Jeanneau 44DS - Design benchmarks

[JosephT]

OK this weekend I sailed this boat for the weekend and was very, very impressed at the detailed level of thought, build quality and some key design features. In the cruising category, I will just say this: If you're designing a yacht study this boat.

Gorgeous and very functional interior layout aside, there are some critical items on deck that deserve a big salute:

1. All the deck lines are routed under a deck plate. This leaves the deck totally clear of obstructions and protects much of the rigging from weather & UV damage. Brilliant.

2. Mainsheet traveler is an A-frame type rigging that not only serves to move the boom to port/starbord, but also lock it in place (no need for manually rigging a preventer).

3. Deck layout allows you to walk from either helm to bow without a single obstruction.

4. Furling main - While not a new concept, the furling system on the 44DS is just slick. The main is thin and strong and furls very smoothly and quickly.

All in all a great deck, rigging & sail plan that should, in my opinion, be the standard going forward for all cruising yachts (coastal cruisers, bluewater cruisers). I would like to personally raise a toast to the designers at Jeanneau on a job well done.

The downside is: I'm going to be a bit frustrated with any yacht I decide to charter now if they don't meet these benchmarks.

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[Dolfiman]

I would like to personally raise a toast to the designers at Jeanneau on a job well done.

The hull was designed by Naval Architect Philippe Briand (Home- Sailing Yacht Design & Naval Architecture -Philippe Briand http://www.philippebriand.com/ ), the deck and the accomodation by Frank Darnet Design (Darnet design : aménagement interieur yacht, aménagement interieur voilier et bateau de luxe https://www.darnet-design.com/yacht-design/ ) and Flahault design and associates(Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 44DS - Flahault Chenet Design Architecture http://www.flahaultchenet.fr/project_post/projet-bateaux01/ ), and of course great work from Jeanneau engineeers and craftsmen (Jeanneau's Values https://www.jeanneau.com/en-gb/jeanneau/worth/ ).
Sun Odyssey 44 DS : Sun Odyssey 44 DS | Jeanneau Boats https://www.jeanneau.com/en-gb/boats/3-sun-odyssey-ds/35-sun-odyssey-44-ds

 

[JosephT]

Thank you Dolfiman. Darnet seems to be the primary design contributor...many excellent projects under their belt. I do hope deck lines can be organized this way on other vessels in the future. It does take a bit more design work up front, perhaps by a cable routing specialist, but the end result is a sailing vessel that is very easy to manage. This allowed me to focus almost exclusively on sailing (and my lovely wife). That's what it's all about.

 

[sharpii2]

This is clearly a well thought out design, with the major goal being ease of use.

I just wonder how well it will hold up as the boat gets old. Almost certainly it will be around for thirty years or more.

I also wonder about its ultimate seaworthiness. What, for instance, happens if one of those under deck lines parts. How easy will it be to replace or repair it?

 

[JosephT]

This is clearly a well thought out design, with the major goal being ease of use.

I just wonder how well it will hold up as the boat gets old. Almost certainly it will be around for thirty years or more.

I also wonder about its ultimate seaworthiness. What, for instance, happens if one of those under deck lines parts. How easy will it be to replace or repair it?

I thought about those very questions. While I haven't examined the rigging instructions, I noticed slots in the deck that would accommodate a slender, flexible fiberglass threading tool. Just attach a line and thread a fresh one. No worries about old lines. There are stainless guides that route the lines very uniformly. No tangles! Frankly, the routing configuration reminded me of aircraft control cables.

Step back for a moment and you realize you're actually controlling two large vertical airfoils. It makes total sense to use such a control system. Messy deck lines are a thing of the past.

A couple of new crew members also noted how easy the tacking and jibing maneuvers were. Most of their attention was spent trimming sails. That fact speaks volumes.

Bottom line: This rig is very easy to sail. If you get a chance hop on board for a quick sail. You won't be sorry.