2007 Beneteau 10R FIRST Sold Boat in Long Beach, CA US

The bowsprit, mounted on the starboard side of the bow, which makes the 10R the first sprit boat Beneteau has offered to its North American market. The 10R is also the first model built using the company's proprietary "One Shot" infusion process, in which the hull and structure are molded at the same time, achieving an even distribution of the resin throughout the entire boat. The hull and deck are balsa cored, except below the waterline, and under deck fittings, where solid glass is used, which makes for a light hull for a boat the 10R's size, around 9,800 pounds.Farr Yacht Design, a partner with Beneteau for many years, designed a smart interior for the 10R. By placing the head on centerline in the forepeak, they've created one of the best spinnaker-retrieval and launching spaces found on any production boat today. The large, half-moon hatch provides good ventilation dockside, and a more than adequate opening for spinnaker work. The head's sole is covered with molded nonskid and has a drain in the center to drain away water from wet spinnakers. The carbon spinnaker pole retracts into a fiberglass sheath in the head two rubber gaskets prevent water intrusion. Any water that does manage to sneak in drains via a weep hole and clear rubber tube led to the bilge. Aft of the head/spinnaker operations center is a bulkhead that's tabbed into the hull, as is the bulkhead aft of both settees, which supports the load from the shrouds and keel. Aft of the bulkhead on port and starboard are two straight settees (curved settees are great for dinner parties, but make lousy offshore berths), which flank a drop-leaf table. The portside, L-shaped galley is across from the nav station, and since both are at max beam, they're both roomy. In fact, the nav station, which faces forward, is roomier than some larger boats we've sailed. Aft to starboard is the owner's stateroom with a double bunk, to port a single. Thanks to the head-forward layout, both aft berths are further forward than they might otherwise be, which keeps weight out of the stern.Racers who've spend time racing aboard the 10R First love the cockpit, which has plenty of room for helmsman, main trimmer, two headsail trimmers, and a pitman. Immediately forward of the open transom is a large hatch, which accesses a storage area that accepts an optional liner designed to hold a small liferaft. The large, 63-inch aluminum wheel is covered with leather, and with only three-quarters of a turn lock-to-lock, is designed to provide the same precise, fingertip control as a tiller. The Harken mainsheet traveler is immediately forward of the wheel, and thanks to the low cockpit coamings, is an extremely comfortable area for the mainsheet trimmer, especially when the boat is heeled. Fine and gross-trim backstay controls are well within the trimmer's reach on either tack. Two Lewmar 46 AST winches are mounted on the cockpit coaming for headsail trim, and two Lewmar 40s sit on either side of the companionway to handle the halyards and control lines leading aft from the Hall carbon-fiber mast. Twin banks of Spinlock jammers sit forward of the two Lewmar 40s. Because the cabin trunk extends very far the genoa and jib tracks are pushed outboard of where they really should be, the 10R requires jib inhaulers for the 150-percent genoa, and the jib, allowing the clew to be sheeted inboard around the shrouds. Thanks to the fact that the headsail's Harken furler sits belowdecks, 10R owners get the best of both worlds, a proper deck-sweeping headsail, and the ease of a furler, which makes mark roundings a lot less complicated.The 10R's deck has molded non-skid, which provides good traction. The high aspect, T-shaped bulb keel is the latest in keel bulb shapes. Sailing the First 10R in a medium breeze with the 150-percent overlapping genoa, the 10R powered up quickly as the wind hit its top end for the day. Upwind, sails between 5.8 to 6.5 knots. Sailing downwind with the asymmetric the boat is a blast. Crewing on the 10R is a delight. From the footrests for the helmsman, to the eminently workable cockpit, and ergonomic deck layout, Farr and Beneteau's vast experience designing and building racer/cruisers is evident in every aspect of the 10R's performance.