacht Club of Australia’s Blue Water trophy that incorporated in its last format; Sydney to Gold Coast, several short-haul overnight races, followed by the Sydney to Hobart, Sydney to Newcastle and then finishing with the Sydney to Gold Coast again.

David Mason’s suite of results are very impressive with a second in the 2004 BMW winter series, third overall and second in division 'B' 2005 Sydney Gold Coast race.

Alan Whiteley’s successful Cougar finished second in Division B in the 2005 Sydney to Hobart. Cougar is campaigned and was extremely competitive in last year’s Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island racing in the IRC division

Internationally, the First 44.7 has had incredible success in Europe and the United States including being part of the winning French Blue team in the Commodores Cup and just won the Newport to Bermuda classic.

John Cowpe, National Sales Manager for Bénéteau Vicsail was asked to comment on the success of this boat, 'It is simply a well conceived concept for both cruising and IRC racing and has hit the market at a time where IRC is growing and the demand for a family boat that can be raced is strong'

There are now twenty 44.7’s actively racing or cruising in Australia. There have been some versions specified for cruising only, but most are more serious being sailed as cruising/racing versions. There is considerable interest in the 44.7 as an affordable cruiser/racer that has the runs on the board in terms of race results.

2004/2005 Accolades


• Sail World Magazine 'Boat of the Year'

• 2nd IRC Open – Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island

• 1st IRC Cruising – Hahn Premium Race Week at Hamilton Island

• 1st IRC Open – MHYC Savills Regatta

• 1st IRC Open – CYCA Cabbage Tree Island Race

• 1st IRC Open – CYCA Lion Island Race

• 2nd IRC Division C – Rolex Sydney to Hobart

• 1St IRC Open – Sailing South Week

• 1st IRC Open – Skandia Geelong Week

• 1st IRC Open – CYCA Newcastle Race

• 2nd IRC Div. D – Rolex Sydney to Hobart

• 2nd IRC Open – Skandia Geelong Week

• 1st IRC Div A – Association Cup



2006 Accolades


• 1st IRC Bluewater Pointscore, CYCA

• 1st Commodores Cup – part of the French Blue Team

• 1st IRC - MHYC winter series, 2 races competed, 2 wins

• 1st IRC Div J – CYCA BMW Winter Series

• 1st IRC - Newport to Bermuda

• 1st IRC – Range Series, Combined Port Phillip Bay Series

• 1st IRC – Sailing South Week, Tasmania

• 1st IRC – CYCA Autumn Short Haul Pointscore

• 2nd IRC – CYCA Overall Summer Short Haul Pointscore

• 1st IRC – Melbourne to Stanley Ocean Race



'Nessie Too' will be at the Sydney International Boat Show at Darling Harbour from 3rd August to 8th August, 2006, alongside some 22 other Bénéteau vessels including:-



• Bénéteau First 34.7

• Bénéteau First 44.7

• Bénéteau Océanis 373

• Bénéteau Océanis 423

• Bénéteau Océanis 50

• Bénéteau Océanis 523

• Wauquiez Centurion 40s

• Wauquiez Pilot Saloon 41

• Cyclades 39

• Cyclades 43

• Lagoon 380