Legend v Jeanneau

M

mrw13

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Having a difficult decision here and need input from Forumites.

Wife (Ayatollah) likes comfort but I like a good boat & fed up with sailing on
Nigel Luthers tinpot.

On offer - Hunter Legend 36 or Sun Odyssey 37

Help - which one ?................

Any info, pros and cons of each GREATLY appreciated





<hr width=100% size=1>All the best

Mike
 
Mike - it all depends what you want to do. Jenneau have a good reputation as being reasonable allrounders. The Legends are I think much more Voluminous, but I think the thing which would make my mind up, is the fact that the Legend has a backstayless rig - I cannot imagine why a designer woudl want to put a highly stressed rig like that on a cheap cruising boat. Questions: How much sag in the forestay will their be if hit by a squall - would you then be able to roll the jib up whilst the forstay foil is deformed? I know someone who has had this exact experience in San Francisco bay - He was not impressed at all with Legend.

Go for the Jenneau -


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I've sailed a legend for 7 years and whatever else you may think of them the rig has not been an issue in my experience. It's a very efficient and easily handled rig. Never had a problem rolling the jib in a blow, and we've been suprisingly blighted with wind every time we decide to go to Holland!
However.....
Personally I wouldn't buy a Legend now, in my opinion most of the really good features of our legend 336 have been designed out. For example we bought one just before those hideous arches appeared on the boats so our main sheets to the binnacle. Sounds awkward, works suprisingly well.

Have you totally discounted the sun fast 37? Same hull with the same accomodation but with a bigger rig, more efficient keel (if you can live with the 2.2m draft) and joy of joys the mainsheet in the propper place with a decent traveller!

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IMHO The Legend is a slow boat, a bit of a caravan on water. It is designed for comfort and would be good to potter from marina to marina. With bilge keels it is especially poor to sail. The Sun Odyssey is the poor sister of the Beneteau family. If you want a boat that is built to high German standards, has an excellent forecabin, (which will impress your Ayotollah), and also sails the best in its class consider a Bavaria 36 - which is by measurement 37.5. It won its class in the Arc this year so also has good ocean performance.

<hr width=100% size=1>Tony
 
If its any help, it amused us during this summer's "storm", while holed up in St. Helier, watching the crew of a Legend return to the boat after their folding steps had fallen overboard. The deck was so high in relation to the low pontoon finger, the lady crew couln't get back onboard. Fortunately another set of steps was produced to resolve the situation and half an hour was spent securing them against joining the first at the bottom of the marina. Just one problem with the legend's high volume hull.

It was also decided to raise the bimini to try and shelter the cockpit from the deluge which continued most of the day. The wind got under it and defeated the frame's locking mechanisms and it was only prevented from flying away by the boom, before being re-stowed.

Needless to say this was all viewed from the comfort of our standard fit Swedish cockpit "tent".

I guess to be fair I have to say somthing about Jeaneau's too. Friend found his to be light and tippy and changed to a Bavaria and is much happier now.

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Why are only these 2 boats 'on offer' ?
IMHO I would try to consider all yachts in this size category.
I would then discount Swan, Najad, Starlght,Hallberg, unless I had won the lottery.
I would then discount Mystery,Rustler, unless I wanted the space of a cramped 32' and was prepared to pay the price of a production 50'.
I would then in all seriousness look at all the prodution yachts around 35'-40'.
In the end I chose the SO 37 but accept that's what suited me, my family, my sailing aspirations and area I sail.

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If there's an uglier boat on the water that the larger Legends, I haven't seen them. They have inredibly high volume hulls for their size and if that's your sole criteria then that's the boat for you. Offset that against things like sailing performance, build quality, tight manoeuvering and the Legend's hippo type hull won't fare so well. Don't discount the Jeanneau Sun Fast 37 or the Bav 36 or even and Oceanis range. The Bav 36 is probably the best compromise but it depends on what you think is important.


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IMHO the Oceanis range provides the best cruising compromise of the boats mentioned. We obviously looked at them all, plus many others, before arriving at our choice. In similar conditions the Oceanis was, in the opinion the crew that sailed the test boats with me, both more stable and faster than the equivilent Bav. The Bav furnishings are certainly smarter, but the Oceanis furniture is, on the whole, strong and well put together. For some reason the SO fit out did not hit the spot with us and we didn't take up the offer of a test sail. I have not sailed a new three series Oceanis, but I hear that several "improvements" have been made, including a longer section keel for better directional stability and bonding + laminating of the incredibly strong looking structural moulding to the inside of the hull.

Two years down the line I am generally pleased with the boat I have bought, I have niggles, but I am sure most buyers of new boats do, whatever the cost of the boat.

<hr width=100% size=1>Think I might draw some little rabbits on my head, from a distance they might be mistaken for hairs.
 
Before we switched tracks from a new boat to a used one and bought our Jeanneau Sun Legende (NOT to be confused with a Legend) we looked at the SO/SF 40s and SO/SF 37s, amongst many others. I'm a bit old fashioned (more than a bit according to fashionable SWMBO) and I like to see 'proper' nav stations and space for instruments etc and then the SO range just had what I would call a coffee table/occasional nav table - I think that might have changed on newer models? Other than that they do what it says on the box, we liked both and we seriously considered the SO40.

I have however never been a fan of Legends. We know a few people with them (who do like them) BUT they go sideways quite well in a blow with high topsides and shallow keels and I just cannot understand why you would replace one wire with umpteen more and a couple of struts just to eliminate a single backstay. Great marina caravans IMO and if that is what you want then fair dos.





<hr width=100% size=1><font size=1>Sermons from my pulpit are with tongue firmly in cheek and come with no warranty!</font size=1>
 
This seems a bit strange ..... not saying its wrong - but my experience is they are similar in 'tippability' actually heeling characterstic.
<<I guess to be fair I have to say somthing about Jeaneau's too. Friend found his to be light and tippy and changed to a Bavaria and is much happier now. >>

??

<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
Told you so !!!!

I will not take offence at the remark about my 'tub' - but after near 30 yrs its still as strong as the day it rolled of the slip ....

Seems that the consensus has plumped for the Jeanneau .... and I would as well ........

It's great to to be able to buy a new boat - but the inventory is lacking and requires significant dosh to bring any new boat up to spec ..... so my idea would be to grab hold of a near new boat where previous owner has invested in all the bits and bobs that make up a good inventory. Whether it be a Legend or Jeanneau - thats to taste, but if kitted out - then you get a distinct advantage.
Second - we all hear about the market being good etc. and new boats etc. But is it really true when you hear reports of a certain high volume builder clogged up with boats that they cannot move on and the HIN being stamped on when they transport one out - NOT when its moulded !! So shouldn't that lead to advantage to buyer to be able to haggle his price ??

Well a choice ..... boat designed primarily for US Intracostal Waterways, tweaked for North Europe ....... or ...... the North Europe designed boat that has a successful ARC's and other events record going back years ....

Ask about the Legend that was lifted in Marina slings and the hull to deck joint parted ......... sorry to bring that one up again - but it happened.

At the end of the day Mr. W ....... its your decision - but make sure you get the absolute best deal possible. The Second hand market is not so bad, thye new market is slow and deals can be struck ..... argue it out with the broker / dealer ..... talk about price hikes etc. is not in line with new boats filling up yards and not moving on ....

Good luck mate and mines a Guiness !!


<hr width=100% size=1>Nigel ... and of course Yahoo groups :
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gps-navigator/
 
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