Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 30i

A seaworthy 8.99 m Marc Lombard cruiser, no longer built, offered with a fixed keel or a beachable swing keel, suited to those wanting a roomy, easily handled thirty-footer.

If you're after a thirty-footer that sails well and has standing headroom in every cabin, the Sun Odyssey 30i deserves a look. Jeanneau no longer builds her, so any boat you find will be one that's already had owners.

She came in two main forms. One has a fixed keel drawing 1.75 m with a single rudder. The other has a swing keel and twin rudders, and she can be beached, which suits shallow water and drying spots. Steering was by tiller as standard, with a wheel as an option, so check which a given boat has.

Marc Lombard drew her, and the hull has a reputation for consistent performance and for being seaworthy. She measures 8.99 m overall and 8.79 m on the hull.

Below decks it's the headroom that stands out for her size, along with a good number of small comfortable details that make her pleasant to live on in harbour or at anchor. Jeanneau built her with dependability and safety in mind, and with some thought for the environment.