The Beneteau First 40.7 on Port Phillip
- Built
- 1997 – 2008
- Length
- 40 ft
- Drive
- Saildrive (Volvo 120S)
- Original engine
- Volvo Penta MD2040 (40 hp) + 120S · final AU boats Yanmar 3JH4E saildrive
The First 40.7 is a modern classic — a Farr design that still fills grids, including actively raced boats on Port Phillip at Sandringham and in ORCV events. Australian hulls trade at $110,000–$160,000, and their owners spend real money keeping them competitive.
Almost all carry the factory Volvo MD2040 on a 120S saildrive — both discontinued — and documented engine upgrades are already happening in the class. For a boat that gets raced offshore, the drivetrain is the one system you don’t want vintage.
The MD2040 and 120S — a 1990s package in a boat still raced in anger
The MD2040 was the right engine in 1999. Twenty-five years on, it’s a discontinued diesel on a discontinued saildrive: exhaust-elbow corrosion is the classic sudden failure, the 120S leg’s seals and clutch are original-vintage, and parts are a thinning aftermarket exercise.
The clean solution is the one the class is already adopting — a current Volvo D2-series engine on a new 130S leg, installed as a single package with one warranty across the lot.
Why these engines reach the end
- Exhaust elbow corrosion — water in cylinders is how MD2040s die
- 120S saildrive seals, diaphragm and clutch decades past design life
- Discontinued engine + discontinued leg = compounding parts risk
- Race-boat duty cycles: hard motoring to and from the start the old package never budgeted for
The pattern across every brand: sailing auxiliaries corrode out long before they wear out. At 50–100 engine hours a year, the calendar — not the hour meter — decides when a yacht diesel is done. Repower or rebuild? Read our honest guide.
What we fit in the Beneteau First 40.7
Volvo Penta D2-50 + 130S saildrive
Our recommendation50 hp · 4-cylinder · new saildrive leg · the class-standard upgrade path
- The documented 120S-to-130S repower path — engine and new leg as one engineered package
- Modern 50 hp with proper reserve for offshore deliveries and Rip transits
- 3-year factory “helm to prop” leisure warranty across engine and saildrive
Yanmar 4JH45 + SD60 saildrive
The alternative45 hp · 4-cylinder common rail · new saildrive leg
The Yanmar package — and the natural conversation for the final Australian 40.7s that shipped with Yanmar saildrives from the factory. Dual-dealer: we quote both.
Yanmar 4JH45 + SD60 saildrive specificationsWhat a Beneteau First 40.7 repower costs
Engine plus new saildrive leg, installed and sea-trialled. Fixed quote after inspection.
How your repower runs
- 1
Inspection & fixed quote
We survey your engine, beds, shaft or saildrive, exhaust and electrics — at your berth or on the hard — and quote the complete job fixed, usually within days.
- 2
Book the yard
You book the hardstand and we coordinate dates. Royals (Royal Victorian Yacht Club) and Savages Wharf at Williamstown are ideal for us; we also work at Wyndham Harbour and Sandringham YC with some added travel cost.
- 3
Out with the old
Old engine out, bay cleaned and prepared — and we dispose of your old engine as part of the job at no extra cost.
- 4
In with the new
New beds and mounts, engine in, shaft or saildrive fitted and aligned, exhaust, cooling, fuel, electrics, controls and panel — engineered, not improvised.
- 5
Sea trial & handover
Commissioning checks, a proper sea trial on the bay, factory warranty registration and your service schedule. You get a finished boat, not a box of loose ends.
Factory warranty, dealer-registered
Volvo Penta — 3 years
Full “helm to prop” leisure coverage — engine, transmission or saildrive, controls and genuine accessories — with no engine-hour cap.
Yanmar — 2 years, extendable
24-month leisure warranty as standard, with Yanmar’s extended program taking eligible engines to 5 years of coverage — ask us when we quote.
As an authorised dealer for both brands we supply, install, commission and register every engine — one job, one responsible party, warranty watertight.
Beneteau First 40.7 repower — your questions answered
Can we schedule the repower around the racing season?
Yes — that’s the point of doing it planned rather than forced. A standard repower runs about two weeks on the hardstand; winter is the natural window, and we’ll work the timing around your program.
Will a new package change rating or trim?
The D2-50/130S package is the standard modern equivalent — weight sits in the same range as the old MD2040 package, and we set engine placement and prop selection as part of the engineering. Talk to your rating authority about certificate specifics; we’ll supply the weights and specs you need.
Where does the work happen?
At Williamstown, minutes from our Spotswood workshop — Royals (Royal Victorian Yacht Club) and Savages Wharf are our preferred yards. We can also repower at Wyndham Harbour or Sandringham Yacht Club, with some additional travel cost. You book the hardstand (we’ll point you to the right people) and we handle everything from there. Geelong owners: we’ll ask you to bring the boat up to Williamstown.
How long does a repower take?
A standard repower is about two weeks on the hardstand. Engine lead times are currently reasonable — but plan ahead a few weeks so the engine is on the floor before your boat comes out of the water.
What warranty comes with the new engine?
Volvo Penta engines carry a 3-year factory “helm to prop” leisure warranty with no engine-hour cap. Yanmar engines carry a 24-month leisure warranty, and Yanmar’s extended program can take eligible engines to 5 years of coverage — ask us when we quote. As an authorised dealer for both brands, we commission and register every engine so your warranty is watertight.
Can you fit an engine I buy elsewhere?
No — we install engines we supply. That’s not a sales line: it’s how we can stand behind the entire job, from engine to beds to sea trial, under one warranty and one responsible party.
What happens to my old engine?
We remove and dispose of it as part of the job, at no extra cost.
What about an electric conversion?
We’re developing an electric repower offering in-house and will be bringing it to market. If you’re weighing diesel against electric, talk to us before committing either way — we’ll give you the honest state of play for your boat and how you use it.
Request a Beneteau First 40.7 repower quote
Tell us your boat, where it's berthed, what engine it has now (roughly is fine) and how you use it — we'll come back with honest advice and a fixed quote, usually within a few days.
Boat model names are used to describe the vessels we service; Mariner Engineering is not affiliated with the boats' designers or builders. Mariner Engineering is an authorised Volvo Penta and Yanmar dealer.