Design and Construction
Briand’s hull retains Jeanneau’s signature look while incorporating the increasingly popular hard chine. The Sun Odyssey 439 shares the same hull shape.
The plan view is very full, with a length-to-beam ratio of 3.15. Yet the entry has considerable hollow at the waterline, a combination that trades a little entry bite for volume. A chine runs along the hull, ending about 18 inches above the waterline at the transom and disappearing amidships. At the trailing edge of the keel-and-hull intersection, a large fillet appears intended to spread keel loads.
The yacht displaces 21,495 pounds. Its 13-foot 11-inch beam is carried well aft in the typically French fashion, creating initial form stability and an upright, comfortable ride. The large, flat sections aft also incline the hull to surf as it approaches top speeds, noticeably improving downwind performance.
Rig, Sail Handling, and Performance
The 44 DS carries a fractional sloop rig with a self-tacking jib on a track forward. Short side tracks recessed into the corners of the coachroof provide sheeting points for overlapping headsails.
All sheets lead aft to the helm. The mainsheet runs forward in a German-style arrangement before turning aft with the other control lines, making sail handling very simple for a short-handed crew. Lines from the mast, including the self-tacker sheet, run aft under a cover to winches at the companionway. Genoa sheets pass under the coachroof through clutches just forward of the coaming winches. Sea hoods conceal the sheets and running rigging to reduce clutter.
Writing in Cruising World, test sailors on Chesapeake Bay found the helm responsive. The boat tacked easily and held angles respectably close to the wind. In 10 to 12 knots of true wind over a light chop, it made 7.2 knots on a close reach and 8.0 knots on a beam reach.
Accommodations
Darnet’s interior is visually spacious, very bright, and cleanly modern. Long, flat panels of light walnut veneer contrast with white cushions.
Layouts vary. The aft owner’s cabin has a king-size island berth and an en suite head and shower. In the two-stateroom version, however, the forward cabin is the larger of the two. It includes a large V-berth, its own head with a separate shower stall, a small writing desk, and a computer or vanity station. A third layout retains the large aft stateroom while adding a small forward port stateroom with stacked berths.
Both heads are large. The aft head can be reached from either the stateroom or the saloon.
The galley is to starboard of the companionway steps and has Corian countertops, twin molded sinks, and a large icebox. The navigation station sits to port, aft of the settee. In the main saloon, the table folds into three configurations and can be raised or lowered electrically.
Deck and Cockpit
The main decks are covered in teak. At the broad transom, a wide, functional boarding platform includes stowage lockers, a pullout swim ladder, and washdown hoses. Twin wheels leave a clear central passage to the swim platform.
The cockpit is large, with a fixed centerline drop-leaf table. It houses a chart plotter that can be viewed from either helm. The forward cockpit benches are long and wide enough for sleeping.
At the companionway, a single Lexan board drops into a drained well. Dual-latch access means that nobody is trapped above or below. A bin at the base of the entrance holds lines from the cabin-top winches, while the windlass is recessed into a rode locker accessed from the deck.
Equipment, Systems, and Specifications
The yacht is fitted with Raymarine electronics and a 54-horsepower Yanmar diesel, which test crews found well matched to the hull.
The standard keel draws 7 feet 2 inches and carries 6,283 pounds of ballast. The shoal-keel option draws 5 feet 2 inches and carries 6,945 pounds. The D/L is 158, and the SA/D is 17.28.
Fuel capacity is 53 gallons, and water capacity is listed as 87.18 gallons. One review also notes a 42-gallon holding tank. Sources differ on two specifications, giving the beam as either 13 feet 11 inches or 13 feet 4 inches, and the water capacity as either 87.18 gallons or 140 gallons.
CE certification covers Category A for eight people, Category B for ten, and Category C for twelve.
The Verdict
The Sun Odyssey 44 DS succeeds as a deck-saloon cruiser because its designers treated the interior as the starting point rather than an afterthought. They then wrapped that accommodation in a Briand hull that is stable and willing to surf offwind. It is genuinely a joy to sail short-handed, and the details around the cockpit and companionway show real thought for liveaboard and anchorage use.
Pros
- Broad-beamed form stability keeps the boat upright, while the hull can surf downwind
- Simple short-handed sail handling, with all lines led aft
- Bright, modern interior with flexible two- or three-cabin layouts
- Thoughtful companionway and cockpit stowage details
Cons
- Modest sail area relative to displacement limits acceleration in light air
- The shoal-keel version carries a lower ballast ratio than the deep keel
