BENETEAU FIRST 45 User manual

FIRST 45
Code: 084378
Owner's Manual

Welcome aboard
Madam, Sir,
You have just taken delivery of your new BENETEAU boat and we thank you for the confidence you have shown us in ordering a vessel of our brand. The
whole BENETEAU team welcomes you aboard.
A BENETEAU is made to last, in order to bring you all the pleasure you expect from a vessel over a period of many years each boat is subject to the utmost
attention to detail from the design stage right through to launching.
This manual was meant to help you to enjoy your boat comfortably and safely. It includes the boat specifications, the equipment provided or installed, the
systems and tips on her operation and maintenance. Some of the equipment described in this manual may be optional.
Your BENETEAU dealer will be able to help and advise you in the use and maintenance of your boat.
Read this user's guide/owner's manual carefully and get to know your boat before using it.
The better you know your vessel the more pleasure you will get from being at the helm.
The sea is a source for learning. Caution based on a knowledge of one's own limits and those of the boat is the pre-requisite for an accomplished sailor.
Even when your boat has been adapted for them, the sea and wind conditions corresponding to the design categories A, B, Cand Dmay vary, ranging from
severe conditions to strong storms subject to the risks of exceptional waves and gusts of wind, this meaning they are dangerous conditions in which only an
experienced, fit and well trained crew manoeuvring a well maintained boat can sail in a satisfactory manner.
This user's guide/owner's manual is not a course in safety at sea or about sailing sense. If this is your first boat or if you change to a new type of boat which
you are not used to, get some training in boat control and sailing to ensure your safety and comfort. Your dealer, your international sailing association or your
yacht club will be very happy to recommend local sailing schools or professional instructors.
Make sure the sea and wind conditions will correspond to the category of your boat and you and your crew are able to handle the boat in these
conditions.
Always listen to the weather forecast before you put out to sea.
Keep this user's guide/owner's manual in a safe place and hand it over to the new owner if you sell your boat.

1
Introduction
The users of the boat are informed of the following:
This user guide/owner's manual is not a maintenance or repair guide. In case
of difficulty do not hesitate to call on the services of your
concessionnaire BENETEAU.
Any alterations which may affect the safety specifications of the boat must
be assessed, carried out and recorded by persons qualified to do so. Any change
in the distribution of the vessel's mass (adding a radar, altering the mast, changing
an engine, etc) may affect the stability, trim and performance of your boat.
The BENETEAU shipyards may not be held responsible for any alterations
which they have not approved.
The complete crew must be equipped appropriately.
In numerous countries, a licence, an authorization or a training course is
requested. Make sure you have this legal authorization before you use your boat.
Adapt the use of your boat to her condition that wears out with time and use.
Any boat, however solid she may be, may be severely damaged if badly used.
This is not compatible with a secure navigation. Always adapt the speed and
direction of your boat to the conditions of the sea.
The boat shall not be loaded more with than the maximum load
recommended by the builder, in particular the total weight of the food supplies,
of the different equipment that are not supplied by the builder and of the persons
on board.
The weight of the boat shall be properly distributed.
The stability is reduced when you add weight in the upper parts.
In case of heavy weather, the hatches, lockers and doors shall be closed in order to
minimize the risk of water coming in.
Breakers are serious dangers to stability.
The water in the bilge shall be kept at its minimum.
The stability may be reduced when you tow a boat or when you lift heavy weights
with the davits or the boom.
If your boat is equipped with a liferaft, carefully read the instructions. The boat
must have on board all the proper safety equipment (lifejackets, buoys, harness, flares,
liferafts, etc.) depending on the type of vessel, its cerfication, the country, the weather
conditions encountered, etc.
The crew must be familiar with the use of all the safety equipment and the
emergency safety procedures (MOB, towing etc.). Sailing schools organise regular
training sessions.
Anyone on the deck shall wear a life jacket or a buoyancy aid.
The safety regulations as defined by the sailing code and enforced by the ’’COLREG’’
should be observed.

