Design and Construction
The Sun Loft 47’s open, shared layout resembles that of a catamaran, prompting reviewers to call it both a monomaran and a monocat. Credited to Jeanneau working with Philippe Briand, the design aims to make movement and socialising on board easier while preserving private corners.
Open to the exterior, the boat maximises the sensation of being at sea without giving up secluded cabins. A retractable roof spans the saloon and cockpit, allowing crews to choose between shade and an open deck.
The hull draws on Jeanneau’s experience as a high-volume French production builder. It measures 47.31 feet overall, with a 14.73-foot beam and a displacement of 27,738 pounds. Its 7,738 pounds of iron ballast gives a ballast-displacement ratio of nearly 28 percent.
Rig, Cockpit, and Deck Layout
One of the boat’s most noticeable features is how far forward the mast sits for a monohull of this size. This choice frees the central deck for living rather than rigging.
Jeanneau moved both the galley and saloon above deck, creating a huge cockpit that crews can reconfigure for different uses. From stern to bow, the cockpit has two large seating areas with fold-away tables and seats. Twin wheels handle steering. There’s no fixed chart plotter at the helm—only a holder sized for an iPad or other tablet.
Two large storage boxes sit beneath the cockpit. One is wet storage, suitable for warps, water toys, and a dinghy; the other is fully waterproof and swallows luggage. Additional stowage lies beneath each cockpit seat.
Accommodation
Sleeping capacity is the Sun Loft 47’s headline feature. Six double cabins accommodate 12 guests, plus a skipper, while four heads with shower compartments are distributed throughout the hull. Two heads open directly from their adjoining cabins.
The two aft cabins are reached by ladder and have their own storage and heads. The other four doubles open from a conventional gangway and share two heads. They feel slightly more spacious than the aft pair. Two of the six doubles can convert between double-berth and bunk configurations.
Despite its high berth count and clear charter focus, the Sun Loft maintains a luxury feel. Moving the saloon and galley above deck was specifically intended to free space in the hull for these berths.
Galley and Group Use
The above-deck galley is compact but substantial for a charter boat. It has four fridges but no freezer, although the refrigerated boxes can run below zero. Cooking facilities comprise one large grilling pan and a single stove.
The adaptable cockpit and separate wet and waterproof storage suit groups and flotilla sailing rather than solitary cruising. Its open deck plan also allows the skipper to supervise a full complement with minimal friction.
Verdict
The Sun Loft 47 is a niche experiment that succeeds at its assigned task: putting catamaran-style sociability and a high berth count on a manageable monohull for charter and flotilla sailing. It won’t suit traditionalists, but as a volume-built platform for groups on the water, it is coherent and well resolved.
Pros
- Six double cabins and four heads for up to 12 guests, plus a skipper
- Catamaran-like open deck with a retractable roof over the saloon and cockpit
- Above-deck galley, twin-wheel helm with tablet holder, and a huge reconfigurable cockpit
- Four fridges and dedicated wet and waterproof cockpit storage
Cons
- No fixed chart plotter at the helm, making navigation tablet-dependent
- No freezer, although the fridges can run below zero
- Mast-forward, deck-saloon layout trades private interior volume for berth count
