Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 319

A compact two-cabin Jeanneau cruiser with wheel steering and standing headroom, no longer built, suited to families wanting easy coastal sailing.

Jeanneau no longer builds the Sun Odyssey 319, but as a used boat she makes a sensible first cruiser for a family. At 9.8 m overall, with a 9.44 m hull, she's small enough to handle without fuss and still has two proper enclosed cabins.

Wheel steering was standard rather than a tiller, and the cockpit is well protected, so children and less experienced crew can sit out a passage feeling safe and take the helm when they're ready.

Go below and you'll find you can stand up straight, which isn't a given on a boat this size. Long windows in the coachroof and ports in the hull keep the saloon bright. There's a well-equipped galley and a separate heads with its own shower, so a week away is comfortable rather than a camping trip.

She draws 1.85 m, carries 100 l of fuel and 150 l of fresh water, and was designed in-house by Jeanneau as the way into the Sun Odyssey range.