Philippe Briand was responsible for the naval architecture, drawing a slippery, high-performance hull. Vittorio Garroni designed the deck layout and interior accommodations, while JF de Premorel also contributed to the design work.
Design and Construction
Briand’s hull is a hand-laid, solid fiberglass shell with no coring material in the laminate. An internal grid is glued down and relaminated to the hull, creating an incredibly stiff, two-part monolithic structure. The chainplates for the keel-stepped mast are glassed into this grid, distributing rig loads throughout the boat.
The deck mold drops away aft to incorporate the dinghy garage as an integral part of the structure. This avoids the full seals and pneumatic systems associated with afterthought arrangements and removes any danger of leaks or gas fumes permeating the interior.
Jeanneau’s in-house designers handled the structural details. From the outset, the brief called for a world-class luxury cruising boat with built-in battery banks, power infrastructure, and ample tankage.
Rig, Handling, and Sailing Performance
The 58 carries a tall, three-spreader fractional rig with a 1,571-square-foot sail plan and a 135 percent genoa set on Harken adjustable sheet leads. Running rigging passes beneath deck panels, leading from hefty Harken blocks at the mast foot to clutches beside the companionway. Large Harken Rewind winches serve as the primaries.
The boat uses a double-ended, German-style mainsheet without a traveler. Test sailors found the inboard shrouds well positioned, making it easy to move forward along the teak side decks even with the overlapping headsail. They also noted the high lifelines and excellent stainless-steel handholds on the coachroof.
On a moderate Chesapeake afternoon, in roughly 8 knots of breeze with stronger puffs, the 58 sailed at more than 6 knots hard on the breeze—performance in keeping with Briand’s quick hull forms.
Cockpit and Deck Layout
A long, broad cockpit dominates the deck layout. Twin wheels give clear views of the Raymarine chartplotter pod at the aft end of the central cockpit table, which also contains a refrigerator. A large dodger and matching Bimini complete the helm environment.
Interior and Accommodation
The spacious main saloon remains the same across all layouts. Cabin-top windows, hull ports, and two skylight hatches flood the space with light. Leather, blond teak flooring, and stainless steel complement the light, sustainable Alpi wood used for the furniture and bulkheads, creating an airy finish.
The galley is to port, opposite an excellent navigation station to starboard. Forward of the nav station, a long settee runs alongside an electrically controlled dining table that changes from a coffee table to a full dinette. The middle section of the port settee flips over to form a serving bar.
The test boat had a forward owner’s stateroom with a queen island berth, a desk/vanity, and a hanging locker. Its aft double cabins had berths that could slide apart to form singles or join as doubles. Buyers could choose among five optional layouts in three- or four-cabin configurations, while the saloon remained unchanged.
Equipment and Systems
Raymarine electronics are standard, while Harken hardware dominates the deck gear. Writing in Cruising World, Boat of the Year judge Ed Sherman noted the boat’s 12- and 24-volt service and its ability to convert power to 110 and 230 volts through an inverter, a generator, and two alternators feeding separate battery banks. He praised the arrangement for global cruising.
A 150 hp Volvo Penta D3-150 provides auxiliary power. The boat’s displacement is also listed as 47,289 lb, with 13,448 lb of iron ballast, a 0.28 ballast-displacement ratio, and a displacement-length ratio of 167. Tankage comprises 111 gallons of fuel and 246 gallons of water.
Verdict
The Jeanneau Yachts 58 is a thoroughly modern ocean cruiser. Its structural integrity, extensive built-in systems, and flexible luxury interior make it a compelling large-yacht proposition. The monolithic hull-and-grid construction and integral dinghy garage are genuine engineering strengths, while the rig is both powerful and manageable.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with a relaminated internal grid for stiffness
- Integral dinghy garage eliminates leak and fume paths
- Five interior layouts with an unchanged saloon
- Dual-voltage house system with 110/230V conversion for global cruising
Cons
- No traveler for the German-style mainsheet
- Standard draft of 8'2", limiting access to some cruising grounds
