A Thai-built, French-finished performance catamaran with retractable drives, a rotating rig and off-grid luxury — lying in the BVI.
Some catamarans are built to lounge. This one was built to go. In a walkthrough filmed at Nanny Cay Marina in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, broker Chesnee Cogswell introduces the 2016 Alibi 54 S/V Be The First — a boat she describes as “a unique fusion of high-performance sailing engineering and off-the-grid luxury cruising.”
Her construction story is unusual. The hull and superstructure were built at the Alibi shipyard in Thailand, then shipped to France for the mechanical and electrical installation and the interior build-out. The result, wrapped in a striking grey metallic hull, is a 54-footer that looks quick standing still.
Engineering you can feel at the helm
The performance package is genuinely uncommon: carbon fiber asymmetrical daggerboards, a rotating carbon rig, three-meter retractable rudder blades, a retractable drive system that eliminates the drag of props and sail drives entirely, and an extensive sail inventory. Heavy equipment is deliberately placed centrally to preserve balance. The owner reports a top speed of 27 knots and effortless cruising in the high teens, with upwind ability that Cogswell says often matches most monohulls.
Dual pivoting helm stations give you a choice of styles — steer from the rail with a clear view of the sails and breeze in your face, or from the helm with full command of vessel systems. Either way, control of the daggerboards, rotating mast and Harken rewind winches stays at your fingertips. Forward, an innovative dinghy lift and storage system tucks the tender between the hulls, nestled within the A-frame bowsprit.
Living aboard, off the grid
A generator is aboard, but a large lithium battery bank backed by an extensive solar array is intended to make it optional. Air conditioning, watermaker, dishwasher, multiple fridges including a wine fridge, and a deep freezer are all integrated for extended cruising.
Inside, the galley features seamless stainless steel countertops flowing into a double sink, with teak trim throughout, a Bosch induction stove plus a single gas burner, and a Bosch stainless oven. The owner’s suite occupies the entire starboard hull, with direct cockpit access via a secondary companionway from the after cabin, a hanging closet, teak vanity and an ensuite with separate head stall and rainfall shower. Just forward sit the washing machine, deep freezer and more stowage. The port hull holds a guest suite aft and a forward bunk cabin.
Where she sits in the market
Alibi 54s trade rarely, so comparables are thin. Site figures for the model:
| Metric | Figure |
|---|---|
| Solds, last 24 months | 1 |
| Median sold price | $550,000 |
| Median time to sell | ~99 days |
| Active listings | 1 |
| Asking (median) | $1,290,000 |
Be The First is flagged in Austria with VAT paid and available for showings in the BVI.