Jouet 550 Buyer's Guide
The Jouët 550 is a Micro-class pocket cruiser of 5.50 metres built between 1979 and 1984 in 154 units, designed by Jean Berret with a fibreglass hull and an 85 kg cast iron keel on a stub/centreboard. On the used market it presents as a minimalist trailer-sailer whose appeal lies in shallow draft and an oversized fractional rig rather than interior comfort, and any buyer should weigh the boat's integrated appendices and lifted-board stability caveat before committing.
Layouts on the Used Market
Most 550s come with a very bare finish and no cockpit lockers, no anchor locker, and no external safes, with headroom limited to 1.20 m. Berth count varies by record: some show two single on the planks plus a double at the front for four, others list simply two berths. A few boats have been equipped with additional accommodation such as a kitchenette and chart table, so used shoppers will find either the stark original plan or one of these lightly upgraded interiors — there is no third layout generation to choose from.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The centreboard is easily lifted by a trailer winch from the inside, and the keel arrangement accepts two 25 kg sows on either side of the drift well for anchoring. A battery well positioned in the bottom is desirable, and the rare "S" version carries an 80 cm extended mast as a lake rig — only two models were so fitted. Otherwise the fractional rig with 6 mm halyards and 8 mm sheets is standard and not a differentiator between boats.
What to Inspect
The well is sometimes severely planed by the keel, so check the trunk condition closely. The drift and sponge were integrated into the construction before decking and are not removable, which makes them hard to service. Note also that raising the daggerboard brings 85 kg of cast iron above the waterline and sometimes results in capsizing when the canvas is dry; confirm the centreboard mechanism and ballast behaviour before purchase.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
No regional market data is recorded for the 550, so availability should be judged from general brokerage listings rather than a known stronghold. For the shopper, the practical checklist is short: confirm the keel-well and integrated appendix condition, verify the centreboard lifts and lowers without capsizing tendency when dry, and decide whether the bare two- or four-berth plan suits your use. A low-placed battery and side sows are sensible additions, but the boat's limits are fixed by its Micro gauge and 154-boat run.