Introduction
2
Name plate:
A part of the data is shown on the builder's plate fixed to the boat. The
explanation of these data is given in the appropriate chapters of this manual.
Identification of vessel:
The vessel's identification is found on the builder's certificate delivered with the
boat and is engraved on the starboard aft side.
So as to be able to continuously improve their product the BENETEAU
shipyards reserve the right to make any alterations in design, layout or equipment
which they judge necessary.
That is the reason why the specifications and information given are not
contractual, they may be modified without prior notice or up dates.
This owner's manual is designed in accordance with the ISO ISO 10240 standard
requirements, it has a general purpose and it may sometimes list some equipment
or accessories or deal with some points or questions that are not relevant to your
own boat.
The different warnings used throughout this guide are broken down as follows.
DANGER
Idicates the existence of a serious inherent danger with a high risk of death
or serious injury if the appropriate precautions are not taken
WARNING
Indicates the existence of a danger which could lead to injury or death if
the appropriate precautions are not taken
PRECAUTION
Indicates a reminder of safety practice or draws attention to dangerous
practices which could cause injury to persons or damage to the vessel or
to its components
PIECE OF ADVICE - RECOMMENDATION
Indicates a recommendation or advice for carrying out actions or
manoeuvres which are appropriate to the intended result

3
Introduction
HISTORY OF UPDATES
•Index 0........................................................................................................ 02/2008
•Index 1........................................................................................................ 07/2008

Contents
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
................................................................................Introduction
7............................................................ General specifications
11 ......................................................................................Safety
29 .........................................................................................Hull
33 .......................................................................................Deck
43 ..................................................................... Steering system
49 ...................................................................Rigging and Sails
69 ...................................................................................Layouts
75 ......................................................Water and sewage water
93 ............................................................Electrical equipment
105..................................................................................Engine
121............................................................................Launching
127....................................................................Winter Storage
133........................................ Dinghies and other equipment
.............................................................................Personal notes

7
General specifications
Technical specifications
Certification
Design category
Your boat
1

8
General specifications
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS FIRST 45
L.O.A.................................................................................................................... 14,07 m
Length of hull...................................................................................................... 13,68 m
L.W.L.................................................................................................................... 11,76 m
Overall width......................................................................................................... 4,20 m
Width of hull ......................................................................................................... 4,20 m
Waterline beam ..................................................................................................... 2,70 m
Air draught........................................................................................................... 20,70 m
Draft Deep draught keel...................................................................................... 2,80 m
Ballast weight Deep draught keel.................................................................... 3 850 kg
Light displacement .......................................................................................... 11 545 kg
Displacement with maximum load ............................................................... 14 790 kg
Draft Shallow draught keel ................................................................................. 2,45 m
Ballast weight shallow draught ........................................................................ 3 875 kg
Maximum load recommended by the builder ............................................... 3 245 kg
Including the mass of the persons who are authorized on board (75 kg/165 lbs
per adult), the supplies, the liquids that can be used (fresh water and fuel) in fixed
completely full tanks, the additional loads, the optional equipments, the liferaft
and the scope for load.
Water tank capacity ......................................................................................330 + 200 l
Sewage water capacity ...................................................................................... 80 + 80 l
Fuel oil tank capacity................................................................................................200 l
Refrigeration unit capacity.......................................................................................100 l
Recommended maximum power .........................................................................75 kw
Battery capacity ..............................................................................................3 x 110 Ah
Cabins............................................................................................................................... 3
Build material: Laminated polyester.
Architect.......................................................................... Philippe BRIAND Yacht Design
Interior design ............................................................... Philippe BRIAND Yacht Design
SAILS MAST RACING
NOTE: The capacities indicated are maximum (including options).
SAILS MAST CRUISING
CERTIFICATION
Total surface area .........................................113,2 m²
Mainsail ............................................................ 60,7 m²
Genoa................................................................ 52,5 m²
Spinnaker........................................................... 151 m²
I......................................................................... 18,35 m
J........................................................................... 5,51 m
P ....................................................................... 18,00 m
E ......................................................................... 5,50 m
The sails are the main propulsion means of the FIRST 45.
Total surface area .........................................115,9 m²
Mainsail ............................................................ 55,5 m²
Genoa................................................................ 60,4 m²
Symmetrical spinnaker .................................... 140 m²
I......................................................................... 17,35 m
J........................................................................... 5,33 m
P ....................................................................... 17,00 m
E ......................................................................... 5,50 m
CE Category Persons Maximum
A 12 persons
B 12 persons
C 12 persons
D 12 persons

9
General specifications
1
DEFINITION OF DESIGN CATEGORIES
The FIRST 45 model conforms to the directive 2003/44/CE
Design category
Wind force
(Beaufort scale)
Significant height of
waves to be conside-
red
(in metres H 1/3)
Vessel designed for
navigation:
A - "At high sea"
B - "In open sea"
C - "Near to the coast"
D - "In sheltered waters"
Over 8
Upto and including 8
Upto and including 6
Upto and including 4
Over 4
Upto and including 4
Upto and including 2
Upto and including 0,3

Telephone N° / Address to be contacted in case of emergency
Your boat
10
CHANTIERS BENETEAU S.A. - Z.I. des Mares - BP 66 - 85270 St - Hilaire - de - Riez - FRANCE - Tèl. + 33 (0)2 51 60 50 10
http://www.beneteau.com
Name of the boat:...................................................................................................
Delivery date:...........................................................................................................
Registration number: ..............................................................................................
Serial number (C.I.N):............................................................................................
Entrance door key n°: ............................................................................................
Engine type
Serial number
Engine key number
Name of the owner: ..............................................................................................
Address: ..................................................................................................................
..................................................................................................................
Telephone:..............................................................................................................
email: ............................................................................................................

