The First range is the French boat-building giant's performance-oriented collection of models, designed with a focus on those seeking rewarding sailing performance alongside modern, comfortable interior styling. Introduced in 1998, the Beneteau First 31.7 has earned a reputation for solid cruising performance while also being a capable club racer.
Still with her original owner the Beneteau First 31.7 SHADOWFAX has a proven track record with podium finishes at several large Scottish and Irish regattas. Now reluctantly offered for sale her inventory highlights include:
Original gelcoat finish to topsides
Yanmar 3YM20 marine diesel engine with Yanmar saildrive
2-blade, bronze folding propellor
230vAC Shore power system
Battery charger
Additional domestic battery
Pressurised hot and cold water systems
Raymarine ST60 navigation instruments – New retractable transducers fitted 2024
Raymarine 435 chartplotter at chart table
Raymarine 435i chartplotter in cockpit
Webasto Airtop 3500 diesel fired, blown air heating system
New mast fitted in 2009
Harken Tuff-Luff on forestay (2024)
Dyneema cascading backstay (2021)
Harken winches
Extensive sail wardrobe, full set from 2019 with large selection of older sails
Mainsail cover new in 2024
Still in regular use by her owners the Beneteau First 31.7 SHADOWFAX is available for viewing by prior appointment on her mooring in Oban.
CONSTRUCTION
Hull Construction:
Single-piece GRP moulded hull
Monolithic polyester hull laminate
Moulded internal structural matrix using uni-directional fibres to maximise strength, bonded to hull
Plywood bulkheads
White gelcoat finish to topsides
Underwater hull finished in white antifouling, applied spring 2025
Boat wintered ashore annually since new
Deck & Superstructure Construction:
Single piece GRP moulded deck, incorporating coachroof and self-draining cockpit
Polyester laminate, balsa sandwich construction
Localised reinforcement in way of high-load fittings
White gelcoat finish to moulded
Moulded ‘Picot’ texture non-slip panels to finish deck, coachroof and cockpit
Laid teak decking panels to finish cockpit seating
Internal moulding forming deckhead
Keel & Rudder:
Fin keel with bulb
Cast iron keel construction
Stainless steel keel bolts
GRP moulded spade rudder
Rudder bearings replaced 2022
MACHINERY
Engine & gearbox:
Yanmar 3YM20 marine diesel engine
21hp
3-cylinder, naturally aspirated, indirectly cooled
Yanmar saildrive
Single lever morse control
Maintenance & Performance:
Engine last serviced autumn 2024
Saildrive diaphragm last replaced winter 2016/17
New exhaust system fitted autumn 2024
Cruising speed 6kts
Propulsion & Steering:
Yanmar Saildrive
2-blade, bronze folding propellor
Stainless steel tiller steering
Wichard tiller extension
ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
Voltage systems:
12VDC onboard power system
230VAC shore power system
Shore Power System:
Extension lead to connect to shore supply
Single 16 amp connection point
Hardwired RCD-protected system.
3 pin UK sockets, battery charger, immersion heater
Battery Banks:
Domestic Battery – 2x 12vDC, 75Ah, lead acid (2023)
Engine Battery – 1x 12vDC, 70Ah, lead acid
Battery Monitor:
Battery status indicator on switch panel
Charging:
Power First All-In-One consumer unit and battery charger
230vAC-12vDC, 20amp, 2-output
Alternators:
Single engine driven alternator
Split charging diode
Other Electrical:
12vDC charging socket at chart table
PLUMBING SYSTEMS
Fresh Water:
Pressurised hot and cold water systems
Mixer tap in galley
Mixer tap in heads with pull out shower head
All taps and fittings replaced 2023
Hot water provided from calorifier, heated by engine cooling water or 230VAC immersion heater
Bilge Pumps:
Manual Bilge Pump
Electric Bilge Pump
TANKAGE
Fuel:
Single diesel tank
Rotomoulded plastic tank
Approximate capacity 30ltrs
Fresh Water:
Single fresh water tank
Rotomoulded plastic tank
Approximate capacity 160ltrs
Tank Monitoring:
Gauges for fuel and water tanks
NAVIGATION & COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT
On Deck:
Depth/Speed/Log – Raymarine ST60 Tri-Data, new retractable transducers fitted 2024
Wind – Raymarine ST60
Plotter – Raymarine RC435i
Magnetic Compass
At Chart Table:
Plotter – Raymarine RC435
Communications Equipment:
DSC VHF – Raymarine RAY50 (2023)
DOMESTIC EQUIPMENT
Galley:
Galley Stove – Eno gas cooker, 2-burner and oven with pan clamps and gimbal mounted
Stainless steel crashbar over cooker
Fridge – Built-in, top loading fridge, 70ltr capacity, Frigoboat 12vDC compressor unit and chiller plate
Stainless steel sink
Mixer tap
Heads:
Toilet – Jabsco manual marine toilet serviced with new pump autumn 2024
Wash hand basin
Mixer tap, extending out for use as shower
Heating & Ventilation:
Webasto Airtop 3500 diesel fired, blown air heating system
Thermostatic cabin controller
Insulated ducting
Outlets in saloon, forward, aft cabin and heads
Lighting:
Overhead lighting throughout interior
Reading lights in saloon and cabins
Chart table working light
Entertainment:
Alba CD/Radio/SD card/USB headunit (2022)
Speakers in the saloon
ACCOMMODATION
Summary of Accommodation:
Double cabin forward
Saloon with two single occasional berths
Nav Station
Galley
Double aft cabin
Heads
Accommodation Finish:
Joinery work in Alpi Blond Oak finished in a satin varnish
