Jeanneau Yachts 51

A 15.38 m Jeanneau cruising yacht, now out of production, designed by Philippe Briand and Andrew Winch for owners who want to stay aboard for long stretches.

Philippe Briand drew the lines of the Jeanneau Yachts 51, Andrew Winch's studio worked on her, and Jeanneau's own design team finished the job. She's no longer built, so anyone looking at one now will be buying a boat that has already had an owner or two. What they were all buying into was a boat meant to be lived on, with the tankage and battery capacity to keep you away from the marina for a good while.

The figures back that up. There's 640 litres of fresh water and 240 litres of fuel, on a hull of 14.98 m with 15.38 m overall and a 4.7 m beam.

Down below, the owner gets the forward cabin, which is large, full of light and has plenty of places to put things. Guests go aft, where you'll find one roomy cabin or a pair of them, depending on how the first owner specified her. Either way the headroom is good. The galley is cleverly laid out, and there's a pantry with space for a washing machine or a wine fridge if those were fitted.

On deck, the sheets for the main and genoa run back to the helm, which keeps lines away from people sitting in the cockpit. There's a sun lounger either side of the companionway, and the cockpit table seats six to eight and has a chilled compartment built in. Aft, a broad swim platform gives you a way into the water and somewhere else to lie in the sun.