Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 39

A Jacques Fauroux-designed cruising yacht, no longer built, that suits sailors wanting a quick, well-balanced boat with a traditional teak interior and room for longer passages.

The Sun Odyssey 39 is a previous model that Jeanneau no longer builds, but she was one of the best-balanced boats in the range and she's still worth a close look. On deck there's a barrel coachroof, an uncluttered cockpit and an aft platform, and it's easy to move about. Below, the finish is traditional teak woodwork with plush upholstery, and fresh air comes in through both hull ports and deck hatches.

She was designed by Jacques Fauroux, a helmsman and tactician who was world champion 7 times, and he drew her as a fast boat for long-haul cruising. The sleek hull and sharp forefoot are built for speed, while the light displacement and open transom extension keep her comfortable as well. All the sail handling lines are led back to the cockpit, so trimming is quick and accurate.

The sail plan is generous, with a 31,4 m2 (338 sq.ft.) main and a furling genoa driving her 6.5 tonnes of displacement smoothly. For motoring she came with a 44 or 50 HP diesel, which gives her plenty of punch. Buyers could choose a deep fin keel in lead or pig iron, or a shallow draft wing keel.

Construction followed Jeanneau's traditional methods. The hull is hand laminated and reinforced with Kevlar, the stainless steel chainplates are tied into the bilge members, and the rudder stock is solid stainless steel. The main components are well oversized and thoroughly tested.

She's 11.99 m overall with a hull length of 11.56 m and a draught of 1.95 m, and has 3 cabins with room for up to 8 people.