Design and Construction
The Djinn 7's hull is deliberately tight, with almost vertical sides that keep it within road-trailer width limits and an almost straight bow that stretches the waterline for better performance. A quarter brie daggerboard of galvanised steel and a pivoting rudder cut from aluminium sheet define the underwater profile, giving reduced draught and easy transport while letting the boat dry out flat in just 30 centimeters of water. B2 Marine built the hull from solid fiberglass with a solid fiberglass deck, and the construction leans on simple, proven solutions — glitter paint stands in for traditional crockery, and the builder notes that everything on board is easy to replace at no significant cost. Finishes are plain but age well, which suits a boat meant for regular family use rather than show.
Rig and Handling
The Djinn 7 is rigged as a fractional sloop with a furling genoa and no backstay, a configuration that keeps things simple but shapes the boat's behavior. Good form stability comes from the wide waterline beam, and the boat accelerates eagerly once filled in, particularly with a gennaker set. Upwind, however, the basic anti-drift plan leaves it wanting, and the absence of backstays means it quickly stumbles into the downwind guying. Some owners have fitted a homemade backstay, and the most recent models occasionally carry a horned mainsail, though period reviews still flag the rigging as difficult to optimize. The boat stays well-mannered in a breeze, but from 25 to 30 knots downwind it is better to ease off. Its shallow draft and centerboard make it well suited to tidal or shallow waters.
Accommodations
Below, the Djinn 7 strips out partitions to maximize volume, sleeping six with a rear double berth running the full width under the cockpit — a notable feat in a 7-meter hull. The fittings are simplified to the extreme yet match family-cruise needs, with a cockpit mainsail turret that doubles as an outside table base. Storage sits mainly under the berths, and the galley and chart table are symbolic rather than functional. The transom carries the outboard and rudder but leaves a gap for swimming or stepping onto sand, and when raised the aluminium daggerboard passes up through the saloon table. The result is a liveaboard-capable pocket cruiser built around space and simplicity, not refinement.
Known Issues
Reviewers note the gangways are narrow and the lower shrouds obstruct passage to the forward area. The rigging is hard to tune, and the boat lacks drive both upwind and downwind; the same assessments suggest a better-studied rig and a wider rear skirt would help. These are inherent design trade-offs of the no-backstay, volume-maximized layout rather than defects in build quality.
Refits and Ownership
Ownership favors low friction: B2 Marine's simple construction means components are cheap and straightforward to swap, and the transportable nature lets an owner trail the boat home for work. The Djinn 7 Confort variant shares the same dimensions and CE rating for those wanting the factory's plusher trim. Because the design is still listed by the builder, new and used examples share a common parts lineage.
The Verdict
The Djinn 7 is a pragmatic, trailable family cruiser that trades upwind bite and rig sophistication for volume, shallow-water freedom, and cheap upkeep. It rewards sailors who value beaching, simple systems, and six-berth capacity in a package that fits behind a car.
Pros
- Dries out flat in 30 cm of water and trails easily
- Six berths including full-width aft double in a 7.18 m hull
- Simple, low-cost components easy to replace
Cons
- Upwind and downwind performance limited by basic anti-drift plan
- Narrow gangways and obstructive lower shrouds
- Rigging difficult to optimize without owner modifications
