Beneteau Figaro

The Beneteau Figaro, also called the Figaro I, the Figaro Solo and officially designated as the Figaro Beneteau, is a French sailboat that was designed by Groupe Finot and Jean Berret as a one design, single-handed, off-shore racer especially for the Solitaire du Figaro race and first built in 1990. The boat and the race are both named for the sponsor of the race, the French newspaper Le Figaro.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

Beneteau Figaro
Development
DesignerJean Berret
Groupe Finot
LocationFrance
Year1990
No. built140
Builder(s)Beneteau
RoleOne design racer
NameBeneteau Figaro
Boat
Displacement5,291 lb (2,400 kg)
Draft5.92 ft (1.80 m)
Hull
Typemonohull
Constructionglassfibre
LOA29.99 ft (9.14 m)
LWL27.56 ft (8.40 m)
Beam10.66 ft (3.25 m)
Engine typeYanmar 1GM diesel engine
Hull appendages
Keel/board typeFin keel with weighted bulb
Ballast1,984 lb (900 kg)
Rudder(s)Spade-type rudder
Rig
Rig typeBermuda rig
I foretriangle height40.09 ft (12.22 m)
J foretriangle base11.25 ft (3.43 m)
P mainsail luff41.54 ft (12.66 m)
E mainsail foot13.77 ft (4.20 m)
Sails
SailplanFractional rigged sloop
Mainsail area286.00 sq ft (26.570 m2)
Jib/genoa area225.51 sq ft (20.951 m2)
Spinnaker area785.7 sq ft (72.99 m2)
Upwind sail area511.51 sq ft (47.521 m2)
Downwind sail area1,071.7 sq ft (99.56 m2)
Racing
PHRF99-105

The boat was the official design for the Solitaire du Figaro race from 1990 to 2002. It was replaced by the Beneteau Figaro 2 in 2003.[1][2][3][10][11][12][13]

Production

The design was built by Beneteau in France, from 1990 to 2002, with 140 boats completed, but it is now out of production.[1][2][3][14][15]

Design

The Figaro is a racing keelboat, built predominantly of solid glassfibre. It has a fractional sloop rig with two sets of swept spreaders. The hull has a raked stem, a reverse transom, an internally mounted spade-type rudder controlled by a tiller and a fixed fin keel with a swept, weighted bulb. It displaces 5,291 lb (2,400 kg) and carries 1,984 lb (900 kg) of iron and water ballast.[1][2][3]

The boat has a draft of 5.92 ft (1.80 m) with the standard keel.[1][2][3]

The boat is fitted with a Japanese Yanmar 1GM diesel engine for docking and manoeuvring. The fuel tank holds 8 U.S. gallons (30 L; 6.7 imp gal).[1][2][3]

The design has sleeping accommodation for six people in a minimalist interior. For sailing downwind it may be equipped with a symmetrical spinnaker of 785.7 sq ft (72.99 m2).[1][2][3][16]

The design has a hull speed of 7.03 kn (13.02 km/h) and a PHRF handicap of 99 to 105.[1][2][3][17]

Operational history

As well as serving as the official design for the Solitaire du Figaro from 1990 to 2002, the boat was used for the first one-design transatlantic race, the double-handed Transat AG2R from 1992 to 2002.[1][2]

Sailboat Lab notes, "the Figaro Solo Beneteau is a light sailboat which is a very high performer. It is stable / stiff and has a low righting capability if capsized."[3]

Reviewer Philippe Joubin noted in August 1990 in Seahorse International Yacht Racing, that the adoption of the boat for the Solitaire du Figaro, making it a one design race, would transform the race and give it new credibility.[18]

See also

References
  1. McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Figaro Solo (Beneteau)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 25 March 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  2. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Beneteau Figaro Solo". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  3. Ulladulla. "Figaro solo Beneteau". Sailboat Lab. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  4. McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  5. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Jean Marie Finot (Groupe Finot)". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  6. "Finot Conq Architectes Sailboat designer". Boat-Specs.com. 2023. Archived from the original on 24 June 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  7. McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Berret-Racoupeau". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  8. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Berret-Racoupeau". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 23 June 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  9. Beneteau. "Figaro Beneteau". beneteau.com. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  10. McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Figaro II (Beneteau)". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  11. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Beneteau Figaro II". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  12. Ulladulla. "Figaro 2 Beneteau". Sailboat Lab. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  13. "Figaro 2 Sailboat specifications". Boat-Specs.com. 2023. Archived from the original on 5 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  14. McArthur, Bruce (2023). "Beneteau". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2020. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  15. Sea Time Tech, LLC (2023). "Beneteau". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  16. Groupe Finot. "Figaro Solo". finot.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  17. US Sailing (2023). "PHRF Handicaps". ussailing.org. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
  18. Joubin, Philippe (August 1990). "Figaro Solo". Seahorse International Yacht Racing. Archived from the original on 6 September 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
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