BENETEAU First 18 User Manual

BENETEAU FIRST 18 ASSEMBLY MANUAL
VERSION 2.0
June 2020
PREAMBLE
Dear new owner,
Congratulations on your new Beneteau First 18 and welcome to the First family of passionate sailors!
We hope you are going to enjoy sailing her as much as we enjoyed in her creation. Although she is
very simple in concept, we believe that process of discovering her potentials will give you plenty of
satisfaction and fun for many years.
This assembly manual was written with one single goal – to make your first interaction with your
brand new Beneteau First 18 as easy, smooth and enjoyable as possible. It's leading you through the
rigging of the boat in by our experience the most practical steps.
Assembly Manual is not replacing the Owner's Manual, which is the official document delivered with
the boat. Please read it carefully and familiarise yourself with the boat before using it.
We would love to hear back from you!
You're reading the second version of Beneteau First 18 Assembly manual, and it is possible parts of
the manual will not be clear or even confusing. We encourage you to give us your valuable feedback
and would like to hear back from you about your experience. You can contact Tit Plevnik on
t.plevnik@beneteau-group.com.
A lot of joy with your new boat and fair winds!
First Team

BENETEAU First 18 Specifications

General

CE Certification	C
Berths	2
Engine	Outboard engine
Length overall	5.55 m
Hull Length	5.50 m (18.04 ft)

Summary

1. Preparations

Rigging Tools & Equipment

Lists essential tools needed for boat assembly.

Ronstan Deck-Equipment Installation

Instructions for fitting Ronstan deck hardware and blocks.

3. Deck Preparation

Jib Furler Installation

Steps for adjusting and attaching the jib furler.

4. Mast Assembly

Shrouds Assembly

Instructions for unfolding and attaching the shrouds.

Halyards Assembly

Procedures for rigging the jib, mainsail, and gennaker halyards.

5. Mast Stepping

Mast Stepping Preparations

Mast Stepping Procedure

Step-by-step guide for stepping the mast with assistance.

Shroud Tensions

Mast Stepping Alone

Guide for stepping the mast without a second person.

6. Mainsail Controls

Boom Assembly

Mainsheet Assembly

Vang Assembly

7. Jib Controls

Jib Cunningham Rigging

Jib Sheets Leading

8. Gennaker Controls

Gennaker Retriever & Snuffer Setup

Setting up the gennaker retriever line and snuffer.

Gennaker Sheets Leading

10. Sails Rigging & Setup

Mainsail Assembly

Steps for unfolding and assembling the mainsail.

Batten Tensions Guide

Jib Assembly

Steps for unfolding and assembling the jib.

Setting the Jib

Instructions for rigging and setting the jib.

Gennaker Setup & Installation

Introduction to gennaker system and initial setup.

Mainsail Rigging

Instructions for attaching the mainsail to the boom.

Swinging Keel System

Keel Winch Modes & Operation

Lowering the Keel Procedure

Procedure and safety warnings for lowering the keel.

Lifting the Keel Procedure

Procedure for lifting the keel.

Launching the Boat

Retrieving the Boat

Retrieving on Trailer

Transport on Trailer

Strapping Boat for Transport

Gennaker Snuffer Operations

Gennaker Hoisting Procedure

Gennaker Dropping Procedure