Design and Construction
Lombard’s triple challenge was to make a short, wide boat feel sleek and roomy at once, and the 349’s construction answers that brief with specific geometry. The hull carries a reverse sheer for increased interior volume and a hard chine that develops well forward of maximum beam to add stability, while the cabintop is kept low enough that the profile reads as surprisingly sleek for a 11ft 3in beam surprisingly sleek profile for a short, wide boat. The hull itself is hand-laid fiberglass with a fiberglass grid, and the injection-molded deck is built by the builder’s patented Prisma process and cored with end-grain balsa. Twin rudders keep a grip on the water at all angles of heel, and the very large manual drop-down transom — larger than on the 409 — gives access to the water with gas shock assist. A positive sheerline creates much more than just the illusion of space, and the wide hull underpins the modular interior.
Rig and Handling
The 349 is easy to handle and responsive at the helm, traits the sailing press confirmed in distinctly different conditions. In Miami, test sailors found her quick to tack and respond, and on the wind she likes to be sheeted in flat; in 10 knots true at 40 degrees she scooted along at 5.3 knots, and at 11 knots cracked to 60 degrees she bumped to 6.1 knots. Yachting Monthly took her out in gusts to 30 knots over the deck, and with both reefs in she was still overpowered — yet feathered off she bounded upwind, leaning on her chines in a gust to accelerate, the twin rudders making the wind feel a couple of forces lower. The Seldén fractional rig uses double aft-swept spreaders, needs no backstay, and borrows friction rings from the Sun Fast racing series for the genoa sheets and the “Y” bridle mainsheet, eliminating a traveller so the rigid vang controls leach twist eliminating the need for a traveller. Helm positions let a skipper tack and gybe without disturbing the crew, and the simple deck layout means a modest sailor can get her going. Under power the 21hp Yanmar pushed the test boat at 6.1 knots at 2,900 rpm, the fixed three-blade prop biting swiftly; the boat does not offer the line’s 360 Docking joystick option, but the rudders make her responsive in close quarters.
Accommodations
Inside, the 349 is offered with two cabins and a storage space or three true double cabins, plus a single head. The two-cabin version trades the third berth for extra lazarette storage to port and a larger head with a sizable stall shower. A V-berth forward sits over the water tank, with narrow double doors opening the cabin to the saloon; it carries 6ft 3in of headroom, a drop-leaf table seating four, and a dedicated aft-facing nav station using the port settee. Big hullports and white cladding keep it bright and airy, and testers found the saloon, galley, heads and cockpit spot on for a family cruiser, with good ventilation and stowage adequate for a week. The L-shaped galley to starboard has a single sink, two-burner stove, optional microwave and Frigoboat top-load refrigeration; counter space is limited but storage works for weekends. The cabins compromise a little but berths — especially aft — are decent for sleeping and dressing.
Known Issues
The documented quirks are few and specific. When the jib is reefed, leech control is compromised, a direct consequence of the flying-eye sheet leads that otherwise avoid clatter through mainsheet tension. The twin rudders’ sole noted drawback is a lack of feel at the wheels, and the absence of a backstay is a design choice rather than a fault, opening the cockpit corners for seats by the twin wheels. No structural or systemic defects appear in the survey record.
Refits and Ownership
Owners choosing the boat today can specify a square-top mainsail that lifts sail area 11 percent over the classic rig, a furling main, a Facnor-furled headsail, a Flexofold folding prop, a bowsprit for a furling cruising chute, and LED lighting throughout including deck nav lights. The B&G electronics on the test boat centered on a starboard-helm multifunction display, and four Harken winches with Spinlock jammers handle the loads. SEANAPPS technology is available on board for systems monitoring.
The Verdict
The Sun Odyssey 349 is a carefully resolved small cruiser: Lombard’s chined, reverse-sheer hull and low cabintop deliver big-boat volume without bulk, the friction-ring rig strips cost and complexity while keeping control through the vang, and the twin-rudder, twin-wheel layout makes her genuinely manageable short-handed or with family. She is quick in a breeze, composed when overpowered, and her modular cabin plan adapts to couples or crowds. The compromises are minor and well understood.
Pros
- Wide hull with forward-developed hard chine and reverse sheer for stability and volume in a sleek profile
- Twin rudders and no-backstay deck plan give responsive handling and clear cockpit seating
- Modular two- or three-cabin interior with bright, airy saloon and practical family spaces
- Rig simplifications (friction rings, no traveller, rigid-vang twist control) ease short-handed sailing
Cons
- Jib leech control compromised when the headsail is reefed
- Twin wheels lack tactile feel compared with a single rudder
- No joystick docking option offered, unlike larger sisters in the line
