# Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34.2



## ChuckBuck (Sep 4, 2011)

Hi Folks,

I have sold my 1979 C&C 29 and I am looking to upgrade to something larger and newer. I've found a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34.2 that I quite like.

2001 Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 34.2 sailboat for sale in Illinois

Does anyone have any experience with this boat? I like the layout (interior, deck and cockpit) and assume she would sail well.

I'm looking to do mostly cruising with her, and the occasional long distance solo race (on the great lakes). I see it has a PERF of 129 - not bad for a 34 foot boat - especially when you compare it with a Catalina 34 at a 154 PERF.

Any insights would be appreciated.

Many Thanks,

Chuck Buck


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## djodenda (Mar 4, 2006)

Please hold..... Your call is important to us. Blt2ski will be with you shortly....


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

Chuck,

You will find generally speaking, jenneau's to be about 20-30 secs a mile quicker than Catalina's size for size. 

With that said. Karls 34.2 is one worth looking at. From his postings on the Jeanneau-owners forum and very few here, does and has kept up Em I'Air well. Not sure if he SH's or sails with spouse most of the time, I believe the latter. I think he has raced that boat once or twice. He is not a weekly racer like myself doing the local club races. 

Generally speaking, those that I have seen post about them, like there boats. You will find similar comments from Jeanneau owners that you see from Catalina, Hunter etc that are mass produced, many are on there 2nd and 3rd, altho not as many as C and H due to fewer in the US. Europe is a different story! 

If I was looking for a 34.2, that is one to be on ones short list. I also know of another that is up for sail in the seattle area, that should also be very clean. Altho a truck ride out to the midwest if that is where you are from.

marty


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## PCP (Dec 1, 2004)

djodenda said:


> Please hold..... Your call is important to us. Blt2ski will be with you shortly....




But it is a nice sailboat

Pity that model is the low draft version and the boat has also a not very high Ballast/Displacement but that could only be a problem in extreme weather and not on coastal cruising anyway.

Have a look at a movie:

Jeanneau sun Odyssey 34.2 - YouTube

Regards

Paulo


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## Faster (Sep 13, 2005)

She looks very well cared for.. I hope the aft cabin berth is decent because the V berth looks very 'pinched' forward. Comfy looking cabin, but the curved settee/dinette won't be really useful as a guest berth, esp for a single (ie leaving the table up) Linear galleys are, I suppose, mostly user preference.. as a coastal boat I think that's OK.

Nice looking boat indeed.


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## GeorgeB (Dec 30, 2004)

Interesting, out here in San Francisco the PHRF numbers are the opposite. 156 for Jeaneau and 147 for my Catalina 34. I actually raced against this guy on the Party Circuit in 2007. He sails faster than his rating. The Jeanneau might have a slight advantage, but for all practical purposes the boats are evenly matched. (He who was mistake free usually prevailed). The Jeanneau and my Freya are both mid standings boats. I’m not sure that the Jeanneau can sail to a 129 rating. Can you look this boat up in local YRA season standings to see how she performs?


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

i knew I should have looked at the specs more when I looked at the add. Sorry Karl! BUT, as noted, if it is a shoal keel, it will not sail as well as a deep keel version. Rating wise, not sure if it could sail to a 129 or not........

With that, local PHRF-NW, there is one C34 with a 171 - code 5555. Which would generally speaking come out to about 155 on a normal national level, as our base ratings are usually 10% higher no matter the boat. The only 34.2 is the one locally about to go on sail, it may also have a shoal keel, is a 180 with a 3C44 rating. USSailing in there hi-lo-ave list does not even have a J34.2 listed, the C34 goes from 135-168 depending lowest to highest, the tall mast vs std, deep vs wing keel............

I know where to find an IRC rating, not sure how to cross check it, there is supposidly a formula on how to do this within some % of closeness. 

Marty


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## ChuckBuck (Sep 4, 2011)

WOW - what great insights guys! thanks very much!

