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Jeanneau Yachts 55 review: Thinking outside the box

• Rupert Holmes
• February 28, 2024

Interior accommodation has traditionally been what sells mainstream cruising yachts, but the Jeanneau Yachts 55 ‘monocat’ turns that thinking on its head

Product Overview

Price as reviewed:.

Boatbuilders rarely have the courage to launch a model that represents a radically different way of thinking. Instead, most new yachts are simply variations on established themes with incremental improvements that represent important evolutions over time.

And when testing boats it’s easy to gloss over what it’s like to spend time relaxing on board, whether in harbour or underway in lovely weather. Yet this is a critical factor in the enjoyment owners derive from their boats.

Even with the best natural ventilation, in tropical sun or when the outside temperature rises above 30˚C, the interior of any yacht gets uncomfortably hot. So why have monohull builders and designers continued to expend so much effort on optimising saloon and dining space below decks, rather than focussing on exterior socialising and relaxation spaces?

The Jeanneau Yachts 55 completely reimagines how the main living areas on a yacht intended for use in sunny climes should be configured. All key elements of the main saloon are effectively on deck, sheltered by a big sprayhood and hard top or bimini. It reflects how yachts are actually used, at the same time improving privacy in each of the sleeping cabins and in the owner’s quarters.

In a sense it merely recognises how many people use a boat with decent sun protection: maximising time spent in the cockpit.

While this is not the yard’s first foray into this concept of accommodation arrangement it’s the first model aimed at private owners. It draws on Jeanneau’s experience with the Sun Loft 47 of 2019, which was geared resolutely for the charter market. We got to put a pre production model of the Jeanneau Yachts 55 to the test in Spain last autumn.

A pair of electric winches at each helm station allow for push-button sail handling. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Novel layout

The cockpit effectively extends a huge distance forward and has multiple different spaces for different purposes. Right aft is a full-beam flexible area with expansive sunbeds that convert to large tables, creating a space that easily rivals the aft cockpit of multihulls of a similar size. As with flybridge catamarans and motor yachts, cushions are a fast drying type made for use outdoors.

Immediately ahead of this area is the main control centre for the boat, with twin helm and winch stations. These have a pair of Harken electric winches each side, with one having a back-winding facility, and on the test boat all furling and reefing could be done electrically by one person.

The distinctive mainsheet arch is standard on all boats, whether or not the optional solid sprayhood and hard top are specified over the standard fabric components. This has the big benefit of keeping the sheet safely clear of the cockpit, however the standard arrangement doesn’t allow for fine control of sail shape.

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Outboard of the wheels the side decks slope upwards towards the foredeck in a refinement of the ramp first seen on the Sun Odyssey 440 back in 2017. This arrangement works really well on the Jeanneau Yachts 55, giving easy step-free access to the foredeck. It also effectively creates a deep bulwark, with an extra high 36in rail outboard of the winches, making it a safe place for sail handling. There are also lovely deep rope bags here, though longer handrails on the coachroof sides for use when going forward would be beneficial.

The two well appointed ensuite guest cabins are immediately forward of the helm stations. These are accessed from on deck, below the shelter of the hard top, which provides more privacy at night than a conventional arrangement with quarter cabins accessed directly from the saloon. The port is the larger of the two, with more floor area and space for a compact two-seater sofa.

On the downside guests have to descend into the depths of the hull via steep steps, so there’s potential for these cabins to feel claustrophobic, access to the starboard cabin’s heads is awkward, and the galley can only be reached by climbing up into the cockpit, then back down the main companionway.

Side decks slope up to the foredeck, while deep bulwarks make it a safe space to handle sails. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

The arrangement is great for owner’s privacy, and fine if you have teenage kids, but won’t suit everyone, especially those with children under a certain age.

Ahead of the guest cabins, towards the front of the sprayhood, is a small four-person dinette/coffee table to starboard and a navstation to port.

Both are slightly raised to give a good all-round view and the dinette can be lowered to create yet another day bed. This also makes it a good space to take a nap on short-handed passages, when you might need to be available at short notice.

Equally the navstation is an ideal place from which to con the boat when on watch alone, when the dished seat will help you stay in place when heeled on port tack. It also makes a great place to work using a laptop, as long as the almost all-round view doesn’t prove too much of a distraction. If it does there’s a secluded desk/dressing table in the forward master cabin.

