Are you a one-eyed Jeanneau fan?

[hoppy]

When I give serious consideration to or fantasise about going to a bigger boat I get on to yachtworld and type Jeanneau and search in the length/price range I curious about. No other brands ever enter my mind. If I think about a race boat, it's a SF3200 or SF3600.

The only time I break away from Jeanneau is if i look at the Hallberg Rassy/Oyster priced boats in my dreams...

I think it is something about the lines of the Jeanneau boats that appeal to me. So many of even the older boats have a similar family look. When I was looking to buy a yacht I toyed with the idea of a Benneteau & Bavaria of various sizes but i always preferred the Jeanneau equivalent.

I admit it, I'm one-eyed

Perhaps if my focus was more on a boat I can cruise and race, then I think my head would have chosen a First 40.7 over a SF40, but solo cruising was my primary goal.

Anyone else willing to admit being so one-eyed?

[sitara]

Yes - My first Jeanneau experience was crewing on a Sun Fast 36.2. Racing and some longer cruises both with a full race crew and 2-3 handed for the longer stuff. The boat sailed beautifully and is still a very competitive vessel. This inspired me to purchase a SO29.2 and then move on to a SO36i. All great boats so definitely one eyed.

[Full Circle]

Yep, I believe that my fine craft has 'row-away' factor.
The side view of the Sun Odyssey 32/35/37 is still so appealing.

[MartyB]

I still wish they made something like the sF32/35/37/40 boats with the current lineup. Yeah they have a performance model per say, but since the "i" series, the P designation only adds a deep keel if there is a thrid option, better sail cloth, lines, folding prop and line adjustable genoa cars. Then the i series had usually a whopping 1' taller mast unlike the previous SF versions were over 3' taller, and many times had lead keels along with being deeper!

Yeah I do like the current 3200/3600 options. But spouse is happier in the Current SO models, so need a combo style something, this is where the older SF models make sense to me. Right now frankly, a Bene 1st would be my first option, altho Dufour has some nice race/cruise models, as does Salona. But getting boat built in Europe in the NW US is a good luck, cheaper to custom build something local in the long run!

Marty

[hoppy]

Do the iP come with the main traveller in the cockpit?

There is a SF40 in the marina near me and even though the SF is kind of appealing, the traveller in the cockpit makes it very much less friendly for cruising comfort killing the bimimi and easy walk through access .

[MartyB]

No, All the newest boats come with the traveler on the coach top! Wish I could get it in the cockpit frankly. Much easier generally speaking to adjust or dump the main when it is with in reach, vs having to go forward 5', attempt to grab a tail while under a dodger etc. Might work if you had a german main sheet system, that at at least brings the sheet into the cockpit.

But being as the SF models any how were generally designed for racing, I would assume one would have crew, so one person on the main sheet, another one or two doing the genoa/jib sheets. Possibly 2-3 others for pit, ie hauling up and down the halyards etc, which would get in the way of a main sheet trimmer with this being on the coach roof top. ALong with someone up on foredeck to help the jibs get around quicker etc. along with change outs and setting the spin up. My 28' on deck boat works best with 5-6 when using a spin, 3-4 is min for NFS racing.

marty

[ianqv]

Crumbs..... I thought it was just me!!!

Aug 13, 2013 22:07:48 GMT sitara said:

Yes - My first Jeanneau experience was crewing on a Sun Fast 36.2. Racing and some longer cruises both with a full race crew and 2-3 handed for the longer stuff. The boat sailed beautifully and is still a very competitive vessel. This inspired me to purchase a SO29.2 and then move on to a SO36i. All great boats so definitely one eyed.

[twinco]

Look this keel , 2,55.

I bought my SF 43 from 2003 in July this year in the Mediterranean.



Her last years she was poor maintained. After peeling off 10 or 12 layers of old antifouling, we found a very well hull, no osmosis no cracks. We are right now tuning the underwatership to make her even faster.
With the 145sqm Gen it`s like flying over the sea,  it behaves wonderful in the waves.
And still competitiv. But a family boat too.
EOS found new home in El Campello/Spain. It`s a boat where people stop for looking. She is a real (one) eye catcher.
Regards
Klaus 

[Trevor]

Alright, alright , alright....yes I am one eyed......now I've said it and I can't take it back!!!

[MalcolmP]

Oct 23, 2013 16:13:16 GMT twinco said:

I bought my SF 43 from 2003 in July this year in the Mediterranean.

Regards
Klaus 

Hi Klaus

Welcome to the forum, the Sun Fasts always looked good, do post some photos of the topsides as well - there is a really simple upload option on: jeanneau-owners.com/photogallery.html

Also noted that your skin fittings are flush - this is also standard on the new SF3600

Malcolm

[so40gtb]

Not me, overall, but I'll admit to a sympathy in their direction, generally.

I DO really like the boats produced 10-15 years ago, owning a 2000 SO40 now and previously a 2001 SO34.2. At their price points, their build quality is superior to the competition and the designs are good. Parts are generally available from multiple sources and the boats are easy to modify/improve.

And I do like the direction that Jeanneau is now taking within the Groupe Beneteau family. Construction at the Beneteau US plant will limit the price penalty of shipment from France.

Though many of the "invisible" construction features of recent models may be far superior to those of my boat, there are a number of things that I don't like about the current models, especially the liner/hull open gaps of some. Think about insolent children dropping organic matter into such gaps ... and the resulting biochemical situation a year later!

There are very good boats elsewhere, including a few direct competitors. But, in keeping one's eyes open to them, one can also see the value in the Jeanneaus, which is why I bought the SO40 instead of a Catalina 380 or 10-year-older Sabre 38 MkII. The Catalina 400 would have been a closer call, but none were on the market on the Great Lakes after our SO34.2 sold.