Cruising the Jeanneau 49DS?

[orthomartin]

I am considering the 49DS for world cruising. Anyone have any experience with this boat?

[sailingwife]

You may want to check out the web site of the Rard family who set off this fall sailing in one. Their web site is www.rubyslippers49.com. You can also send them emails to ask specific questions. We went and met them and looked over their boat before they left. Nice, new and shinny but I prefer less plastic myself. I heard it was rough going down the coast for them as they ended up making more stops then they originally planned but I believe it was due to the crew being uncomfortable and not the boat. They are currently in PV Mexico.

[camaraderie]

Ortho...
Haffiman37 has sailed a Jeannequ37 to Maylaysia and has a website here:

http://www.geocities.com/haffiman37

He may be able to give you some insight into the Jeanneaus.
While they are a production boat, I've always thought of them as having better build quality than their competition. Personally on the 49,I don't like the spade rudder, the dual wheels set WAYYY back out of shelter, the 7 foot draft and the light tankage for cruising but they are clearly fast and reasonably sturdy boats that don't carry too much of a premium for their additional quality.

[S/VNirvana]

I don't have a 49DS; but I do own a SO49 which was sailed over to the BVI from France without any problems.

I love the SO49 and think that the 49DS would be great; if they had the DS when I bought ours, I would have purchased the DS.

Sonny
s/vSKYLARK, P-36 For Sale
s/y NIRVANA, SO49

[gpardos]

Originally Posted by orthomartin

I am considering the 49DS for world cruising. Anyone have any experience with this boat?

Hello, I own a 2007 built 49DS. I went to France to see their production facility and if you have not gone, I would encourage you to go. It is well worth the trip. One can read the literature and hear the sales person's description of the boat, but until you actually see the combination of high tech assembly and old fashion workmanship you will not appreciate the strength and integrity of the 49DS. I have sailed her sister ship the 54 DS in Greece and found the 49 to be more agile and responsive. I am obviously prejudiced, but I think the 49 is a more stable platform. Jeanneau is very willing to share just about any stability value you may request from them. I have not sailed the world in a 49DS (yet), but have been in 25+ knot winds and when appropriately reefed she handles beautifully. She likes to be sailed fairly straight with a heel of perhaps no more than 15 degrees, but that is my opinion only.

I looked at several more and less expensive boats in the 48 - 55 foot range and decided on the Jeanneau because of my factory experience, the openness of the factory in providing information and the construction techniques and materials used. The boat, as most base priced boats, need about 30% more funding to outfit them for blue water sailing.

If there was one aspect of the boat that may be a liability is its hallmark cat’s-eye window. I trust that a breaking wave will not dislodge it, nor am I especially interested in finding out, but it does have significantly more area that is exposed to a breaking wave than a traditional style sailboat. The saving grace is that it does have a Stix rating of a little under 42, but of course that does not address the window's integrity specifically.

When trimmed on a close reach to her sweat spot, you can't help smiling.

[camaraderie]

Nice post & welcome GP! Have you done any blue water passage making on her yet?

[chuck5499]

orthomartin - i bought a new jeanneau ds40 in 2003 - she was i think the first ds model and has the helm on the forward starboard bulkhead -
she has been a great boat - i am a full time cruiser and single hander - she is incredible solid and well put together - somedays i scratch my head on how the french did something but in the end it made sense - she is quick and love fresh wind - she does not want to heel a lot and i am usually the fist to start reefing as her fastest point of sail in not a lot of heeling and she really maintains her speed well - yet she is a heavy cruiser and more than i could ever ask for
as information there is great jeanneau owners group on email that deal with all sorts of issues at jeanneau@yahoo.com
send them an email and ask the same question and i am sure you will find out everything you want to know - the good the bad and the ugly
by the way i am not sure where you are but there is a jeanneau owners
chuck and svsoulmates
ki4sry
full time cruiser on the hook in solomon isl

[blt2ski]

One can also get some info at www.jeanneau-owners.com on Jeanneaus.

Marty

[xort]

what's your idea of world cruising?
Are you going through the canals or around the capes?