The relatively new Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490 has caused quite a splash, even securing accolades such as an Innovation Award at the Miami International Boat Show. What makes the 490 such a standout? A 2019 model will be joining local inventory in March, so we thought we’d take a closer look.
The 490 does not take an immediately obvious aesthetic departure from the Sun Odyssey family with its modern-styled, flat profile with wide beam Euro performance cruiser look. A prominent layout feature of the deck is the walkaround cockpit space, an innovation so simple one wonders why other builders haven’t utilized it decades ago. The feature spares guests from having to scramble over the coamings, which are quite high on the 490 and serve as settees and backrests. Why the dead space within the typical coamings have not been put to good use like this is practically an existential question.
Many popular Euro performance cruiser features are also prominent: deployable transom swim step, dual helms, German sheeting with all the lines leading to the cockpit, large foldable table in the cockpit, etc. The interior is spacious and airy thanks to nearly 15’ of beam. Large windows are integrated into the hull to let in the most interior light. Multiple layouts play with the number of berths, cabins (two to five), and heads (two or three). Additionally, different keel types (deep, standard, and shoal) are offered, keeping in line with the modern builder strategy of offering a high level of customization.
All told, the innovations aboard seem to bring boat design back to its common-sense roots with minimal gimmick. Don’t be surprised if future Sun Odyssey, and monohull sailboats in general, integrate some 490 concepts into their designs. If interested, a 2019 Sun Odyssey 490 is arriving to the docks of local dealer Marine Servicenter in March, price listed at $519,796 at the time of this writing.