Outdoor living begins at the stern with sunbeds, loungers and dining tables that easily rivals many multihulls for space. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Monocat sailing

What about sailing performance? Naval architect Philippe Briand has created a boat with relatively low freeboard and powerful hull sections, plus plenty of form stability that on paper ought to hold its own against other mainstream cruising yachts of similar size.

More often than not, the yachts provided for our tests have the optional deep keel married to a taller rig with a slab reefing mainsail that typically gives 20% or more extra sail area than standard. This enables us to get a good feel for the fundamental qualities of the hull design.

However, the Jeanneau Yachts 55 we tested had the 1.9m shoal draught keel, along with the standard size furling mainsail and self tacking jib, albeit with upgraded sailcloth.

At the same time, the test boat’s displacement was some 3.5 tonnes heavier than standard, thanks to the shoal keel (800kg), plus the solid sprayhood and hard top in place of the standard fabric sprayhood and bimini, a washer-drier, air conditioning and a diesel generator.

Raised dinette and navstation are forward of the mainsheet arch, under the sprayhood. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

It was difficult to make the furling main set well in the very light airs of my first day on board and, frustratingly, there was neither a Code 0 nor an asymmetric spinnaker on board. On the plus side, my experience is arguably a more realistic reflection of the configuration in which up to 90% of these boats will be ordered.

Many new designs impress with the way they sail in light airs – an important factor for summer cruising in Europe . However, this boat had very little feel or heel until the wind got above 7 knots, when we started making reasonable progress at just over five knots on a close reach, despite the restricted sail area. In only 4-5 knots of breeze we struggled to reach even three knots of boat speed, irrespective of wind angle.

Happily my second day on board produced 10-12 knots of breeze in which we made 5.5 knots close-hauled at a true wind angle of 55º, despite the boat being repeatedly slowed by a swell right on the bow. Bearing away with the true wind just aft of the beam, and that awkward swell on the quarter, we made a consistent 6-7 knots under main and jib.

The boat tracked well in these conditions, despite imperfectly set up steering: there was play, friction and vibration in the system, though we’re told these problems will be resolved on production boats.

Nevertheless, the helm stations are nicely configured, with big comfortable seats and large MFDs each side. There’s also excellent protection from sun, rain and spray, yet you can also steer sitting well outboard on the coaming to get a better view of the headsail luff, although the MFD and instruments are difficult to read from this position.

Dual helms, access to aft cabins and forward lounging area can all be under cover of the long bimini. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Are the seating and sunbed arrangements aft viable when there’s more wind and sea? There was much discussion about this at the start of the European Yacht of the Year trials. I sailed with the sunbed on one side, and table with space to seat six to eight people on the other, an arrangement with obvious appeal at anchor or at a boat show.

With seven people on board, in a Force 3-4 breeze and uncomfortable swell, this area aft was favoured over the more sheltered and secure seating further forward, even when close-hauled. In these conditions it felt safe, though in rough weather and high angles of heel it would be a less inviting space, while the width of this area and its proximity to the transom would undoubtedly make it feel insecure.

Given the Jeanneau Yachts 55’s accent on outdoor living, along with Jeanneau’s emphasis that the main below decks accommodation is primarily for owner’s use, it’s surprising they didn’t create a more comprehensive outdoor galley, even if that would inevitably compromise other elements. Instead there’s an optional barbecue that swings out from under one of the aft seats, so you need to stand on the bathing platform to use it, plus an optional fridge drawer under a seat further forward.

Returning to port with a quartering swell the boat rolled enough to make you think why not buy a catamaran instead? There’s a multitude of answers to that question, of course. For example, for anyone who spends a lot of time in the Mediterranean at busy times of the year it’s usually much easier to find a visitor’s berth for a monohull, whether in a chic Ligurian marina or a bustling Greek town quay.

Of course multihull owners may counter that by pointing out that catamarans don’t have a monohull’s tendency to roll in an uncomfortable anchorage and you can often anchor off and dinghy ashore with a decent tender – but that’s not always feasible.

Double doors at the forward end of the saloon/galley lead through to the owner’s suite. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Designed for the owners

All the space on deck makes this feel in some ways like a much larger yacht than the overall length might suggest, so descending the companionway is a surprise as it feels small for a 55-footer. But that initial impression misunderstands the whole concept of this boat.

Unlike almost any other yacht, the idea is the main below deck spaces accessed via the companionway will be predominately the preserve of the owners. This highlights how much of a change of mindset is needed to accurately evaluate this boat.

