Grand Soleil 39 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Maletto gave the 39 a conspicuously high freeboard, offset visually by enlarged cabin-top portlights carried over the angular, stepped coachroof with its long narrow openings. The hull itself is flat-bottomed and paired with high-aspect-ratio appendages, a combination that testers credited with the boat’s sporty character. Structurally, Cantiere del Pardo departed from the steel-grid method of earlier models: the hand-laid hull laminate uses vinylester resin, and stiffness comes from carbon-fibre reinforcements in the densely structured GRP floor section rather than an internal steel frame. Rig loads pass straight to a T-keel of cast-iron fin and lead bulb drawing 2.4 metres, while the two-spreader Sparcraft rig anchors its shrouds directly to the hull sides.

Rig and Handling

The mast sits further aft than on the outgoing models, extending the J-measure so the jib — capped at a 106 per cent overlap by the shroud position — still develops useful area. A code zero or flatter code one is recommended for a wide rolling range, with spinnaker and gennaker offered, and an optional bowsprit that clips into a recess in the bow for racing; the cruising version substitutes a chain guide forward. Deck clutter is minimal: running rigging tucks into hidden channels and recesses, jib-sheet traveler rails sit under the deck, and the mainsheet runs beneath the cockpit sole straight to the coaming winches, with an optional German Admiral’s Cup system for racers. On the water, the boat accelerates surprisingly fast and the well-balanced rudder makes her easy to steer safely at pressure; writing in boats.com, test sailors found her quick, dynamic responses and a deep rudder aiding maneuvering in port through her rapid acceleration and well-balanced rudder. At 14 knots of true wind she is credited with 6.9 knots close-reaching at 40 degrees, and her IRC and ORC ratings sit at 1.058 and 602.8.

Accommodations

Below, the yard favours white surfaces and painted composites, with mahogany veneers standard and light oak or teak optional. Two layouts exist — two or three cabins, one or two heads — each with an owner’s cabin and optional forward head plus two aft cabins; a variant swaps in a large lazarette reached from the lower accommodation and a shower stall inside the lavatory. The dividing wall between the aft cabins may be offset from centre for flexibility. The L-shaped pantry and forward-facing nav station sit opposite a large folding saloon table; the galley carries twin fridges and a twin sink. Testers praised the exact, solid joiner work, though the helmsman’s footrests unfold for good support while the mainsheet trimmer’s station ahead of the wheels felt confined.

Known Issues

The one critique from period testing concerned the storage hatches: the hardware and hinges on closets and hatch doors appeared too small and fragile for the loads expected in service. Buyers and owners should treat those fittings as the weak point in an otherwise tightly built interior.

Refits and Ownership

The auxiliary is a Volvo Penta diesel, offered in 29 or 40 hp variants, pushing the boat home steadily in chop. Tankage runs to 185 litres of diesel and 320 litres of water. A light teak deck with grey joints, folding cleats, and a hidden bow anchor locker mark the standard spec; a 169-square-metre gennaker is the headline downwind option. The carbon-reinforced floor and direct-to-hull chainplates simplify later structural inspection compared with grid-framed predecessors.

The Verdict

The Grand Soleil 39 is a deliberately modern cruiser-racer: Maletto’s high-freeboard, beamy hull delivers interior volume and stiff performance without resorting to a steel grid, and the hidden rigging plus twin wheels make her a clean, responsive handful in harbour and offshore. She rewards an owner who will upgrade the small interior hinges and who sails her with a code zero in the light stuff.

Pros