Jeanneau Sun Odyssey at SIBS

Sticky Fingers

Sticky Fingers

Well-Known Member
Joined
21 Feb 2004
Messages
7,474
Location
Home Saffron Walden, boat Swanwick.
Visit site
Had a grand day out today at SIBS, weather was fabulous and even the traffic jams on the way down didn't damp my spirit. Pity the food options there are so carp.

We're looking at buying a boat 34-39' for coastal cruising, minimum 2 but usually 4 up, day sails and weekend, maybe max a week at a time - ie short trips away, maybe France, Scillies, Holland. We'd be keeping the boat East Coat initially then moving to Cornwall in a couple of years as retirement beckons. No blue water. No live-aboard, and I'm not a foul weather sailor...

Anyways, we looked at loads of boats. The standout for us was the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey, really liked the layout and finish, for the money it looks pretty good. Also quite impressed with the Bavaria and Hanse though the latter seems a bit, err, budget. Didn't take to Beneteau or Dufour.

So. Question - what is not to like about the Jeanneau? Anyone bought one and found something not good - or looked at these and at other boats and spotted something about the Jeanneau that put you off?

We'd be buying through Clarke & Carter: any views?

Opinions good and bad welcome.

Thank you.
 
Last edited:
A1GSS said:
So. Question - what is not to like about the Jeanneau? Anyone bought one and found something not good - or looked at these and at other boats and spotted something about the Jeanneau that put you off?
Click to expand...

You don't say which size/configuration of Sun Odyssey you're considering. When I was looking to buy new 18 months ago, I basically ended up with a choice between a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 379 or a Bavaria Cruiser 37 - both in 2 cabin versions. In many ways, these are quite similar boats. Both are recent designs and look modern and stylish, they're about the same size and displacement, and both sail quite well. Inside layout is virtually identical, and quality of construction seems comparable, although I found that the interior of the Bavaria felt rather more solid than the Jeanneau. Both use Selden masts. The Jeanneau has Harken winches; the Bavaria has Lewmar. The engines are similar power. The Jeanneau uses B&G electronics; the Bavaria has Garmin.

I liked the Jeanneau's cockpit a little more than the Bavaria's, although I preferred the Bavaria's huge folding stern platform. I liked the Jeanneau's dedicated liferaft stowage. The Jeanneau's inboard shrouds should make moving around the deck a bit easier than on the Bavaria. I quite liked the big workshop/storage locker accessible from the heads in the Jeanneau, although the access isn't great, and the Bavaria's deep cockpit locker with ladder is actually a better place to store a dinghy, outboard and fenders. But I liked the fact that the Bavaria has a "proper" chart table. I especially liked the Bavaria's option of having DuraDeck (fake teak) on the cockpit and side decks, rather than real teak.

I thought long and hard and, frankly, if they were the same price, I'd have found it difficult to choose between them! But here's the crunch, spec-for-spec on a fully-loaded boat, the Jeanneau was around £30K more expensive! That's about 25% more expensive!

So I bought the Bavaria Cruiser 37, and it's a delightful boat. If only the same could be said for Bavaria's UK dealer network. If I were buying another new Bavaria, I'd probably source it from a Dutch dealer. If you decide on a Jeanneau, Clarke & Carter are good people.
 
Hi
We went with similar purchase in mind
Our initial short list was the Hanse 45 and the Ben 45
Was not that impressed with the Benny
We had thrown out the Jenny because the last two we had on charter had internal steps that were not even at the thresholds - I found them dangerous. Anyway thought we would have quick look and the steps have gone and the boat loooks great value so the Jenny is back in.
Whilst looking we decided that the diffrence between a 41/42 and 45 did not justify the extra 20-30k so have readjusted to a 41/42
Also had a look at the Bav Vision 42 a very nice boat with some nice innovations
Had a look at the legend but whilst nice the extra 100k ish dd not seem like good value
So now we have a short list of Jen Bav Hanse in that order
Will test sail at least the first two and see how we go
Good luck with your purchase
Anyone got any feed back on Trafford Yachts?
 
We bought Highland Bear, a Jeanneau SO42 Deck Saloon at SIBS 5 years ago and have been delighted with her. Very comfortable and easy to sail short handed. I'm pleased with the overall build quality and the only major breakage was a Raymarine plotter which needed a new fuse. Other than that it's just been general maintenance.