To starboard is a very long and very well appointed galley, and a saloon/dining area with space for six people to port. There’s lots of room to move around here – proportions are those of a smart apartment – though the wide open expanse may present a challenge at sea in rough conditions.

Well appointed linear galley is to starboard. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

Double doors in the main bulkhead open onto a properly spacious full width owner’s cabin with a wonderfully open feel and the peninsula bed offset to port. To some extent the feeling of space comes at the expense of stowage volumes, but there’s an option to replace the vanity desk here with a big wardrobe, while retaining the small sofa to starboard.

There’s also an excellent almost full width head and shower right forward, but it’s surprising there’s no provision for an easily accessed day head in addition to the three ensuites.

Stowage on deck includes a huge sail locker forward that’s large enough to be fitted out as an optional skipper cabin. There’s also a big lazarette aft, measuring 2.1 x 1.5 x 0.35m, where you might otherwise expect to find a tender garage. This has access from on top, as well as from the bathing platform, making an excellent wet storage area for fenders, watersports toys and so on. There’s also a dedicated liferaft locker.

Optional telescopic davits have a capacity of more than 100kg, sufficient for an aluminium RIB of up to around 3.5m with a tiller-steered outboard. This is arguably a better option than a tender garage, which invariably severely limits the size of dinghy that can be carried without significantly reducing the volume available aft for accommodation.

Port side is the larger of the two guest cabins and has room for a small sofa. Photo: Gilles Martin-Raget

An optional retractable gangway to port means access to the water, or to a quay when berthed stern to, is available even when the tender is stowed on the davits and the central transom walkway is therefore not available. The pilot rams and steering gear are accessed through a hatch at the side of the lazarette that’s just wide enough to crawl through, before rotating yourself 90º to the right. This would make it very difficult to access at sea and some will find it difficult even in port.

The standard twin 380lt fresh water tanks are a decent size for a boat with only three double cabins and there’s a high capacity 36lt per minute water pump for near domestic levels of water pressure. However, the 230lt fuel tank is definitely on the small side for the 110hp engine. Engine, generator and other systems are installed in a tunnel between the guest cabins, accessed from cockpit hatches, and therefore nicely separated from the main interior accommodation.

Hull construction is vacuum infused polyester, with solid laminate in the keel area, while the matrix in the bilge that helps spread keel loads is glued in place. The standard of finish generally looks very neat and the interior joinery is well executed. However, integration of the optional hardtop elements with the mainsheet arch and optional solid windscreen are not as slick.

This means there’s a lack of clean lines and continuity in styling terms. From a distance it looks good, but close up there are too many changes of surface level to look really clean, tidy and stylish.

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This model represents a big bet and a bold move for Jeanneau that effectively creates a new type of yacht for private owners. When I first saw it at Düsseldorf in January 2023 I was taken with the concept, and the obvious enthusiasm Philippe Briand and Ignacio Oliva-Velex of renowned interior designers Winch Design have for it. Of course the Jeanneau Yachts 55 won’t suit everyone, and there are many who wouldn’t consider this boat, but it has potential to be a good match for many others. Admittedly the price of the pre-production test boat we sailed was inflated thanks to a very long list of extras. However, there are ways in which it didn’t feel like a $1million yacht, even if some elements such as the owner’s cabin and the expansive seating/sunbed areas aft are very nicely executed. Nevertheless the core idea clearly works well and aspects of it can’t easily be replicated on a multihull. Jeanneau plans to build 15 boats each year, so doesn’t require a huge production run for it to be considered a success. Even though this part of the market tends to be very conservative, 17 Jeanneau Yacht 55s have already been sold and we can surely expect to see more production designs for private boat owners along similar lines in future.

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Sailboat Review: Jeanneau Yachts 55

• By Mark Pillsbury
• April 26, 2024

One way to gauge the relative success of a production sailboat is to look at the size of the model’s run: the quantity of hulls sold or the number of years it was offered. After investing in research and development, not to mention tooling and marketing, a company needs to spread those costs over as many boats as possible. To be a winner, a new model should be versatile and appeal to as many buyers as possible. Often, this means multiple layouts and options to meet the needs (and budgets) of private owners and charter companies.

