Vive La Motor Yacht Difference!
HYERES, France and Jeanneau’s annual international press test week gave us the chance to catch up with three of Jeanneau’s key craft in their five boat range of Prestige sports cruisers, writes Andi Robertson. Jeanneau are serious about the motor boat market in Europe and are also making increasing inroads into the US market. In the space of eight years or so they have gone from virtually nothing to producing a comprehensive range that spans from the small Merry Fisher right through to the kingpin, the Prestige 50S. The appeal to the buyer is not just value for money, but the fact that the boats which Jeanneau conceive with their in-house design team, plus designers like Garroni for interiors and lines and Michael Peters for hull shapes, do try to achieve something different from the mainstream offerings. And while the French giants have taken a close look at what makes the best of British popular in terms of layout and finish, in many respects they are beating them at their own game. Prestige owners like them and continue their affinity, making buying up through the range a regular occurrence. More importantly Jeanneau see their power boats as sea-going, they are designed with practicality and sea-keeping in mind for users who want to cover miles in differing sea and weather conditions, not idle gin palaces to be viewed at rest, never moving from the marina berth. Since they were first launched in 1999 with the 36 flybridge and building up to their then flagship 46, it’s now the 51S that’s top of the range with the 30 as the baby of the family and the 42 (not to be confused with the new 42S) has a new three cabin layout of which we had the first sighting in Hyeres. • The new Prestige 30 offers a sport top option, which continues the classic line of the windscreen to provide an elegant wrap-over opening roof, giving the option of the full al-fresco effect when the weather and sea conditions are good, but full protection when the weather is – shall we say – more typically Scottish. Clyde based Euroyachts have just delivered a 30 to a former sail-power devotee who wanted a small sports cruiser with a good range and with good handling and sea keeping performance. Even using maximum width for the windscreen and the gently rounded styling, there is still reasonable access forwards. There is a sunbathing pod cut out into the forward sloping deck, which also has an opening hatch that offers additional ambient light and ventilation into the main cabin. The 30S does everything that the bigger boats in the range does, offering many of the essential, desirable elements in a smaller package. There is a large owner’s cabin as well as a spacious airy saloon. The owner’s cabin is nicely appointed with a big, lateral double berth, ample standing headroom and a decent ‘living’ space – that is to say, room to dress and undress or sit without having to take to the bed. And on deck there is a large, sumptuous wrap round seating area set to starboard which is open to the elements when the weather is good, but the sports top roof more or less covers it when the weather turns for the worse. Add a roll down textile aft canopy and it becomes totally enclosed. Opposite is a short inclined aft facing seat. There is a good double helm’s seat with foot bracing, space and excellent all round vision. Although our short runs in each of the Prestige boats were all too brief, we had an instant affection for the 30. There was never much of a sea, but the 30 really rode neatly over the wakes that criss crossed each other as the different boats and the eager media jostled for position. It took to the plane with ease and turned easily and smoothly at higher speeds staying relatively flat. • The 42 flybridge has already become a real stalwart of the range, and it is in answer to long standing consumer demand, especially from Europe, that the three cabin version has arrived on the market now. This brings the galley up out of the saloon to deck level. The new three cabin layout offers a long, linear galley on the deck level opposite the helm’s seat, this puts the cooker forward facing, level with the top step. There is a lack of working area and insufficient stowage however. Also, the resultant flat surface over the top of the twin bunk cabin is not attractive, but is a necessary evil. Opposite is one double cabin and then forward is the excellent owner’s cabin which is beautifully appointed with a great, central double and a large mirror forward to maximise the feeling of space and raise the kinky quotient. The ensuite heads and shower room are recognised as the best on the market for this size of boat. The flybridge is fantastic, well laid out and comfortably finished and with enough leg room all round to feel secure. But it is the attention to detail and styling that really belies the price and size. There is a big wrap round seating area which, on a still summer evening in the Med, there would be few more pleasant places to watch the sun go down from. Predictably, the 42’s hull lines are by Michael Peters and with the deck lines, styling and interior by Garroni. Power is from twin Cummins 425hp engines and there is plenty of grunt to push the boat up onto the plane with ease. Cruising upwind at 25-27 knots into whatever sea there was, the 42S will also touch 35-36 knots with a following sea. • While Jeanneau have immediate plans to go bigger, the Prestige 50S is an immediately appealing flagship for the range. For me, as interested but relatively inexperienced in the world of big, shiny powerboats, the Prestige 50 delivers what the 54DS does for the sail boat line. It offers the perfect package, ticks all the boxes, but does so at a price which represents excellent value for money. The question has to be, why pay more simply for the badge on the stern? It is a simply spectacular open top sports motor yacht. Sports as in performance as well as styling. With two massive 575hp Volvo D9s at 2,200rpm the 50 does 27 knots at a consumption of 75 litres/hour, going up to 33.3 knots at 2,570rpm. It handled beautifully and was surprisingly quiet, but with plenty of power. As a relative novice I was surprised how flat and smoothly it planed, accelerating evenly with no big ‘hump’ and it seemed to hold it well through long and short arcs. The layout offers the last word in comfort with some lovely detailing. There is a great lounge area at the main deck level, leading back to an extended slightly sloping sundeck area which features massive sunbathing cushions. There is good access through either side of the transom. The entire aft section opens to a commodious garage area to take a small RIB as a tender. Overall, the ease of movement around the deck area and the ergonomics have all the hallmarks of Garroni’s flair and attention to detail. The main saloon is spacious, the centrepiece of the boat, but it does not steal space from other areas. It is hard to remember that this is in fact a 50ft cruiser and not a 54. The front cabin is impressive. Large, spacious with a big centreline double, lots of natural light and a pleasing finish. Offset to port is a large WC-shower room, which is accessible en-suite as well as from the main saloon. Then, aft from the galley on the port side, is access to the second large double suite – an amazing cabin, with a large double set at an angle to the cabin, maximising floor space and also giving good access to the en-suite. As a complete package, the Jeanneau 50S will turn heads and open cheque books. According to Euroyachts, the price structure of the motor yachts tested, incl VAT, delivered and commissioned Clyde are: Prestige 30 £108,084 (with twin 190hp Volvo D3S. Extra for electric sport top - £7,704). 42 Flybridge £270,334. Prestige 50S £395,744.