It would have fitted perfectly into the comparison test of 38-footers that YACHT is now running in the current issue no. 14/2021 (part 1) and in the next issue no. 15/2021 (part 2). Unfortunately, it comes too late for that - what a shame! The new Sun Odyssey 380 from Jeanneau will be ready in autumn. It will be the successor to the Sun Odyssey 385 (formerly 379), a boat that has been on the market for more than ten years with revisions and updates. A renewal was therefore foreseeable.
On the other hand, the concept presentation comes as a surprise with the announcement that Jeanneau now also intends to implement the much-acclaimed walkaround concept on the compact eleven-metre ship. The French company first caused a stir with this innovative cockpit design, with the running decks sloping down to the level of the cockpit, with the launch of the Sun Odyssey 440 (test in YACHT 16/2018) and was honoured with the European Yacht of the Year award, among other accolades. Jeanneau has since realised the same idea with the large Sun Odyssey 490 and the Sun Odyssey 410 (test in YACHT 18/2018).
However, it was questioned whether the concept would also work for ships under 40 feet in length. With the new Sun Odyssey 380, the French are now daring to take on this challenge after all. The key feature is that the crew no longer have to laboriously climb out of the cockpit over the coamings to access the foredeck and side decks, but can instead walk safely around the steering wheels at the back and forward via the recessed running decks. Of course, the lowered side decks reduce the space in the aft cabins, but this did not prove to be a major problem in the YACHT tests of the larger sisters Sun Odyssey 410 and 440.
In direct comparison with the competition in the current 38-footer group test, the concept of the Sun Odyssey 380 is more flexible in terms of the possible hull appendages. In addition to the fixed keels in two draught variants, the boat is also available as a swivelling keel with a hydraulically retractable fin. This means that the draught can vary from a minimum of 1.29 metres to a maximum of 2.70 metres. With this and double rudder blades, the boat should also be able to fall dry without any problems. The customer will also be able to choose whether they want the boat with the standard self-tacking jib or with a short overlapping genoa with a 3D hoist point adjustment. The bus bowsprit for the gennaker or code zero is almost a metre long and also serves as an anchor holder. No backstay is provided for the rig with the heavily swept spreaders. This leaves the passages behind the helm free and allows a powerful mainsail to be set, which is fairly flared at the top. A furling mast will also be on the list of options.
Below deck, Jeanneau also follows the class-standard feasibility in terms of layout options. The boat is available as a two- or three-cabin version with either one or two heads compartments. Special feature: thanks to the enormously voluminous bow section, Jeanneau can install a large, almost rectangular double bed at the side of the foredeck. This leaves enough space at the front to install a generously dimensioned toilet room. Amidships, the arrangement remains classic with a U-shaped seating area, a sofa bed on the opposite side, a bathroom with shower option and a galley.
It will be interesting to see the prices, which Jeanneau has unfortunately not yet finalised for the new Sun Odyssey 380. The predecessor model Sun Odyssey 389 is currently still available for around 162,000 euros, which is essentially the same price level as competing boats in the eleven-metre class, for example from Bavaria, Beneteau or Hanse. It can be assumed that Jeanneau will not move too far away from this price level with the new boat.
The new model is now apparently nearing completion and will then be extensively tested by the shipyard. It will probably not be on show in Germany until January 2022 at the boot trade fair in Düsseldorf.
Technical data Sun Odyssey 380
The bigger sister Sun Odyssey 410 tested by YACHT tv