But for the latest sailboat in the Jeanneau Yachts range, the French builder decided to focus primarily on owners. This 55-footer has a layout that borrows concepts more often found on midsize multihulls. There are spacious accommodations for the owner, separate staterooms where guests can come and go without disturbing one another, multiple places to gather or find privacy, and protected spots to navigate and spend time off watch—without having to be down below.

The result is a very different sort of sailboat. In fact, it would be safe to say that Cruising World ’s Boat of the Year judging team had never seen anything quite like it when we arrived for a dockside inspection during the Annapolis Boat Show this past October in Maryland. In the end, we obviously approved of the concept. The Jeanneau Yachts 55 not only earned the title of Best Full-Size Cruiser, but it also it went on to take top honors as the 2024 Boat of the Year .

With so much that’s new and different about the 55, let’s start with what you discover the moment you board using the fold-down swim platform. You then step up to encounter a living/lounging/working area that starts at the transom and stretches forward to take up nearly half the boat’s topsides. The builder calls it a dual-cockpit layout, but that barely begins to describe all that’s going on there.

Two cushioned seating areas—one is U-shaped to starboard, and the other is an upside-down L-shape to port that opens up a walk-through path for boarding—are located across the transom. Each one surrounds a table that can be lowered to create party-size sun lounges. With the boat’s beam of 16 feet, 4 inches, that’s a lot of room to kick back and relax.

Under the port seats, there’s life-raft storage, and between the tables, there’s access to a garage below the deck. It could handle toys, an inflatable or even a Tiwal sailing tender.

Between the lounges and the pair of helm stations located just forward of them, there’s access on either side of the boat to the walk-around side decks that have become a Jeanneau trademark.

A fiberglass cockpit arch rises up just forward of the steering wheels. On the boat we visited in Annapolis, it connected an optional hard spray hood that covered the forward portion of the cockpit and main companionway, and a hard Bimini top (also an option) that protected the aft area. The Bimini had a nifty sliding fabric panel in the middle that could be opened for sun and stars, or shut for shade and rain.

Two more companionways are just under the arch, providing access to two private port and starboard guest staterooms. We’ll get to them in a minute. But first, let’s complete the tour of the topsides.

Tucked up forward, under the rigid spray hood, there is another smaller table to starboard with U-shaped seating around it. Call it a breakfast nook or a fine spot to sit and enjoy a book, no matter the weather outside. It’s opposite a forward-facing navigation desk with a chart plotter. Here, a watchkeeper is protected from the elements but still has a clear view all around.

Much like on a catamaran, there’s a provision for another cushioned lounge area on the broad foredeck, giving guests another place to enjoy the great outdoors.

The 55’s interior accommodations, designed by Andrew Winch, are just as unique as those found topsides. The builder describes the layout as being “owners first.”

I mentioned that two guest staterooms are accessible only from the cockpit. These give the crew (and owners) privacy that’s not possible on a conventional monohull, where all of the staterooms open into the salon.

To port is a VIP stateroom with en suite head and shower, and enough additional space to allow for a small sitting area with a desk or vanity. The starboard guest stateroom, also with en suite head and shower, is a bit smaller because of the location of the galley in the salon, but it still has a double berth. Both staterooms have 6-foot-5-inch headroom.

Stepping down the main companionway and into the salon and master stateroom, the first thought that comes to mind is that it resembles an efficiency or one-bedroom condo in some urban center. In fact, two-thirds of the interior space is intended for those paying the bills. A dining area with L-shaped seating takes up the port side of the salon, with a large-screen television mounted on the forward bulkhead for movie nights.

A galley is opposite, with an island counter amidships, giving the cook a solid place to brace while preparing meals underway.

Ports in the cabin top and hull let in loads of light, and white walls and overhead panels help keep things bright. The boat we sailed had teak-colored Alpi bulkheads and furniture; white oak is another option.

The owner’s stateroom is forward, through double doors. A double berth is offset to port, with lockers and a sitting area to starboard. A spacious head and shower compartment is farther forward.

Depending on how an owner plans to use the boat, the forepeak can be either a sail locker or a crew cabin.

Buyers also have options when it comes to a standard keel (8-foot) or shoal draft foil (6-foot-2-inch), and either a standard in-mast furling rig or a performance spar with full-batten main. The boat we sailed had the former, coupled with a versatile three-headsail sail plan that included a self-tending jib to simplify tacking upwind, an overlapping genoa for light-air days (both with electric furlers), and a downwind sail that’s flown from a continuous-line furler.

