Jeanneau 32 Sun Odyssey

A sustained marketing effort within Australia is beginning to pay dividends for major French production yacht marque Jeanneau. Immensely popular in Europe, the brand has until now not enjoyed the same share of our market, but that could well be changing as the company introduces some impressive new models, and consistency of local representation allows customer confidence to build.

Originally an independent company building fibreglass hulls since 1960, Jeanneau became part of the giant Beneteau Group in 1995. While that has increased the buying power of both production lines, resulting in savings for consumers, the two continue to compete against each other in the market and take different approaches to boatbuilding.

Jeanneau has established a successful formula for producing cruising (Sun Odyssey) and racing (Sun Fast) boats from the same sets of moulds. Its established 40 and 43 models are classic examples, with three different boats - the Sun Odyssey, Sun Fast and Sun Odyssey Deck Saloon - all coming out of the same moulds.

The company has applied the same approach to its new 32, which was on display for the first time in Australia at the 2002 Sydney International Boatshow. There is a Sun Odyssey 32 for family cruising or charter applications, and a Sun Fast 32i for the racing contingent, both produced from the same moulds. The differences lie in the rig, keel and deck layout - and the price.

The 32 was designed by Philippe Briand, a highly respected yacht designer responsible for a wide range of racing and cruising designs from small to superyacht size (Sydney-Hobart Race record-holder Mari Cha II was one of his). Jeanneau has its own design office, which also had an input in the overall styling.

The result is a boat that looks fresh, sporty and contemporary. That is in spite of the inclusion of an interior that is very roomy for a boat of this size (not quite 32ft LOA). The boat is relatively beamy and high-sided, yet it doesn't look really tubby.

NEW CONSTRUCTION PROCESS
Construction is solid fibreglass (GRP) for the hull and balsa-cored sandwich for the deck. The latter utilises a resin-infusion system recently introduced by Jeanneau as a response to environmental concerns regarding styrene gas emissions from polyester resin, and as a promising way to achieve tighter control over the amount of resin used in the lay-up.

Jeanneau glasses all bulkheads into the hull, and plywood core is used in the deck lay-up under high-load areas.

The keel is cast iron with a large bulb and fairly shallow draft of 1.5m. This compares to the Sun Fast 32i's deeper 1.98m keel, which although 240kg lighter, carries the weight in lead down low. (A shoal draft version with lifting keel and twin rudders is also available.)

The rig features a Sparcraft anodised aluminium mast and boom, with dacron mainsail and furling genoa supplied by Technique Voile in France. The mainsail is easy to handle due to the inclusion of lazyjacks and a boom bag/sail cover. It is also set up with a one-line reefing system, which works well - we tried it.

The mast is deck-stepped, supported by a stainless-steel compression post. The near-masthead (nine-tenths) rig is kept simple, with single swept-back spreaders, sidestays, lowers and backstay. (The Sun Fast 32i has a tweakier fractional rig with two sets of swept-back spreaders, adjustable backstay and larger overlapping headsails.)

BIG DOWNSTAIRS
"I cannot fault the interior layout; the attention to detail is fantastic," says John Taylor, who with fellow Sydney yachtsman John Woodall shares ownership of the test yacht.

Taylor professes to be a very happy owner, and it's easy to see why when you step down the deep companionway. The interior is surprisingly large for a 32-footer and the layout makes room for two big private cabins and a large galley, one of the highlights of the boat.

The initial impression is bright and airy, with the teak joinery and veneers and teak/holly-style floorboards offset by ample natural light and fresh white hull liners and mouldings and attractive soft furnishings. There is good headroom throughout.

The saloon includes a central teak table with a drop leaf and settees either side, which can double as single berths if and when required. There is storage under the settees and the rear end of the starboard one serves as an aft-facing seat for the navigator, who is provided with a small chart table and electrics panel, but not much space for mounting other instruments.

Further aft is the galley, a U-shaped area that is big for a boat of this size and well equipped, with stainless-steel sink, hot and cold pressurised water supply, 12V 120lt Frigomatic refrigerator, a crockery drying/storage compartment, storage cupboards and bin holder. There is an Eno two-burner stove but no oven, which is a serious oversight in my book.

The interior layout features two private double cabins. The pick of these is the aft cabin, entered via a door to port of the companionway. There is standing space with full headroom and a hanging locker and shelved cupboard at the forward end, while the very big transverse double berth is aft. Lighting and ventilation are good.

The forward cabin houses a V-berth that can sleep two adults, plus storage cupboards. The bathroom, located to port in the saloon, is not big on space but has all the requirements, including manual marine toilet, vanity unit with access to the through-hull fittings underneath and hot/cold pressurised water supply to the wash basin/shower tap, plus storage cabinet with mirror.

CRUISING COMPROMISE
Up on deck, the cockpit is comfortable and roomy, with teak seats and a large storage compartment on the starboard side, plus a folding helmseat that provides access to the transom boarding platform with folding swim ladder.

Taylor and Woodall chose wheel steering, although it does intrude on cockpit space more than a tiller.

For the sake of simplicity and an uncluttered cockpit, the mainsheet does not have a traveller system. Instead, the mainsheet runs through two blocks attached to padeyes on the coachhouse, before running back to the bank of clutches and winch on the port side of the companionway.

There are no clutches or winch on the starboard side, leaving the forward area of the cockpit on that side as a work-free zone and safe haven for non-sailing guests.

Co-owner John Taylor says he gave full consideration to the 32i before opting for the Sun Odyssey. "I come from a racing background and how the boat sails is important to me, but the reality is I don't race, I'm 63 and most of the people I take out are older people; some have sailing experience and some don't. So speed and racing are not so important, but the freedom of the cockpit is. It is a compromise having the [mainsheet] winch on the coachroof and not having a traveller, but it works. And after all, everything in life is a compromise."

REDUCE SAIL EARLY
We sailed the Sun Odyssey 32 in a blustery southerly on Sydney Harbour that gave us 5-20kt and now and then a touch more. The boat handled well under motor, with plenty of grunt and manoeuvrability, and under sail it proved a lively and quick little craft on all points of sail.

We did learn the hard way, however - through a succession of abrupt round-ups into the wind - that this is a boat that does not take kindly to being over-pressed with canvas. Sailing to windward under full main and genoa, the rudder would simply "let go" in the stronger gusts, resulting in an uncontrolled (and unintentional) turn towards the breeze.

Once we part-furled the headsail, the problem went away. As mentioned previously, reefing the mainsail is an easy option, too, so there should be no problem managing the boat across the wind range, once you realise the importance of reducing sail early.

Certainly, the Sun Odyssey 32 is not on its own in disliking being pressed; it's a common characteristic among small to mid-sized imported production yachts. It is, however, a persuasive reason to consider the deeper and more efficient keel of the Sun Fast 32i.

Anyone interested in racing will certainly want to compare the cockpit layout, too, while bearing in mind the higher price involved in getting the 32i onto the water ready to race, estimated at around $230,000 with full sail inventory.

Meanwhile the Sun Odyssey 32 is a strong option for those seeking the gentler, simple pleasures of cruising with a fresh new boat under the $200,000 barrier.