Hello ! Opinion About Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 35

[celso_mafra]

Hi everyone!

I´m a new guy here and have been reading a lot about sailboat cruising and also searching boats, reading reviews, etc.
I´m from South Brazil, I have very little sailboat experience, but my plan is to move to USA for a few months to join a sailboat school for an intensive learning. If everething goes as I plan, I´ll find a good boat, by it (as in USA they are way cheaper than here ) and start a sailboat long term trip.

My question is about a boat that always shows up on my searches.
As the trip will be done by a couple, and my budget is limited (about U$75K plus some thousants to make it ready to go), i´d like to hear opinions about the Sun Odyssey 35, 8 to 10 years old max.
Is it a blue water capable yatch? Would you go for a ocean passage on tropical waters on the right seasons?

Thanks everyone!

[djmarchand]

I owned a Jeanneau 36.2 in the late 90s. It was a great boat. Better built than the Catalina/Hunter/Beneteau but no where as good as a Pacific Seacraft or Valiant. Sailed well, but was slightly under canvassed.

Is it a blue water boat. Well CE says so. But in my mind, only marginally so. Has a positive righting stability of 120 deg or so, whereas the aforementioned boats are about 140.

David

[Chara]

Live your dream ,the boat is oke,but you need to be ready as well.

[barnakiel]

SO 35 is just like any other paper boat. They are not designed for ocean crossings. But if the boat is sound and the skipper capable, one can cross oceans in nearly anything.

I believe what the designer may have had in mind was a boat that would be a great weekend sailor for a family and a fine, comfortable charter boat for a small crew of friends.

I believe I have seen a SO with some sort of centerboard. Even the fixed keel version is low on ballast, so make sure you are comfortable with this aspect.

Inside, they are OK - plenty of light, nice galley, etc. - just as you would expect from any other French boat.

b.

[boatman61]

The Jeaneau is a great boat... sails to windward better than Bene's and comfortable enough to live on board. As said they are light'ish by US standards but there's quite a few done crossings of the Atlantic.. and further.
Like most of the modern boats the bow/hull design does promote slamming its easily managed by reefing down to minimise it yet maintain more or less the same speed...
I'd go for it personally... but as said many times before.. its the skippers ability that counts.. the average boat can take much more punishment than us...
Welcome to CF..

[HappyMdRSailor]

Sailed one for a couple weeks... As others have said... Points well, drives well, under canvassed, but not frustratingly so... Decently fitted out... Carrib to Brazil area? Sure.... North Atlantic, Capes, and crossings??? I would meet you at the dock... There are better boats for that stuff in your range...

[celso_mafra]

Thanks everyone for your answers... very usefull for sure... I´d like to ask another question! What boat would you pick in this price range, age and size, thinking about ocean passages, short crew (a couple)?

Tnanks again to HappyMdRSailor, boatman61, jackclarck, barnakiel, chara and djmarchand!

[boatman61]

Westerly, Moody, Fisher, Jeaneau, Beneteau, Hunter, in fact most anything except McGregors... although I do like the 36ft cat they used to make... foxy boat and crossed oceans..

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!
Sorry to have no opinion about the Sun Odyssey. Haven't seen or sailed one.
kind regards,

[DumnMad]

Welcome celso.
Boatman61, I've read your stuff. You can sail anything and to you all boats are good, even those that take a year to deliver. Your approval would not be enough for me.

[TOM]

Originally Posted by celso_mafra

Hi everyone!

I´m a new guy here and have been reading a lot about sailboat cruising and also searching boats, reading reviews, etc.
I´m from South Brazil, I have very little sailboat experience, but my plan is to move to USA for a few months to join a sailboat school for an intensive learning. If everething goes as I plan, I´ll find a good boat, by it (as in USA they are way cheaper than here ) and start a sailboat long term trip.

My question is about a boat that always shows up on my searches.
As the trip will be done by a couple, and my budget is limited (about U$75K plus some thousants to make it ready to go), i´d like to hear opinions about the Sun Odyssey 35, 8 to 10 years old max.
Is it a blue water capable yatch? Would you go for a ocean passage on tropical waters on the right seasons?

Thanks everyone!

Your budget of $75,000 will put you into a well thought out ocean capable yacht if you look around . My advice would be to look in Trinadad ,a few tips are IMS marina ,Powerboats and Peaks all have boats that have been abandoned at ridiculous prices . A fellow country man of yours picked up a Fermosa 46 for $32000 with a heap of gear. There are bargains all over the place in the Carribean .

www.byamee.com

[Chara]

My opinion on this 35 footer is positive

I have sailed regatta's in a blow on sunfast 35 and ive rented a 33 jeanneau in greece and had some very relaxing cruising in the eagean sea in various conditiona, for ocean crossing its an oke boatas long as you equip it well .

I have had one and loved it i am now sailing a dufour 385 which can do the job as well. Remember its the crew that had to do the job and smaller boats have crossed.