For motoring, the 55 is equipped with a 110 hp Yanmar diesel with a shaft drive and a three-blade Flexofold prop—and a bow thruster for close-quarters maneuvering. If I had to pick a nit, it would be engine access, which was through a hatch in the cockpit sole. It seemed adequate enough, though not necessarily convenient.

Loaded up with electronics and options, the price tag on the 55 in Annapolis was right around $1.4 million. That included Jeanneau’s Seanapps system, which provides remote boat monitoring, alerts and maintenance recommendations.

Underway, I found the 55 comfortable. The walk-around decks made it easy and safe to move about, and when I wasn’t doing the sailing, there were numerous places to relax and take in the sights.

When my turn came at the wheel, visibility all around was excellent, and electric winches made trimming sails effortless during singlehanded maneuvers. Steering by hand, you can stand inboard, out of the elements, or step out onto the side deck to feel the breeze in your face as you lean an arm over the stainless-steel life rail that encircles the cockpit.

Our test sail took place on Chesapeake Bay in variable conditions that ranged from nearly no breeze to gusts well into the high teens. Tacking in light air—about 5 knots or less—boatspeed was 3 to 4 knots. Later, reaching in 17- to 20-knot puffs, we trucked along effortlessly at 7-plus knots. Some boats do well in light air; some like big wind. The 55 lit right up in both. No wonder it’s a winner.

Designing Outside the Box

A casual sailor walking the docks at a boat show could be excused for thinking that these days, new boats all look pretty much alike. Sure, “innovations” are introduced annually, but a barbecue grill built into the transom or two cockpit tables instead of one are hardly radical innovations. And chines in the hull? Yup, pretty much everybody’s got ’em too now.

But in fall 2023, there wasn’t any other new sailboat introduced to North America that looked anything like the Jeanneau Yachts 55.

When the concept for the boat began to take shape under the shadow of the pandemic, Erik Stromberg, currently the vice president of power and motor yacht development at Jeanneau, was still a sailboat guy and leader of the design team. Tasked with coming up with a sistership for the Jeanneau Yachts 60 and 65, his logical step might have been to simply scale things down. And in fact, designer Philippe Briand did just that.

But the design team also asked, “What happens if you take a 55-foot boat and design it the way people actually use and live on the boat?” Stromberg says. Answering that question led them down a concurrent conceptual path—still toward a big, elegant cruising yacht, but one with more protection and bigger spaces to live in on deck, not to mention a different approach to staterooms that might not be used all the time.

Briand and interior designer Andrew Winch listened to the ideas and went to work.

Ironically, this owner-focused boat drew inspiration from an earlier Jeanneau model called the Sun Loft 47, a six-stateroom vessel designed strictly for Yacht Week events in Europe, where charterers pack the boat with as many people as possible. To make room for six staterooms belowdecks, the galley and entertaining area on the Sun Loft were moved topsides. With the onset of COVID-19, though, chartering shut down, and demand for the Sun Loft waned.

Stromberg says that so far, Jeanneau has orders for more than 30 of the 55s, and the boat is showing broad appeal in Europe and Asia. Here in the States, two were sold during the show in Annapolis—one to a couple who plans to go cruising with their 10-year-old daughter, and another to a couple on the Great Lakes who want a boat to sail and entertain friends. A third is under consideration by a couple of engineers who want to have their offices on board.

Stromberg says that the yard can build 17 or 18 boats a year, and the production run should fall somewhere in the 60- to 70-boat range. He calls the Yachts 55 an interesting project, the challenge being to stay within the limits of what has to work on a sailboat while still being creative.

“We need to keep innovating,” Stromberg says.

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Jeanneau 55 THE SAILBOAT FOR LOVERS OF OPEN WATER

Jeanneau yacht 55, offshore cruising, par excellence.

Innovative, bold, and original, this Jeanneau Yachts 55 is a direct and uncompromising response to meet the needs of sailors who love to travel and who appreciate beauty. This sailing yacht offers a world entirely constructed around its owners, headed for a unique cruising experience.

• THE SAILBOAT FOR ALL WHO LOVE OPEN WATERS

Faithful to the spirit of the line – with elegance, high performance, and comfort for offshore sailing and longer voyages – this sailboat does not hesitate to break from tradition to better meet the expectations of avid sailors headed for far-off destinations. Designed as a true private apartment, in an unprecedented layout, the forward owner’s suite occupies fully two-thirds of the interior. Refined, bright and comfortable, the Jeanneau Yachts 55 is well equipped for cruising with full peace of mind. The main companionway provides private access to the owner’s suite, opening onto the forward cabin, and features numerous handholds for safety on board while under way. Two cabins with private bathrooms enable guests to enjoy perfectly independent living spaces, accessible from the cockpit by two separate companionway.