Parquet type laminate soleboards
Moulded GRP headlining
GRP moulded heads compartment
Roller blinds for deck hatches
Cushion foams and covers in forward and aft cabins replaced in 2023
Description of Accommodation from Forward:
Forward Cabin:
Height over berth – 1.75m
Double berth forward (2.00m x 1.40m)
Standing room aft of bunk
Locker outboard of standing room to port
Shelves running length of bunks outboard to port and starboard overhead
Saloon:
Headroom 1.82m
Symmetrical saloon layout with bench settees to port and starboard
Centrally mounted saloon table with drop leaves to port and starboard, bottle storage within central section of table
Shelves running length of settees outboard of back rests
Storage lockers beneath saloon settees
Galley:
To port side of companionway, aft of saloon
Headroom 1.80m
L-shaped galley
Thwartships worktop forward with inset sink inboard
Top-loading fridge beneath outboard section of worktop
Gimbal mounted gas cooker at outboard
Nav Station:
To starboard side of companionway
Headroom 1.80m
Forward facing chart table with dedicated navigator's seat
Chart storage in table top
Chartplotter mounted above chart table forward, VHF mounted outboard
Switch panel outboard of chart table
Aft Cabin:
Accessed through galley to port, aft of companionway
Headroom 1.80m
Double berth aft (2.00m x 1.50m)
Standing room forward of bunk with locker outboard and countertop above
Shelve running length of bunk outboard
Heads:
To starboard, accessed aft of Nav Station
Headroom 1.80m
Manual marine toilet mounted inboard, aft
Wet hanging space outboard of toilet
Countertop unit with inset wash hand basin outboard forward.
Vanity locker above countertop outboard
DECK EQUIPMENT
Rig:
Keel stepped, double spreader, 9/10ths fractionally rigged sloop (New mast in 2009)
Silver anodised alloy mast and spars
Stainless steel standing rigging (2005)
Harken Tuff-Luff on forestay (2024)
Cascading block and tackle kicker
Mainsheet system with fine tuner
Cascading dyneema back stay with tensioning lines to port (2021)
Lines lead aft to cockpit along port and starboard sides of cockpit
Winches:
Primary Winches – 2x Harken 44, two-speed, self-tailing
Halyard/Control Line Winches - 2x Harken 40, two-speed, self-tailing
Sails:
Mainsail - Carbon membrane, film on film, partially battened, loose-footed. Owen Sails (2019)
Genoa #1 – Carbon membrane, film on film laminate. Owen Sails (2019)
Genoa #3 – GPL light skin. Owen Sails (2019)
Code Zero – Owen Sails (2019)
Spinnaker – Running spinnaker, symetrical. Owen Sails (2019)
Spinnaker – Symetrical reaching spinnaker. Owen Sails (2019)
Spinnaker – Heavy weather storm spinnaker. Owen Sails (2020)
Storm Jib
Mainsail – Dacron cruising spec. Owen Sails – spare sail
Mainsail – Racing laminate. Owen Sails – spare sail
Genoa #1 – Racing laminate. Owen Sails – spare sail
Genoa #2 – Cruising laminate. Owen Sails – spare sail
Blade Jib – Racing laminate. Owen Sails – spare sail
Spinnaker – Reaching, symmetrical. Owen Sails – spare sail
Spinnaker – Running, symmetrical. Owen Sails – spare sail
Canvas Work:
Mainsail cover – Owen Sails (2024)
Anchoring & Mooring:
Bower Anchor – Delta plough anchor with chain and warp rode
Mooring Lines – Selection
Fenders – Selection
Fender Skirt
General:
Single stainless steel bow roller
Stainless steel pulpit rail
Split stainless steel pushpit rails with central gate section
Deck mounted stainless steel stanchions supporting double tier stainless steel guardwires
Blue Performance chafe protectors on aft/midships section of lower guard wires
Deck mounted alloy mooring cleats to port and starboard, forward and aft
Below deck anchor locker forward, mounting plinth within locker for mounting of windlass
Single deck hatch forward of mast
Lines lead aft from mast along port and starboard sides of coachroof
Stainless steel grabrails running along outboard edges of coachroof to port and starboard sides of coachroof
Spinlock rope clutches to port and starboard sides of coachroof with winches immediately aft
Bench seating to port and starboard sides of cockpit
Primary winches mounted outboard of cockpit on coaming tops
Mainsheet track spanning cockpit forward
Cockpit locker below starboard cockpit seating
Transom mounted boarding/swimming ladder
SAFETY EQUIPMENT:
General note on safety equipment: Any safety equipment such as liferafts, Epirbs, fire extinguishers and flares etc. are usually personal to the current owner(s) and if being left on-board as part of the sale of a used vessel may require routine servicing, replacement, or changing to meet a new owners specific needs.
Navigation Lights:
Masthead anchor light
Masthead navigation lights
Steaming light
Low level navigation lights
Life saving:
Horseshoe Lifebuoy with light
DISCLAIMER
In this case we are acting as brokers only.
The Owner is not selling in the course of a business. whilst every care has been taken in their preparation , the correctness of these particulars is not guaranteed. The Purchaser is strongly advised to check the particulars and where appropriate at their expense to employ a qualified Marine Surveyor to carry out a survey and/or to have an engine trial conducted which if conducted by us shall not imply any liability for such engine on our part.
This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.