Jouet 680 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Berret's hull is all-round in section and carries 735 kg of cast-iron ballast fixed under the floors in the fin-keel version, a figure that underscores how seriously the design treats stability for its 6.55 m length anchor. The centerboard model instead uses cast-iron ballast in the board itself, with the pivoting foil hung from two galvanized-steel triangular supports that land on the well rim and are held with stainless screws. A Teflon ring around the pivot tube lets the board swing freely and shields the joint, and the board can be hauled up from inside the cabin by two strong crew using a textile tackle that also sets its angle. At rest, a pin dropped into holes in the well takes the load off the lifting gear. The deck carries an elegant house with refined portholes, and the round hull reads as a deliberate Berret gesture toward seaworthy volume rather than a flat-panel production shortcut.

Rig and Handling

The 680 wears a 7/8 fractional sloop rig on a single spreader set, with no running backstays to tend — a simple, short-handed-friendly arrangement. Mainsail and genoa share a 7.40 m luff, the genoa's perpendicular measuring 3.52 m, and a 7.41 m spinnaker rounds out the light-air toolkit. On the numbers, the design earns a National Handicap rating of 8.0, dropping to 7.5 with a genoa furler, and theoretical speeds of 4.25 and 4.22 knots respectively. The fixed-keel version shows a light-wind coefficient of 3.7 against the centerboard's 4.2, and period reviews found the boat stiff to the canvas for a dinghy, with reassuring web stiffness and real wandering skills — it can even take the ground flat and without crutches in the board-up configuration anchor.

Accommodations

For a boat under 23 feet, the 680 is genuinely roomy: four large berths surround a saloon table and a real galley block, and the cabin reads large for the modest footprint. The cockpit is welcoming rather than cramped, and the layout delivers a true cruising interior — four good berths, a place to cook, and a table to sit at — rather than the bare minimum expected in the class. The manufacturer's own description of a "real galley" holds up against the period press, which praised the same volume.

Known Issues

The centerboard lifting system is the weak link: when it fails, the board pivots forward on its axis and jams down, effectively turning the dinghy into a non-extractable fixed keel drawing about 1.20 m. The rudder draws similar criticism — many cite it as the boat's soft spot, and one owner's builder noted the original plywood had strength through only half its thickness. If the blade is given forward rake to use a compensated surface, a shoal strike can hinder its automatic lift. Period reviews also flag a simple sheet-metal drift profile of limited effectiveness, undersized rigging, and a weak interior finish.

Refits and Ownership

Owners have developed pragmatic fixes. A common suggestion rakes the lower rudder blade forward for compensation, capped at about 20 percent — roughly 6 cm on the relevant dimension — while one owner rebuilt the blade with exotic wood sandwiched in thin plywood to keep the original look. Another member advises a new lifting ear in 5 mm 316L stainless to fight corrosion at the centerboard pivot. The iron ballast and fiberglass hull are forgiving, but the towing weight is noticeable behind a car, a small penalty for the ballast that makes the boat so steady.

The Verdict

The Jouët 680 is a Berret-designed pocket cruiser that punches above its 22 feet: stiff, roomy, and available in a beachable centerboard form or a fixed fin. Its weaknesses are concentrated in the centerboard gear and rudder, both well understood and owner-addressed.

Pros