Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 26

A small Jeanneau cruiser from Philippe Briand, no longer built, with real headroom, a full-width aft cabin and ballast for open water. A sound first cruising yacht.

Space is what stands out on the Sun Odyssey 26. At 7,50 m / 24' you'd not expect over 1,80 m / 5'10" of standing headroom, yet that's what she gives you, along with a full-size head more than 1,20 m / 4' long. The aft cabin runs the full width of the boat and has a 2 m x 1,60 m / 6'7" x 5'3" berth. With two cabins and a rating for up to 5 people, she makes a good first cruising boat.

Jeanneau worked with Philippe Briand on her and meant her as a proper ocean cruiser rather than a day boat. She carries 850 kg / 1870 lbs of ballast, so the room below hasn't come at the expense of how she sails or how she copes at sea.

The cockpit was designed to feel as safe and comfortable as one on a larger yacht, and the foredeck is about as wide as you'd find on a 10 m / 33' sailboat.

The standard boat draws 1.2 m. There was also a centreboard version drawing just 0,70 m / 2'3", which lets you reach shallow anchorages that used to be left to much smaller boats.

Length overall is 7.59 m and the hull length 7.49 m. Tanks hold 25 l of fuel and 100 l of fresh water. Jeanneau no longer builds the Sun Odyssey 26, so she's one you'd find on the used market.