David - I'd love your insights into the CS 36 Merlin. My Dad had a CS 30 up in Toronto and it was a great family cruising boat (although we never got her to point too well)...The CS 36 traditional and CS 36 Merlin are on my short list...

1989 CS Merlin (Similar to C&C or Beneteau First) Sail New and


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## PCP (Dec 1, 2004)

You are talking about boats with a 12 years difference and that's a lot.

I did not knew the Merlin but for the pictures, boat characteristics and for what I could find in internet it seems to me a good boat, in its time a comparability more expensive and better boat, compared with a 89 jeanneau.

But you are comparing a 1989 boat with a 2001 boat and 12 years is a lot for a sailboat, not only in design but also in use and time degradation. There are a lot of things that should have been changed in 22 years and I have seen that some were, but I don't see any reference to a new mast and a new standing rigging and with that age the boat probably need both. It is also to be expected a considerable more expensive maintenance for the Merlin than for the Jeanneau. Assuming that the two boats are in good conditions those more 12 years will make that a lot more of small things need to be changed every year on the Merlin.

If you are the kind of guy that actually like to do that as an hobby and has time for it, it would not be a big problem. Most of the things will not be very expensive, providing you do the work. If you are going to pay for someone to do that, It is going to be an expensive maintenance

You have also more probabilities to have osmosis problems on the Merlin than on the jeanneau. I believe the Merlin has foam cored hull and if that feature is a good one on a new boat, on a more than 22 year old boat can be, or not, a problem, but it is has more probabilities to give problems than a monolitic fiberglass hull.

*"According to several reports, CS was hard hit by the pox plague of the early- and mid-1980s. Most boats will have had one or more bottom jobs by now so it's important to try to find out the blister history of the boat you're considering. Other owner complaints are few and far between. Apparently water-logged rudders are a common problem, something that's anything but unique with foam filled rudders."*

CS 36 Traditional

The Merlin has an older and less performant hull and I doubt that with a similar draft would be more fast than the jeanneau, except on very heavy weather where its superior D/B will make him a better boat.

The Merlin would also be a better blue water boat, providing the mast, the rigging and the fixation points are changed or deeply checked. An old boat that was seaworthy when new is not seaworthy when old unless a lot of things are changed and verified, and that is normally very expensive.

But I like the Merlin, it seems to be a great sailing boat and a good looking one

I hope it helps,

Regards

Paulo


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## blt2ski (May 5, 2005)

Chuck,

Look for the blister/pox issues Paulo talked about on that boat. Davids previous owner said there where none, yet when pulled and surveyed, lots of dime sized blisters. He might describe it slightly different. Not something he is going to fix, for his use, not an issue.....

The hull of this one and a Sunshine 36 from jeanneau are very similar as is the one for my jeanneau Arcadia. Altho the Jeanneau's are a bit sleeker. All are Tony Castro designs. 

Still a good choice for what you want to do.


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## ChuckBuck (Sep 4, 2011)

many thanks!!!!


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## JimsCAL (May 23, 2007)

FWIW, the average PHRF numbers for the CS36 and Merlin (deep keel) are 123 and 126 respectively. So quicker than either the Catalina 34 or Jenneau 34.2.


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## ChuckBuck (Sep 4, 2011)

WOW - great insights - thanks very much everyone - you guys are great!


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## tomhenson (Feb 9, 2012)

Hi,

I am looking for a jeanneau and just wondered which one you went for in the end and if you would recommend it?

Tom


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## PCP (Dec 1, 2004)

There are lot's of Jeanneaus and among them very different boats. What are you looking for?

Regards

Paulo


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## Crewm8 (Feb 18, 2008)

I have chartered this boat. I was very impressed with the way she sails. Just set the lines in steady wind and go cook lunch. She'll be at the same point of sail when you return.


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## tomhenson (Feb 9, 2012)

PCP said:


> There are lot's of Jeanneaus and among them very different boats. What are you looking for?
> 
> Regards
> 
> Paulo


I like the look of the Sun Odysseys but have never had a chance to actually see one. I want one around 10m in length.

Any recommendations?

Tom


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