Design and Construction
The hull is monolithic, hand-laid fiberglass with an ISO gelcoat surface. Kevlar reinforces the bow and forward bulkhead sections. The “i” designation refers to the deck: a Prisma Process resin-injected structure with discontinuous balsa-block coring and an ISO gelcoat finish.
The boat measures 45 feet 1 inch overall, with a waterline length of 37 feet 6 inches and a beam of 14 feet 4 inches. In standard form, she displaces 21,892 pounds and carries 6,512 pounds of ballast. Those figures place her firmly in the midsize offshore-cruiser class without suggesting anything lighter.
The stepped transom is a Jeanneau trademark. Small FRP batwing doors and a wire lifeline help prevent an accidental dip in the water, while a ladder folds down from the cockpit for swimming.
Soft-edged styling continues on deck. Radiused cabin-top corners reduce the visual impact of the coachroof’s height. The side decks aren’t particularly wide for a boat of this size, but the walkway alongside the cabin trunk is clearly defined and free of toe stubbers. Cruising World noted that nonskid stopping short of the coachroof radius leaves the rounded edge less secure. When open, the anchor-locker lid also leaves little room to stand on the bow.
Rig and Sailing Performance
The standard boat has a conventional deck-stepped aluminum mast with two spreaders, mast steps, and a spinnaker-pole track for vertical stowage. The rig includes 1x19 standing rigging, a gas-strut vang, a fixed backstay bridle, and a cruising furler.
The Performance version substitutes Dyform wire, Dyneema halyards and sheets, a slightly taller mast, a longer boom, a tackle-adjustable backstay, and a lower-profile jib furler.
Test sailors found the Sun Odyssey 44 I stiff and responsive in the light-to-moderate air they encountered. When the wind briefly reached 10 knots closehauled, she heeled little, responded promptly to the helm, and made 6 knots. Reaching is her forte: with sheets eased, the test boat touched 9 knots. On a tight reach, she could be balanced to hold course without helm input unless wind pressure changed.
Twin helms with curved-top thwarts provided a stable, comfortable position, and the radius behind each wheel gave the helmsman useful purchase. The mainsheet and traveler controls are well forward, however, so trimming requires a walk along the length of the cockpit.
Cockpit and Deck Gear
The cockpit’s soft contours provide comfortable seating underway or at rest. Its table sits on a molded plinth and opens to create an outdoor lounge. Deep lockers are fitted beneath the seats, along with a shallow locker under the port bench.
At the bow, a stainless-steel fabrication carries two side-by-side anchor rollers, keeping sharp anchors away from the gelcoat. The starboard roller feeds a recessed windlass on the centerline. A raised bubble in the anchor-locker lid allows the chain to be hauled while the lid remains closed.
The test boat’s 75-horsepower Yanmar drove a conventional shaft and pushed the boat effortlessly to hull speed. At higher rpm, however, engine noise was noticeable below, and prop wash torqued the helm. The boat stopped in little more than one boat length and turned in her own length at 1,500 rpm.
Accommodations
The interior is spacious and modular, with layouts suited to owner or charter use. Elegant lines, consistent Alpi veneer grain, and white hull accents give the saloon an open feel. Light comes through overhead hatches and Jeanneau’s trademark portlights. Cabinetry has the pale Fine Teak finish, with rounded moldings reminiscent of earlier Jeanneaus.
In the three-cabin owner’s layout, the entire area forward of the mast becomes a master suite. A queen-hip island berth is flanked by a dressing seat, hanging locker, and en-suite head and shower, with additional lockers above and outboard.
Aft, the hull’s ample beam is divided equally between two cabins. The layout offers a choice of mirror-image heads or a single head to port with a navigation station to starboard. The four-cabin version uses the same democratic division forward.
In every layout, the starboard U-shaped settee and centerline seat accommodate six. The port-side galley extends across the full beam, creating a large workspace for the cook.
The navigation desk is recessed into a flat surface that opens to reveal a bottle locker. The lack of a partial bulkhead in this area, however, complicates the mounting of electronics.
Practical Shortcomings
Two details affect how the boat is worked on deck. First, the coachroof edge lacks nonskid around its radius. Crew climbing to the mast by way of the shrouds risk slipping where the surface becomes slick.
Second, the open anchor-locker lid leaves little standing room on the bow. That can complicate handling ground tackle while the boat is at a mooring or anchor.
Neither issue is a flaw in the fiberglass structure or rig, but both are worth considering in day-to-day use.
The Verdict
The Sun Odyssey 44 I is a thoughtfully arranged cruiser that combines Briand’s hull design with Jeanneau’s soft-edged interior style. She sails cleanly, reaches with verve, and offers either a forward master suite for an owner or a flexible charter layout without compromising the saloon.
The deck shortcomings—limited nonskid around the coachroof radius and an anchor-locker lid that consumes bow space—are minor. The standard 54-horsepower Yanmar diesel with sail drive is adequate, while the test boat’s 75-horsepower shaft-drive installation provided surplus thrust.
Pros
- Stiff, responsive handling and strong reaching performance
- Spacious, modular interior with a genuine forward master suite
- Resin-injected, balsa-cored deck and Kevlar-reinforced bow
- Twin helms and deep cockpit stowage
Cons
- Nonskid stops short of the coachroof radius
- The open anchor-locker lid leaves no standing room on the bow
- Mainsheet controls require a long walk through the cockpit
