Design and Construction
The hull is solid hand-laid fiberglass, finished with ISO gelcoat on the topsides and protected below the waterline by a blister-resistant barrier coat. Inside, a counter-molded grid is glued and laminated to the hull for reinforcement, with special cutouts providing access to high-load areas. The cored deck is injection-molded to reduce weight and add stiffness. This construction contributes to a purposeful 30,644-pound displacement without making the 15-foot-4-inch beam feel excessive.
The bulb keel carries 9,480 pounds of cast-iron ballast. Standard draft is 7 feet 5 inches, while a 5-foot-8-inch shoal-draft option was also offered.
With its low coachroof and substantial beam carried well aft, the 509 has a handsome profile. Its double-spreader fractional sloop rig and CE Category A13 rating reflect the boat’s offshore intent.
Rig and Sail Handling
The 509’s high-aspect-ratio sail plan can be set up for several sailing styles. Options range from a large genoa running on side-deck tracks to a small overlapping jib or a self-tacking jib on an athwartships track forward of the mast.
A double-ended German mainsheet leads to the primary winches, which are within easy reach of the twin helm stations. All mast lines run aft to coachroof winches on either side of the companionway. There are no secondary winches, and no room to install them. The single centerline backstay, however, is neatly led between the two wheels. At the bow, a welded tack attachment on the outboard anchor roller accommodates asymmetric spinnakers and large free-furling reaching sails.
Under Power and Sailing Performance
With the standard 75hp Yanmar saildrive, the test boat made 7.2 knots at a calm 2,000 rpm against a mild contrary tide. At 3,400 rpm, it reached 9.1 knots. Turned hard at speed, the boat spun through 360 degrees within its own length. It took a little longer than usual to stop while the folding propeller reoriented itself.
The designer’s polar predictions put the 509 at 7 knots in 14 knots of true wind at 40 degrees apparent, and between 7 and 8 knots at wider angles.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
The wide cockpit has twin helm stations and a drop-down transom. Despite the two cabins beneath it, large storage lockers fit under the cockpit benches. Testers found the side seats very comfortable and praised the well-placed foot cleats at the helms. The steering pedestals also serve as curved seatbacks for the cockpit benches, a neat use of space.
There are some ergonomic compromises. The cockpit coamings sit a little low to give good back support when seated, and there’s no comfortable seating directly behind the wheels.
Forward, a large sail locker sits beside the anchor well. The sail locker is spacious, though it lacks shelving for smaller items that need to be grabbed quickly.
Deck equipment includes a complete Harken hardware-and-winch package, along with dual Lewmar helms and a Lewmar windlass. An optional 360 Docking system connects the bow thruster and rotating saildrive leg to a single joystick.
Accommodations
Jeanneau offered the 509 with three, four, or five cabins, and the boat can sleep ten without using the saloon.
The test boat had the three-stateroom layout. A master suite forward included its own head and separate shower. Two aft cabins, each with a full-size double berth, shared another head. Headroom is 6 feet 6 inches. The aft berths measure 6 feet 9 inches by 5 feet, while the forward berth measures 6 feet 8 inches by 5 feet 4 inches.
The tester particularly praised the galley, which sits aft to starboard. It has centerline sinks and a forward “tea galley” containing a front-opening drinks fridge and a cutlery drawer. Opposite is a large navigation station with a full-size chart desk and a deep top-loading locker.
Verdict
The Sun Odyssey 509 is a thoughtfully engineered flagship with a stiff, quick hull, an adaptable rig, and a belowdecks arrangement that works as either a private cruiser or a charter platform without losing its logic. Its construction is conservative and designed with access in mind, while the deck layout is modern and well suited to short-handed command.
Apart from a few ergonomic shortcomings, the 509 remains a benchmark mid-size cruiser of its generation.
Pros
- Solid hand-laid hull with a reinforced interior grid and blister-resistant coating
- Versatile fractional rig adaptable to genoa, jib, or self-tacking configurations
- Spacious three-, four-, or five-cabin layouts that can sleep up to ten
- Well-equipped cockpit with twin helms, a drop-down transom, and straightforward sail handling
- Strong performance under power, with optional joystick docking
Cons
- Cockpit coamings are low for seated back support, with no comfortable seating behind the wheels
- No secondary winches and no room to add them
- Sail locker lacks shelving for smaller items
- Folding propeller takes time to reorient when stopping
