Trade fair novelties Cannes, No. 4: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 490: Top model of the cruising boat line

The two debutantes were moored side by side on Jeanneau's floating dock. Here is the 440, right next to it the even younger 490. Anyone who overlooked the sign and the model designation on the stern could be forgiven for thinking they were one and the same boat. This is because they have the most important features in common - the side deck that can be reached from the cockpit without any obstacles and the fold-out coamings.

They were also among the main attractions at last week's Yacht Festival, which most visitors had the opportunity to see demonstrated again and again. Both innovations have been cleverly implemented and facilitate or extend the usability of the boats, especially at anchor or in the harbour.

Hardly anyone was bothered by the fact that the advantage of the lowered gangway becomes obsolete as soon as you flatten the backrests of the dents and turn the benches into a sunbathing area. In any case, free passage is then no longer possible because the backrests obstruct the deck. If, on the other hand, the coamings remain in an upright position, the free passage is extremely comfortable - and a blessing when mooring if you need to move forwards quickly with mooring lines, fenders or mooring lines.

Below deck, the Sun Odyssey 490 will look very familiar to those familiar with the 440. This is because the galley and saloon modules are largely identical. On the other hand, the larger sister gains an enormous amount of space in the navi corner. In fact, with a second bench in front of the skipper's table, it is more like a miniature saloon - ideal for a game of chess or bridge.

And there are also major differences in the owner's cabin. The bathroom is not a separate wet room, but an open walk-in alcove - in line with the trend in architecture in recent years. It looks casual and somehow luxurious. And it fits in with the unconventionality with which the Jeanneau stands out from the mass of other large series yachts, even in the cockpit.

However, if you're standing at the sink while your loved one is still in the island bed, you'll inevitably feel like you're being watched due to the lack of a door. It is therefore a solution for togetherness. After all, the shower is hidden to the side and therefore out of sight. So there is still a little privacy.

Technical data and further information about the shipyard can be found here!

And here is an overview of the other premieres that we will be presenting in detail:

• Dufour 520 Grand Large - What the extensive model upgrade has brought
• Grand Soleil 52 LC - The versatility of the new cruising yacht from Cantiere del Pardo