Beneteau First 38 or First 405?

[40 South]

To my learned friends I pose the question!

Why thou choose?

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by 40 South

To my learned friends I pose the question!

Why thou choose?

Other than the interior arrangement plan, there really isn't much difference in the boats and either, if they have been reasonably well maintained, can prove quite satisfactory.

[Tsals505]

Selling my Beneteau.. Sad to see her go. Hope the damn kids appreciate what I have to pay for them to go to college!

[Highland Fling]

IMHO The F38 is a much better put together Bennie than the F405.

Owned both :-) and had Bennies for almost 40 years now my First FIRST was a First 35.

F405 had issues with the front bulkhead becoming detached from the inner liner and the F405 will prob have the lightweight Perkins/Volvo all alloy OHC diesel NOT my fave engine.

The 60hp Volvo Penta MD22A/Perkins Prima M60.

Volvo bought the engines from Perkins had them painted green and that is the only difference it is identical to the Perkins Prima M60. It is cheaper to buy Perkins parts than Volvo. For example, the exhaust elbow, Volvo price €500. Perkins price €130! Volvo buy the parts off Perkins, spray them green, and quadruple the price.WOW.

[40 South]

Originally Posted by Highland Fling

IMHO The F38 is a much better put together Bennie than the F405.

Owned both :-) and had Bennies for almost 40 years now my First FIRST was a First 35.
.

Thanks for your reply.

There is a F38 for sale in my local marina and a F405 about 2500km away.

I am leaning towards the F38 but am concerned about the engine under the cockpit. Access to engine & shaft, weight distribution etc.
F38 is cheaper but requires a bit of work

Why do you say the F38 is a much better put together boat?

What are your thoughts on the F38 engine under the cockpit

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by 40 South

Thanks for your reply.

There is a F38 for sale in my local marina and a F405 about 2500km away.

I am leaning towards the F38 but am concerned about the engine under the cockpit. Access to engine & shaft, weight distribution etc.
F38 is cheaper but requires a bit of work

Why do you say the F38 is a much better put together boat?

What are your thoughts on the F38 engine under the cockpit

Access to the engine is problematical but not impossible is one is limber and not too "large". For the best insight on the matter however, you might want to correspond with Liza and Andy Copeland that have been cruising their F-38 world wide for many years. See (click on) LIZA & ANDY COPELAND: World travellers, Cruising Authors and Speakers . Andy is normally quite responsive.

[Highland Fling]

Originally Posted by 40 South

Thanks for your reply.

There is a F38 for sale in my local marina and a F405 about 2500km away.

I am leaning towards the F38 but am concerned about the engine under the cockpit. Access to engine & shaft, weight distribution etc.
F38 is cheaper but requires a bit of work

Why do you say the F38 is a much better put together boat?

What are your thoughts on the F38 engine under the cockpit

WHY gosh it is just my view/opinion based on having both boats The F38 is more like a First Generation Bennie for sure a production boat but not as highly engineered as the later boats. By that i mean the early boats were over built and as Beneteau looked deeper into building more and more boats in a properly engineered way then they were and are now built to minimise material use YET be strong and stiff enough and reduce build time. Beneteau know to the minute how long it takes to build each model and to the second for individual modules IF they go outside some very tight parameters then they investigate WHY?

Before it was designed yes but more like this works and suck it and see NOW it is a highly engineered product with many many goals included as part of the design/build philosophy

Here are some pictures of sections of the floor/inner grid structure of a Rather Famous F456 i did a keel up renovation of - now this is what i call overbuilt!!!

[40 South]

Thanks for your input guys.
not convinced about the engine location on the F38 and the F405 is too far away.
I think I'll keep looking.

[Highland Fling]

Originally Posted by 40 South

Thanks for your input guys.
not convinced about the engine location on the F38 and the F405 is too far away.
I think I'll keep looking.

KUNFOOSED is me the engine is in 'the traditional place' what is your issue here?

[Randyonr3]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Other than the interior arrangement plan, there really isn't much difference in the boats and either, if they have been reasonably well maintained, can prove quite satisfactory.

Thought I had read a few years ago that the 38 was the first model and they built a tall rig with a deep keel and called it a 405..
As far as the motor under the stair way.. its not an issue.. I just pulled my trans to be rebuilt.. did it from over the top of the motor.. the trick is to remove the top two steps that are fixed to the area.. and I'm 6 feet tall and pushing 300lbs..
Now thats on my 42 but they are both basicly the same..
replaced my stuffing box at the same time.. which included moving the tank back to access the clamps.. no peoblems...

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

...I'm 6 feet tall and pushing 300lbs..
...

Ah...

Randy, I love ya like a brother, but...it's time to think about diet old son!!!

[40 South]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

As far as the motor under the stair way.. its not an issue.. I just pulled my trans to be rebuilt.. did it from over the top of the motor.. the trick is to remove the top two steps that are fixed to the area.. and I'm 6 feet tall and pushing 300lbs..

Originally Posted by Highland Fling

KUNFOOSED is me the engine is in 'the traditional place' what is your issue here?

Sorry, the engine is not under the stairway in the F38. It is aft of the 2nd head (behind the stairway) between the quarter berths. Access is via a hatch at the front and several narrow hatches accessed via the quarter berths. One has to climb into the quarter berths to open the hatches. The saving grace is that the cockpit sole is removable so the engine can be accessed from the top or easily removed.


The F405 has the engine under the sink directly forward of the stairway. The whole engine cover/sink cabinet is removable (except for a bit of framing) giving good access to the engine.

[40 South]

I hope this drawing explains my post better.
The engine is in the blank space between the quarter berths in a F38 (first image)

In the F405 it is in the main saloon under the sink.

[Cheechako]

My Tanton 44 had the engine under the sink.I had no issue with it and could access 5 sides. (Not the bottom except in the usual manner.)

[40 South]

Originally Posted by Cheechako

My Tanton 44 had the engine under the sink.I had no issue with it and could access 5 sides. (Not the bottom except in the usual manner.)

That's why I prefer the F405 over the F38.

The reason for my original post was to seek feedback specifically from those that had experience with the F38 engine under the cockpit.