Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319 Sailboats for Sale

What draws buyers to a used 319 is the combination that made it successful new: genuine standing headroom throughout a two-cabin interior on a boat barely over thirty-two feet, a cockpit that feels more spacious than the length suggests, twin rudders that give the helm an uncommonly light and precise feel, and a sailplan flexible enough to suit solo sailors, young families, and downsizing cruisers alike. The 319 was built in Poland at Delphia's facility and shares DNA with the Delphia 31, which means its solid fiberglass hull and balsa-cored deck represent straightforward, well-understood construction that a surveyor familiar with European production cruisers will know how to assess. Understanding its quirks before you commit is simply a matter of knowing where to look.

Layouts on the Used Market

There is only one interior arrangement, so every 319 you board will present the same basic plan: a forward V-berth stateroom, a central saloon with two full-length settees and a drop-leaf table, an L-shaped galley and chart table flanking the companionway, and a surprisingly generous aft stateroom to port paired with a proper head opposite. The layout works honestly for two people on extended passages and comfortably for a family on coastal weekends.

Where boats diverge is on deck. Jeanneau offered meaningful configuration choices at the factory, and those choices dramatically affect how the boat sails. The most consequential split is between the fixed fin keel — with its cast-iron ballast and conventional bulb — and the swing keel variant, whose centerboard trunk is incorporated into the saloon table base. The swing keel opens shoal-draft cruising grounds but adds mechanical complexity and a slightly different interior feel. On the used market both appear with reasonable regularity; neither is clearly superior, but the swing keel version warrants closer inspection of the centerboard mechanism and pendant before purchase.

The sailplan split is equally significant. Some boats came with a conventional slab-reefed mainsail and overlapping genoa — the configuration most experienced sailors will prefer — while others left the factory with an in-mast furling main and a small self-tacking blade jib. The furling main is the conservative, low-effort option and suited to short-handed or less agile crews, but it sacrifices the roach and sail area that give the 319 its best pointing performance. A third configuration pairs a self-tacking jib with a dedicated bowsprit for flying an asymmetric or code-zero style reaching sail — this is arguably the most versatile option for coastal cruising and bluewater passages alike. Inspect the spar carefully on any in-mast-furling example, as in-mast systems on production boats of this size can be prone to furling reluctance if the foil extrusion has developed any slight deformation.

The transom comes in two versions as well: a wide-open version and a fold-down variation. The fold-down transom has become the more desirable brokerage choice, giving easy platform access for swimming and dinghy handling.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

The 319 that reaches the brokerage market will almost always carry a chartplotter and VHF as standard equipment. A bimini is among the most commonly fitted items, reflecting the boat's popularity in warmer sailing regions. Furling mains are common even on boats that left the factory with conventional mainsails, as owners who found the slab rig too demanding for shorthanded sailing sometimes made the switch. Autopilots are widely fitted, and solar charging is a frequent owner addition, often supplemented by a wind generator on boats from liveaboard or long-passage backgrounds.

Electric winches appear often enough on well-equipped examples to suggest they were a popular early upgrade, particularly among crews who sail shorthanded. A dodger is another common retrofit — the cockpit coamings are tall and supportive, but passage makers almost invariably add canvas forward for weather protection.

Less universally seen but worth noting as valued additions: AIS and radar on boats with offshore histories, a life raft with current certification on boats that have crossed open water, hot water systems plumbed off the engine, a spinnaker or asymmetric flying setup matched to the bowsprit option, cockpit showers, and heating for sailing in higher latitudes. Teak cockpit and deck treatment shows up occasionally but is largely cosmetic. A bow thruster appears on some marina-bound examples, particularly those based in tightly packed Mediterranean berths.

What to Inspect

The 319's construction is conventional enough that a thorough survey will follow familiar lines, but a few specifics deserve particular attention.

The engine space is acknowledged to be tight even by the standards of a 32-foot cruiser. The 21-horsepower Yanmar diesel over a saildrive is reliable, but accessing the oil filter is awkward and getting full access to the raw-water pump impeller housing requires removing the battery. This means routine maintenance is more involved than on larger boats, and the inspection record matters: ask specifically whether impeller changes and oil services have been kept up, and check the saildrive bellows carefully. Saildrive bellows on any production boat of this age are a time-sensitive consumable and the consequences of failure are severe.

The shrouds run inboard at an inconvenient angle across the side decks due to the wide, swept-back spreader configuration. Inspect the chainplate areas and the deck penetrations carefully, as side-deck chainplate regions on boats of this type can trap water and are worth probing with a moisture meter.

The balsa-cored deck is bonded and screwed to the hull as part of the hull-deck joint — a robust arrangement in principle, but the deck should be checked systematically for soft spots, particularly around deck hardware and fittings where hardware penetrations have let water into the core over successive seasons.

For swing-keel examples, inspect the centerboard pendant, the pivot pin, and the hydraulic or mechanical lifting mechanism. These systems require attention on a schedule most owners do not follow rigorously, and a reluctant or seized board is a common finding on neglected examples.

Finally, check the mainsheet arrangement. The standard mainsheet runs to winches beside the companionway rather than directly to the helm, which is a functional limitation on a boat this size. Many owners have retrofitted a double-ended arrangement led to the cockpit winches — confirm the retrofit is clean and that the original hardware was not left in a conflicting configuration.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The 319 circulates widely across its primary markets: France and the broader Mediterranean are particularly well-represented, with healthy inventory also moving through the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States — especially the Chesapeake and New England coasts where it was actively promoted at launch. Buyers in Australia and Italy will find examples with some searching. Because the model entered production relatively recently, the boats available tend to be young and well-equipped rather than tired, which keeps survey risk manageable for a careful buyer.

Before making an offer, run through this checklist:

• Confirm keel type (fixed fin vs. swing) and inspect the swing mechanism thoroughly if applicable
• Identify the sailplan configuration and assess it honestly against how you intend to sail
• Verify saildrive bellows condition and full service history on the Yanmar
• Moisture-meter the deck, especially around hardware penetrations and chainplate zones
• Inspect the engine compartment access and raw-water impeller service records
• Confirm the mainsheet arrangement and any cockpit lead retrofits are clean
• Check AIS, chartplotter, and autopilot function if fitted
• Verify life raft certification date if the boat has an offshore history