We live in an era of dynamic and innovative sailboat production lines from France, among them the many builds of the Sun Odyssey family from Jeanneau. Billed as an all-around sailboat that doesn’t break the bank, the Sun Odyssey 349 made quite a splash in 2015 when it won Cruising World magazine’s 2015 Best Pocket Cruiser. The build is still going strong with hulls arriving frequently to Puget Sound.
Like other Sun Odyssey sailboats, the 349 has many of those popular Euro-cruiser features: plumb bow, wide beam, dual helms, and generous accommodations including a big foldout table in the cockpit. The low profile, dual rudders, and rigging features such as furling genoa and German sheeting (that means the sheets lead back to the helm) all send a message: sailing should be as fun, easy, and carefree as possible.
The 349 is also true to the Sun Odyssey tribe philosophy of many custom options and additional packages for a buyer. Important choices like the keel (fixed, shoal, or swing) and interior layout (two cabins with one head vs. three cabins and one head) are not trivial. The interior is impressive for a sailboat of 33’ 11” length overall and not a square inch is spared. The navigation table/station will be appreciated by most skippers, even if it is a little far from the companionway.
If you want an affordable, popular, award-winning cruiser, the Sun Odyssey 349 is on many shopper’s shortlists. With a starting price point of $139,000 (not including all the custom options, of course), it seems pretty reasonable for a brand-new sailing yacht over 30’. You can contact local dealer Marine Servicenter for more information.
