Design and Construction
The Sun Fast 3300 brings together veteran Sun Fast designer Daniel Andrieu and Vendée Globe and America’s Cup naval architect Guillaume Verdier. That pedigree is evident in the hull.
The boat is constructed entirely by infusion moulding. Both hull and deck are infused in vinylester over a balsa core, providing exceptional resistance and rigidity while considerably reducing weight.
Its hull carries a moderate version of the powerful wedge shape found on today’s IMOCA 60s for power-reaching. Full bow sections, a blunt stem, dramatic reverse sheer, full-length soft chines, and tumblehome narrow the beam at deck level. A high-volume reverse bow and simple fin keel without a bulb complete the underwater profile.
Jeanneau also describes a double-concave hull form intended to reduce wetted surface under sail and help the boat get onto a plane. Twin rudders maintain control at dramatic heel angles, while a slight bevel at the hull-deck joint makes sitting out with legs over the side more comfortable.
Rig, Cockpit, and Performance
The Sun Fast 3300 is expressly configured for solo or doublehanded offshore competition, though it’s also suited to fully crewed racing inshore and off soundings. Its deck-stepped, double-spreader Axxon carbon mast carries a 374-square-foot, high-aspect square-top mainsail. A fixed carbon sprit handles voluminous asymmetric sails.
Dyform rigging is standard, with rod available on request. The test boat had an aluminum boom, which can be swapped for carbon. Because the square-headed main requires split backstays, Jeanneau uses coarse- and fine-tune cascades. These allow the two backstays to be cranked across like runners during a gybe.
Sail controls are led to the helm for single-handed crossings. The main and backstay controls run to a pod in the cockpit sole, just forward of a low-set tiller that the driver can step over while maneuvering. A 3D jib-trim lead and end-boom mainsheet traveler span the cockpit, while Harken winches and Spinlock stoppers handle the loads.
The builder cites a five percent speed gain over the Sun Fast 3200, and the hull was shaped specifically to improve downwind performance. Testers recorded surfing speeds of 14.3 knots. Upwind, they saw around 6.8 knots with over 5 knots VMG.
Deck and Accommodations
Wide side decks, a molded-in toerail, beefy cabintrunk handrails, and molded antiskid provide secure footing when the boat is on its ear. The cockpit benches are deliberately short, leaving open space for a full crew.
Below, the Sun Fast 3300 has a stripped-out racing interior with two cabins and six berths. The forepeak is empty apart from a toilet and small sink, leaving room for sails and gear. Mirror-image saloon settees serve as sea berths with lee cloths, while matching double quarterberths aft provide crash space or additional storage.
A small galley sits to port of the companionway, opposite a large navigation station with B&G electronics. Inward-facing molded seats flank the companionway for watch-standing.
Known Issues
The extra volume forward has a downside: some pounding when sailing to windward in a seaway. With no bow overhang or flare, plenty of spray also travels aft.
More seriously, testers found that the rudders could lose grip with little warning during spinnaker reaching, with no chance to recover before a wipeout. The two designers committed to reworking the rudders so future boats would avoid the problem. Early hulls therefore deserve a close rudder inspection.
Options, Machinery, and Ownership
Water ballast is optional. A 52-gallon tank on either side, aft of the companionway, provides slightly more than 400 pounds of outboard ballast when full. On boats fitted with the system, the tanks replace the two aft wardrobes.
The standard 15-horsepower diesel, 13-gallon fuel capacity, and 26-gallon water capacity suit short offshore passages rather than extended cruising. The test boat carried North 3Di sails, and the carbon rig leaves scope for owner upgrades.
The Verdict
The Sun Fast 3300 is a purpose-built offshore racer that packages IMOCA thinking into 33 feet. It is fast downwind, manageable short-handed, and structurally modern thanks to its fully infused construction. The rudder behavior found on early boats is the one clear caveat.
Pros
- Twin-rudder, infusion-built hull designed by Andrieu and Verdier
- Square-top rig and controls led to the helm for short-handed speed
- Strong surfing performance and genuine transatlantic capability
Cons
- Loss of rudder grip during spinnaker reaching on early boats
- Pounding and spray forward from the high-volume bow
- Minimal cruising accommodations and tankage