• REVOLUTIONARY DECK LAYOUT

On the exterior, the Dual Cockpit takes on new meaning. The aft is dedicated to relaxation, featuring: two saloons, one U-shaped and one L-shaped, which each convert into sundecks, and a gigantic hydraulic swim platform. The twin helms are positioned forward, and even feature an exterior chart table with a GPS screen and autopilot controls, all sheltered by the hard top and the wide, wrap-round windscreen, offering remarkable visibility. These innovations enable you to cruise in all seasons and latitudes, placing the pleasure of sailing back at the heart of life on board. When the dream becomes a reality…

SPECIFICATIONS

Length Overall: 16.93 M / 55'7" Hull Length: 16.09 M / 52'9" Hull Beam: 4.99 M / 16'4" Displacement: 18542 KG / 40878 LBS Standard Keel Draught: 2.55 M / 8'4"

ENGINES/TANKS

Standard: Yanmar 80HP / 59KW Option: Yanmar 110HP / 81KW Fuel Capacity: 230 L / 61 US GAL Water Capacity: 760 L / 201 US GAL

ACCOMMODATIONS

Cabins: 3 CE Category: A-12 / B-16 / C-16 / D-16

Jeanneau 55 Layout

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On Test. Jeanneau Yachts 55: the evolution of the sailing boat

• Luca D'Ambrosio
• August 21, 2023

Jeanneau Yachts 55, sea trial of the evolution of the sailing boat.

When two designers like Philippe Briand and Andrew Winch start thinking about the future of sailing with a yard that is particularly inclined towards innovation, the result of this creative process is something that is destined to change the market for this type of boat forever, and the new Jeanneau Yachts 55 is a clear proof of this.

This new creature is such a revolutionary sailboat that we are compelled to list all the innovations it brings with it. A boat that we couldn’t fail to thoroughly test, then, in a two-day sea trial that kept us busy in truly entertaining marine weather conditions.

But let’s go step by step and discover this new Jeanneau Yachts 55 which, we anticipate, literally bewitched us.

Jeanneau Yachts 55, that’s what innovation means

It’s not every day that we have to use a list to fully convey the design effort made by this team which, very importantly, listened carefully to the owners before starting to design what we believe is the new evolutionary stage of the sailing boat.

1: The stern, the realm of relaxation

The five-metre maximum beam is fully exploited and manages to provide space for two enormous multi-function dinettes that, while leaving plenty of central passageway, make this area the hub of the boat’s open-air life. As many as 10 or 12 guests can sit here to have dinner or lunch very comfortably and, like on a terrace overlooking the sea, enjoy the best possible panorama. The dinettes also transform into two large sundecks which, not by chance, are positioned right next to the electric platform leading to the sea.

2: A dream Hard-Top

Who said that Hard-Tops have to be ugly? This one is beautiful, sporty and blends perfectly with the lines of the new Jeanneau Yachts 55. More importantly, with this innovation Jeanneau has managed to create a new space that simply didn’t exist before. In fact, under the shelter of this very useful structure is an external chart station, a third dinette equipped with a table and the entrance to the three separate rooms on the lower deck.

3: Interior, a new way of living

It is a precise choice that introduced by the new Jeanneau Yachts 55, a solution that comes from the opinions of many owners who, desirous of having privacy and comfort, are now satisfied by this absolute novelty which, as mentioned, creates three distinct interior spaces.

A real private flat is reserved for the owner which, huge, occupies all the space available from amidships to the bow. As we enter we immediately find ourselves in the saloon where, to port, the linear galley is positioned. To starboard is the interior dinette which, thanks to two folding tables, can also be converted and is equipped with a pop-up television.

Continuing towards the bow we find, a touch of genius, two sliding doors that lead us to the Master Cabin, whose bed is set against the side and is simply enormous. On the other side is a sofa with buiserie and a capacious wardrobe. The owner’s private bathroom is also very large and equipped with a separate shower. The two guest cabins are a VIP cabin and a double cabin respectively, which are accessed from the two separate entrances forward of the wheelhouses. Both cabins are very large, equipped with queen-size beds, wardrobes and en-suite facilities, while the VIP cabin is longer and can accommodate an extra sofa of normal size.

