Can a 45-footer take on the 50s? Sailing and full tour of the new Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 455

Hi, welcome aboard the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 455. life. I'm Toby Hodges. I've just arrived on board. We're sailing off Cannes in southern France, one of the early production models. This is hull number three, so we saw hull number two at Dusseldorf And now we've got an early chance to sail hull number three. And we have obviously very light conditions, just arrived here this evening for a sail, and then we've got tomorrow for a sail. So hopefully we'll get a bit more breeze tomorrow. So a little bit about the boat, the Sun Odyssey 455. This is the new flagship of the Sun Odyssey range, and it's got some heavy lifting to do. because it replaces both the 440 and the 490 the eighth in the eighth generation so this is the first new brand new hull for the ninth generation of Sun Odyssey we had an awesome sail on the 415 last autumn and that was the first of the new ninth generation but that was more an evolution uh of the older boat whereas this is As I say, it's designed to replace two models and not just that, this 455, you might be able to see, if you can't from here, I'll show you around a bit more, it's a voluminous hull because it's a genuine 45 foot long hull, but it needs to try and compete with 50 footers, which the 490 did before. So it needs to offer the size, the volume and the performance of things like the Oceanus 52, Dufour 48 and as I say the 490 before that and it aims to undercut them on price as well. It's a lot, a lot to do. So this 455, replacing those models, Jeanneau identified, Group Beneteau identified, the 45-foot market is a really competitive area to be. So yeah, this is the new flagship and it didn't, certainly when I had a quick look on board now and when I looked at Dusseldorf, it's a big voluminous boat, wide bow, there's plenty of interior space. And they've carved out a big cockpit size as well. And they've retained the walk-around decks. Anyway, we'll have a full look over the boat. And as I say, the promise is there. I can't tell you that in four knots of true wind. But the promise is there for the performance because it's a Lombard design. Like that 415. And the 415 gave me a really, really super enjoyable sail last year. Whilst we are anchored up with some lovely turquoise water out of those hull windows, waiting for the breeze to fill in, nice chance to show you around the voluminous interior of this 455. Sweep through so you can gain an impression of the space. So as I said, you know, it's got a lot of work to do. If it's to replace both a 44 and a 49 and to Essentially compete with 50 footers on space, size, impression of space, layout and stowage. So in terms of layout you can have as something around 70% of clients have had so far this layout which is a private owner's layout three plus two. So forward cabin, near identical twin aft cabins with a second head there. So the forward cabin is an ensuite. The port aft has a private head access and then the day head's access there the shared with that starboard aft cabin and yes excuse the mess we just put everything in there so but they are near identical in size and that leaves the utility cabin in there. Now then the difference is the charter versions available with four plus four, so four cabins, four heads or five cabins and three heads. No one has chosen that yet. Basically, you lose the utility cabin shifts forward. You lose some of that space there basically to fit an extra cabin in as well and head area. That's obviously the forward cabin split into two. Otherwise, though, the impression is obviously a lot, a lot of space, a lot of natural light. This one's finished in an Alpi teak trim, whereas the first one we saw in Düsseldorf had a much lighter finish on it. And then the Charter ones are finished in a sort of darker laminate. And this one obviously contrasted with the white furnishings. This is a Jean-Marc Piaton design. and he wanted to give that impression of space so whilst it's still got stowage and raised stowage you'll see that sort of angled outwards and it's not interrupting the natural light there's loads of it in those coach roof windows, hull windows, overhead hatches, good ventilation as well and the other thing they wanted to do with the Jeanneau team designers was to have this Free flow right the way through the boat so from the aft platform the twin cockpit tables help create that free flow and then it's that single level social space in the cockpit and the cockpit is lower than comparative models so you only have four steps not five companionway steps so it's not a massive transition between outside and inside. Anyway let's have a look at some of the spaces and cabins on here. I'll take you in this one because it's obviously tidier. There's very very little difference, slightly smaller locker space in that one. So you have a wardrobe here in the standing area, no frills but a good nice better natural light coming from the cockpit. Port and an opening one there and another there as well for natural ventilation and your whole window. A little bit of stowage outboard here but again it's uh yeah very minor and a bit of shoe stowage in here as well. It's yeah otherwise pretty simple really what you see with what you get. Nice to see I love 12 volt fans that is an option but yeah um I would have it over aircon myself. Reading lights each side uh and as I said this one has its own entry into the aft heads and shower area. 45 degree head, good stowage above and below the sink, why are there cushions in there? Because the latch for that wasn't working, so we're just securing that door whilst we were coming out over waves, but it's a good sized shower compartment. Small sink though. And then this really valuable area for private owners, people spending long periods aboard, a sort of home from home feature really, having a utility room, a sort of Entrance area you'd have in a house, really, isn't it? So a proper hanging rail, hang all your coats up, dry stowage, you