11
Safety
Safety Equipment
General information
Gas system
Recommendatons for gas
Fight against fire
Bilge pump system
Emergency tiller
2

12
Safety
SAFETY EQUIPMENT
REF Designation
1 Position of swimming ladder (means of coming back onboard)
2 Location of liferaft locker
Swimming ladder (means of coming back onboard)
(Reference 1)
Storage locker for liferaft
(Reference 2)

13
Safety
2
GENERAL INFORMATION
DANGERS
The major hazards concern:
- The gas system.
- The electrical system.
- Manoeuvring the vessel and the sails.
- The motorisation.
Please refer to the relevant paragraphs .
WARNING
-Before you sail, list the compulsory safety
equipment.
-Don't exceed the number of persons indicated
in the chapter 'Specifications'.
-The total weight of the persons and equipment
must never exceed the maximum load
recommended by the manufacturer.
-Use the seats provided.
PIECE OF ADVICE -
RECOMMENDATION
-When sailing, never padlock or lock the liferaft
locker.
-Before you sail to sea, carefully read the
instructions indicated on the liferaft to launch
it.
-Close the deck hatches and fore portholes each
time before each trip (including the
companionway hatch in heavy weather).
-Don't store anything below the floorboards.

14
Safety
GAS SYSTEM
OPERATION
NOTE: Same position for the other layouts.
Valve Gas cylinder locker (Reference 3)
B
A
1
3
REF Designation
1 Supply valve Cooker - Oven
2 Cooker / Oven
3 Gas cylinder locker
4 Regulator valve
5 Drain - Gas cylinder locker
6 Open valve
7 Closed valve

15
Safety
2
RECOMMENDATONS FOR GAS
Type of cylinder: butane, service pressure 10 kg/cm
2
or according to current standards of your country).
Close the valves on the system and on the cylinder when the appliances are not used. Close the valves before you change
cylinders and immediately in case of emergency.
Never leave unattended an appliance that is working. Don't install or store flammable materials above or over the stove (curtains,
papers, napkins etc.).
Make sure that the valves of the appliances are closed before you open the cylinder or hose valve.
In case you smell gas or find that the burners have gone out (although appliance models cut off automatically if the flames go
out), turn off the valves of the appliances. Do ventilate the boat in order to get rid of any residual gas. Find the cause of the
problem.
Regularly test the gas system in order to detect any gas leak.
Check all the connections using water and soap or detergent, closing the valves of the appliances and opening the valve on the
cylinder.
If you detect a leak, close the valve of the cylinder and repair before you use it again.
The appliances use the oxygen of the cabin and release combustible gases. Ventilate your boat when using appliances.
Don't obstruct the air vents and at least leave the door open. Don't use the oven or stove as back up heaters.
Lock the stove oven when being not used in order to avoid damaging the tubes when sailing.
Never obstruct the fast access to the components of the gas system. Keep the taps of the empty cylinders turned off and the
cylinders disconnected.
Keep the protection, lids, covers and taps in their places. Store the empty and spare cylinders on the deck or in a locker with a
ventilation to the open air.
Don't use the gas cylinder storage place to store other equipment. Only use the proper locker to store the gas cylinders.
Regularly check and replace the rubber tubings that link the cylinder to one end of the circuit and the stove to the other one,
depending on the norms and regulations in force in your country.
WARNING
-Don't use a solution containing ammonia.
-Don't use a flame to detect leaks.
-Don't smoke, don't use a naked flame when you
change the gas cylinder.
WARNING
- Do not use a solution containing ammonia to
detect leaks.
- Don't use a flame to detect leaks.
- Don't smoke, don't use a naked flame when
you change the gas cylinder.
PIECE OF ADVICE -
RECOMMENDATION
-Shut off the gas supply at the bottle as well as
the cooker tap.
-When changing the cylinder, refit the cap in
place on the regulator threaded section (to
avoid corrosion).
-For winter storage instructions and precautions,
refer to Chapter 13.

16
Safety
SCHEMA GAS - US
REF Designation
1 Regulator valve 12V
2 Gas cylinder
3 Drain
4 Stuffing box
5 PVC girdled sleeve
6 Electromagnetic valve for gas 12V
7 Pipe Propane Plastic
67
4
5
3
2
1