Jeanneau Yachts 55: Sea Trial

We were lucky enough to test the new Jeanneau Yachts 55 extensively and in ideal conditions. Rough to very rough seas with a wave of a metre and a half, 15/16 knots of taut wind and some rain showers. All the necessary characteristics to fully understand how this sailboat navigates.

Let us tell you straight away, the boat sails well and is fast in absolute terms, very fast in relation to pure cruising sailboats, especially if we consider that the one in the test was equipped with a mainsail furling in the mast.

We cast off our moorings under a leaden sky and, thanks to the manoeuvring propellers, we quickly get out to sea, in the waters off the Vieux Port in Cannes. Here, the mistral blows from the south-west and creates a wave of considerable height, about a metre and a half today, but our Jeanneau Yachts 55 hardly seems to notice it as the engine speeds away, hardly rolling.

The 110HP Yanmar pushes well and, despite the folding-blade propeller, we reach more than 9 knots of cruising speed; the 8.5 gait is also excellent, with consumption of just 11 litres per hour, or just over a litre per mile, which is very little for a 17-metre 18.5 ton yacht.

The new Jeanneau Yachts 55 was introduced to me as being designed to be steered very easily or even single-handedly. A fact I definitely want to verify, so I politely ask the captain and the rest of the crew to step aside, and I take the helm alone. The boat is smartly rigged, the bowsprit could of course be rigged with a Code 0 or a Gennaker but today, given the conditions, it’s better to avoid that. The mainsail is furling in the mast but of excellent workmanship, there is also a 130% genoa and a 95% self-tacking jib, both on furlers. The mainsail sheet is German style and the stoppers are positioned so that they can be used from both sides. Equally noteworthy are the winches, which, as well as being electric, are also reversible, making it possible to ease at the push of a button.

Everything here is electric and the buttons are actually within reach, duplicated and present in both steering systems so, which does not surprise me, mainsail and genoa come out in a second, very easily.

What does amaze me, however, is that the Jeanneau Yachts 55, as soon as I set off (strictly solo), takes off like a rocket as if propelled by a turbo. I’m at 40 degrees from the apparent wind and I’m going at more than 10 knots, but not top speed, I’m actually sailing at a constant 10 knots, unbelievable.

Intrigued, I bear away a little and again the boat accelerates and exceeds 11 knots, without moving from the wheel I press a button and release the mainsail a little, press another and ease the genoa a little, sails at 11.5 knots. Man how she sails!

Bearing away of course, it slows down even if even at reach, below 8 knots this boat just doesn’t want to go. The thing that wins me over though is the stability of the course, this boat sails as if it were on rails while the wheels remain soft, even when the boat is heeling.

I decide to luff up and, again, without moving from the wheel I haul the mainsail and genoa in. I get the classic 30 degrees from apparent with the Jeanneau Yachts 55 still sailing at 8 and a half knots. Again the boat amazes me and, despite the apparent being well over 20/22 knots, I manage to ride these waves without the boat being in trouble, the bow opens the way and the T-Top (absolutely useful in these conditions) shelters us from the spray and rain that sporadically comes to bother us.

Sure, the boat is heeling a lot and, since we have a self-tacking jib at our disposal, I decide for a headsail change which, once again (after asking the captain’s permission), I want to try to handle solo while the boat is sailing in these somewhat difficult conditions.

We are tacking to port and, without easing the genoa, I open the jib, which overlaps the genoa at the push of a button; when I set it, of course, the genoa loses power and I can then furl it, again without leaving my position.

Total time for the manoeuvre? Two to three minutes at the most, all without hardly slowing down, without struggling and in complete safety. Solo sailing test passed with flying colours, it’s really a nice system, effective and functional.

With the self-tacking jib, the boat now sails in a more relaxed manner, this is undoubtedly the correct way to sail in these marine weather conditions, where the Jeanneau Yachts 55 is at ease and gives back a decidedly larger boat comfort.

On the other hand, its vocation is that of a blue water cruiser, a characteristic that it manages to embody to perfection although, I must admit, it also won me over with its unsuspected performance.

WWW.JEANNEAU.COM

Test conditions: Rough to very rough sea, true wind 15 knots, folding blade propeller, 5 passengers on board, water 90%, fuel 70%.

Jeanneau Yachts 55: technical specs

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