know, it's not heated and there's, you know, you wouldn't put sopping wet foul weather gear in there. But, you know, you are going to hang up plenty of stuff in there. Shoe stowage all around it as well. And then a bank of shelving here, removable crates. And I guess each owner would choose how they use that, whether that's going to be... For tools, for food, for bosun's gear, for more clothing type stowage in there as well. I haven't looked in here. More stowage in the bilge. Conventional engine access there, and there is two panels each side to access it from the side as well. And that is a 57 Yanmar sail drive as standard. This has the uprated 80 horsepower, so same size block but uprated. And yeah, that's the front sides access each side and there's a second one as well. So plenty of room to get at that and nice to see the filters easy to access. Another thing to mention about the layout is yes you can have an inboard bench seat here which can lock into place underneath the table or outboard and it has stowage within it and you can have a telescopic table which drops down to fill in that as a Day birth, kids birth area, playpen, whatever you have, whatever you want, a nice feature. We try to improve the feel of the quality and can you notice something's going on here? Something I would point out a lot normally, boat shows and stuff, creaking floorboards. Well they're not here because the floorboards are all screwed down and the parts that you need to access, say this one for example, Stowage, really nice deep stowage, and that's where you'd have a water maker if you chose one. And they have these little spacers on them as well. So the parts that you need to access have latches on them, and then the rest are just fixed down, but you know with an allen key you could remove it. But they're not all banging around, they're not all creaking when you're walking on them like they should. Stowage under this one, stowage under this one, space under here again. Put your life jackets or whatever you want under that, but again, good stowage. And then behind here is all plumbing, so there's a hot water tank in there. Manifolds under this one, and more stowage under here. And then a little bit in your outboard alcoves in the saloon here. And again, on the raised, but that's very, they're very shallow, those lockers up there, but they do give you that extra bit of stowage, I think over the 490, by memory. And we get to my favorite feature of the boat, that. That is, Probably the most comfortable nav seat I've seen on a production boat that comes as standard. So what it allows you to do is sit facing forward. So to work at your laptop, to use this as a little office area, but it also combines it with the type of bucket seat. You see that? Well that's a sort of bucket shape, a contoured shape. that you see on particularly on french race boats where navigators like to relax or even sleep because this to do this all one-handed becomes my headrest and then i have the most comfortable seat that's on production yacht and this is a captain's chair and some full relaxation and it's nice because you have that outboard part above my toes there um sorry it's quite nice trying to hide them Where people would sit in the saloon there, you're in social contact. But yeah, I mean, for still doing some nav at angle or just relaxing here whilst on passage, it's a great, great spot. Feel fully secure. Really, really nice feature, that. That does remove, I guess, a bit of potential electronic space. So yes, you have the instrument panel here, VHF, and access to the wiring, which is good to see. But they have, I noticed, put... There's a bit of space under this chart table. Some electronics under this floorboard, weirdly. Hang on, let's put the shades away. Yeah, which I'm not so keen on. I have asked them about it. That can get wet, that Raymarine VHF hub. You can imagine, you know, with some spilt water running into there, I wouldn't really like having electronics on there, really. It's always nicer to see end grain of plywood sealed, particularly areas which could potentially get wet. Grab rails at that companionway, so part of that through flow thing was being able to hold on as you go and for kids to be able to do it, hence why they're not up here on the high headboard, that's a good solid grab rail there moving forward and again by the sink there. And that is extended so it gives you some bracing whilst working here at the galley. And it's a nice light place to work at as well. So I guess I'm probably doing some food prep above the fridge here. There are covers, just swing slowly so you don't get seasick, for these double sinks here which stow beneath them. Yeah, so these pull out and then you've got the covers for the sinks to increase your workspace. Nice to see double bins below the sinks, nice deep sinks, so you can cover those work there. And then that's a nice deep alcove as well and it's got 230 volt sockets with a wire lead out of that so you can have domestic appliances plugged into there. I would probably myself add some sort of separation there so your water's not going to spill into there, collect crumbs and dirt and that sort of thing. But there is a little fiddle around this work surface area, deep lift top section of this fridge, plenty of space in there because it reaches right outboard as well, and to get the lower section front opening part as well. And you've even got a spice rack. Look at that. And then outboard stowage under the stove and forth as well. And again, the same raised stowage above those hull windows as well. It all feels really nice and light here as well. Again, ventilation coming from there. I would, I can't, I can see the sea, but I need to stand on tiptoes to get a bit of that. Styling touches on the main bulkhead there. There's, you know, guys saying that they have tried to Add to the perceived quality there. So the goal in here was to make it feel as large as the 490. So again, you have the sort of almost scow-inspired bow, very rounded bow, which gives you so much beam up in this forward cabin. I think it