French naval architect Jacques Fauroux, Italian designer Vittorio Garroni, and Jeanneau’s in-house design department collaborated on the boat. It measures 54 feet 11 inches, with a nearly plumb bow, a long waterline, and a maximum beam of nearly 16 feet. That beam provides the volume for a genuinely spacious interior.
Design and Construction
The hull is solid, hand-laid fiberglass with Kevlar reinforcements. Its wooden structure is laminated, as is the lower structural decking on which the engine chassis and keel rest, secured with 32 mm diameter bolts. Fiberglass over wood floors and stringers supports the hull and keel structure. Individual floors, primary bulkheads, and furniture facings are laminated directly to the hull, creating a rigid structure.
The cast-iron keel is externally fastened with stainless-steel keel bolts, spaced well apart to handle the loads imposed by narrow-chord foils. The balanced fiberglass rudder is supported by a beefy stainless-steel stock. Its 50 mm stainless-steel rudder shaft is not likely to twist. A fiberglass rudder tube contains self-aligning bearings molded directly to the hull in place of a conventional stuffing box.
The deck has a balsa core for rigidity and sound insulation. At the hull/deck joint, an inward hull flange and small molded bulwark are finished with a handsome teak caprail, bonded both mechanically and chemically.
Most of the heavy equipment—including the watermaker, generator, and tanks—is centered over the keel and mounted as low as possible.
Rig, Cockpit, and Sailing
The triple-spreader spar stands 72 feet 2 inches above the design waterline, ruling out travel along the Intracoastal Waterway. Standard sail area is 1,431 square feet with the furling mainsail and 135-percent genoa. An optional full-batten mainsail adds 139 square feet.
The boat has discontinuous wire standing rigging and double backstays. Stainless-steel turnbuckle covers are standard. So are ProFurl roller-furling gear and a Marechal roller-furling mast; buyers could instead choose a nonfurling mast and quick-release inner forestay.
Inboard shrouds permit close sheeting angles. The genoa leads can be adjusted under load, and Harken blocks are used throughout.
The twin-level cockpit has two wheels aft, connected to a Whitlock cable-steering system. The primary sheet winches sit on the coamings just forward of the wheels, where they’re easy to reach. Foot switches between the wheels activate the furling drum. Electric jib furling controlled by pedals at the cockpit table is optional.
The helm is light, helped by the self-aligning rudder bearings. Test sailors at Band of Boats found that the boat responds instantly to the helmsman’s actions. They also reported that she sails close-hauled with a swell at three-quarters ahead, never dropping below 8 knots. Cruising World noted that the 54 DS can be handled by an experienced couple.
Accommodations
Jeanneau offered several sleeping-cabin arrangements. The owner’s-cabin version has a centerline queen berth, a vanity to starboard, and a reading and dressing seat to port.
The tested layout had two aft cabins and a forward owner’s cabin. That cabin included a real bed on a 205 by 160 cm slatted base, along with a dressing table, seat, storage, and shower room. A forepeak skipper’s cabin had its own sink and toilet.
In the main saloon, full-length overhead handholds provide support underway. The layout includes a lounge with a bar on one side and a dining area for six with movable chairs, all finished with tan leather upholstery.
The C-shaped galley is to port of the companionway. It has a Corian countertop, a large 12-volt refrigerator/freezer that opens from the top or front, a stainless-steel microwave, and a four-burner stove and oven with a crash bar.
Opposite the galley, the navigation station has a curved seat designed to keep the navigator on an even keel when the boat heels. Its wraparound table includes a laptop cutout, and a deep wet locker sits behind the navigation-station seat.
Ventilation is superb, with 12 opening hatches. Grey water is centralized in a tank that drains automatically to the sea, while black water is stored for two of the four toilets.
Machinery and Systems
A 100-horsepower turbocharged Yanmar diesel provides a maximum range of around 500 miles under power. The engine can be reached from behind the companionway and through removable panels in the aft cabin. A dripless stuffing box and fixed three-bladed propeller are standard.
The electrical installation includes 12- and 24-volt circuits as well as 115-volt shore power. Most owners chose the 9-kilowatt Onan generator. The 24-volt battery pack supplies the winches, reel, electric windlass, and bow thruster.
The drinking water system uses two pumps and a bladder tank. Capacity is substantial: 191 gallons of fuel in two stainless tanks and 930 litres of water in four stainless tanks. The 45-litre water heater, however, is modest.
Teak decks are optional.
Storage and Other Known Issues
Cruising World found that for a 54-foot boat, storage is only adequate, particularly for the bulky gear required for passagemaking.
Cruising World also noted that the standard stainless-steel turnbuckle covers look good but can trap moisture and make routine observation of the rigging more difficult.
The Band of Boats tester identified another practical concern: when the boat is heeled over at the mast foot, a crewmember has no tether point while reaching the third reef. It’s a minor but real safety gap for a short-handed crew.
The Verdict
The Sun Odyssey 54 DS is a very accomplished boat with an unmistakable appearance, unfailing robustness, well-thought-out luxury fittings, and first-class handling at sea. It suits a cruising couple who want volume and extensive systems without surrendering sailing ability. Its near-20-tonne displacement does mean that it takes a while to get going under sail, but it shows its pace once underway.
Pros
- Rigid laminated structure, with the keel and engine supported on lower structural decking
- Nearly 16 feet of beam and a long waterline, providing genuine liveaboard volume
- Light helm, inboard shrouds for close sheeting, and manageable handling for an experienced couple
- Strong systems, including a 24-volt supply for the winches and bow thruster, a generator, and substantial water capacity
Cons
- Storage is only adequate for a 54-footer on passage
- Turnbuckle covers can trap moisture and obstruct rigging inspections
- No mast-foot tether point for working at the third reef when heeled
- Mast height rules out transit along the Intracoastal Waterway