We purchased from Westways in Plymouth before they went bust in 2011. Richard Trafford (now at Trafford Yachts) used to work there until having a difference of, shall we say, opinion over strategy? with their then new owner but he knows a lot about Jens and is a bloke I would trust. I've heard good things about C&C as well.

The other thing I particularly like about the Jen is the way she sails. Stable, balanced and quick, we've had her up to 10 kts, pushing 11 under full sail in a good breeze. Nice hull!
 
Last edited:
Have just been through the same process with a short list of Jeanneau 33i, Hanse 325 and Bavaria 33. The first two are now no longer available but my comments are mostly still valid. It was not easy to choose among them as they are all well built and finished but overall the Bavaria won hands down. Overall felt better put together, but not a lot in it over the Jeanneau, but more evidence of good engineering design in things like engine installation and electrics, with 3 battery banks (engine, house and bow thruster) all AGMs. Much more space in all areas even though the hulls are all much the same size. This is most noticeable in the aft cabin, loo compartment. Looked in the Jeanneau 349 at the show and it seemed to have less room in these areas than mine - particularly headroom and space between the door and the cockpit moulding. Much more usable storage than either of the others except perhaps in the galley.

The Jeanneau and the Bavaria were approximately the same price but the Hanse could be had at a lower price as it was going out of production. However, I wanted a Part Exchange and that was not available with a Hanse, although if it had come out top of the list I might still have gone with it, but it was let down by cramped accommodation and an uncomfortable cockpit layout for me. The closed cockpit with drop down platform, smaller wheel, centrally mounted mainsheet and aft sheet winches make singlehanding easy on the Bavaria. The relatively small genoa is easy to handle so don't feel the need for a self tacker that the other two offer.

Unlike others I have no complaints about the service from Clipper. Reserved the build slot with a small deposit at the end of April. Couple of weeks deciding final spec and negotiating the final price including the P/Ex value and reflecting the change in the value of the Euro since the list prices were set and signed the contract on 11 May for build in the middle of July. Boat completed at the factory on 20 July, documents copied over, Bill of Sale issued and final payment made. Delivered to Hamble on 25 July for Coppercoating, launched on 13 August sea trials on 22nd and sailed back to Poole on 29th.

Everything exactly as ordered, everything works and delighted with it. in fact exactly the same experience as with our previous new Bavaria bought in 2000/1 (through different dealer).
 
We bought a new SO 409 and traded in a 2001 Bavaria 34 a couple of years ago with C&C. Very good after sales support on East Coast from Ian Scott, their dedicated commissioning and support person. He ensured the snags were fixed and still answers my questions. I would use them again. We love the SO409. We now go further than we did with the Bavaria. It seems very safe and easy to sail with two.
 
Thanks for your comments folks. (no 'thanks' button on this forum...?)

more evidence of good engineering design in things like engine installation and electrics, with 3 battery banks (engine, house and bow thruster) all AGMs
Click to expand...
Interesting that the under-the-skin differences matter. Need to learn more about this,

Unlike others I have no complaints about the service from Clipper
Click to expand...
The Clipper people I met today seemed very knowledgeable...

and... chart tables. Some boats don't have them at all. OK maybe the move to electronic nav makes them kinda redundant but... I'd still want one.
 
pvb said:
You don't say which size/configuration of Sun Odyssey you're considering...
Click to expand...
Well, we started looking at boats in the 34-37' range, easy enough for two, as big as we need, so the Sun Odyssey 349 / Bav 33 Cruiser were right on the money. Right price too. That said, it didn't take long (or should I say, it only took one boat viewing) for SWMBO to be mentally upgraded into the mid 40's So we ended up landing on the Sun Odyssey 449, which is (a) a lovely thing and (b) too expensive... I was amazed that she seemed happy to push the budget so much, got some work to do now persuading her down again.

I think the SO 349 / Bav 33 would be ideal for us. Might look at a nearly new boat too.
 
A good compromise between you too could be the Sun Odyssey 419 (I really like the 409). I am wondering what difference it has in comparison with the 409. Same LWL, same weight but bigger LOA. So what has changed?
 
cmedsailor said:
A good compromise between you too could be the Sun Odyssey 419 (I really like the 409). I am wondering what difference it has in comparison with the 409. Same LWL, same weight but bigger LOA. So what has changed?
Click to expand...

As well as the GRP bowsprit they also change the transom to be the full width of the rear and also you have hinged doors now rather than just removable panels. Small changes but nice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top