sort of even feels a bit more than that because they've cheated a bit. There's no raised stowage. But do you need that? It's a really nice feeling of space in here. A lot of natural light and ventilation as well, actually. And the stowage is there, but it's all sort of outboard here, pushed out here, so it's a nice wide area as you walk into here. It doesn't feel claustrophobic at all. It's nice and bright. There are opening hatches, so two here and two in the head next to me here. Two more there. Again, it's really bright and plenty of... Breeze already flowing through here. They've done rounded features wherever they could. So again, something you can mop your tombowls in. These rounded bulkheads. Rounded fiddles and corners in here. So it's a modern looking yacht, but it has those traditional elements to it. Storage wise. Deeper section of this single wardrobe in there to hang things in. And then drawers below. So it's, I mean, it's fine for... A week or two, for sure, it'll be a bit longer. Remember you've got that utility space as well, which would, I think, come into its own if you are spending long periods on board those big deep drawers as well. Same on the second one. Forward of those, there is the water tank that's taking up most of that 380 litre water tank, and then forward of that, bow thruster and the batteries for the bow thruster under the berth. You know, headboard end forward. That shows how wide it is up there. The reading light's up there. And then a good size ensuite as well. Plenty of stowage in here. I probably said stowage a lot of times. I hope no one's playing the drinking game how many times you say stowage. Anyway, drawers below, the sink, but that is storage in there as well. A 45 degree sea toilet there and a separate It's enclosed shower space, plenty of headroom in here. It's decent, that much. Again, there's more natural light and ventilation in here. They've used a plastic headlining here, so the water and humidity's not gonna affect it. And this is what I've seen, they're trying to increase both perceived quality and longevity of it, so they've increased areas of wood trim that would get affected, like around here, by two mil. on them and anyways, we'll get rubbed at like around the companionway and stuff. That said it's Still I think you know That's wobbling. That's if you put that into charter It feels a little flimsy to me if it was really being used hard It's really hard. you know, there's still areas that you look behind the scenes on this and I It's obviously done to a price. It's obviously done to compete or undercut 50 footers. So the only advantage of not having any wind yet, or very light wind, is to be able to park up in a place like this just off Cannes. Look at the color of this water. And to be able to take you over the yacht, a pretty sublime anchorage. So lull myself away from that colored water. Haven't even had a swim. That from here helps show you clear access through the boat I was talking about. Now in order to do that, you know, they've done a single level cockpit sole and chosen basically not to spoil that, not to break it I guess, so there's no option to have a seat back here, bench as I say, there's a nice wide double seat each side. I've lifted that side but you can appreciate coming onto the boat Whether from the sea, from the dock, big big bathing platform. Big bathing platform is the easiest way of extending your yacht. Cheapest probably as well. So this is a huge space here, really opens out the cockpit area and because there's no bench or grill option or anything like that there, you've got a very big wide cockpit to enjoy. You'll also notice we've Remove the spray hood and that bimini that joins this aft helm bimini with the spray hood, which is just a zip away fabric option. It's easy to do. They have also devised a hard top area for the cockpit as an option, a retrofit option, and you can fully enclose the cockpit with a zip away bimini and awnings as well. What else can I show you here? Yeah. Below me here I'll show you the pictures of this, that's access to, let's open it up as well, the steering gear. So the little box area to have some storage space in there if you want to have your dinghy in here or you could have it on davits, they have a sort of stainless steel structure to hang a dinghy from. So an inflatable dinghy in here and then this is your lazarette access for your twin quadrants and rudder stocks there. So there's the port hand one and then you're bar linking them to that starboard quadrant as well. That's bucket for the gas locker. You've got the autopilot on that one. As you can see it's not a watertight bulkhead. Most mainstream production yachts don't really offer an after-bulkhead watertight bulkhead because they have so many fittings, engine ventilation, that sort of Sort of thing running through. uh in the structure so you see the stringers there glued in it's a vacuum infused hull and vacuum infused structures as well which get glued into that emergency tiller mounted back here as well um and i'll close that these side is that uh gas storage i was talking about and then to port is the shore power inlet shower there which vital part which i can't open when you've got a nice big swim platform foot chocks on there to brace against when you're standing to steer. There's for your emergency tiller. Top of the rudder stock there. And there's access under these double helm seats each side to get at that lazarette space as well. And there's your cam cleat for lowering the swim platform on that purchase system. And they're just on gas springs, those double helm seats. Nice, comfortable place to be. And a reason why these work really well, you don't feel too squished. in these quarters is because of that positioning of those primary winches right in board there so that's keeping a lot of the time now production yachts like to put their winches right in the quarters and that means you've got all the tail lines and stuff in there and it all feels pretty cramped. This layout is brilliant. I might have said it in the edit by this stage already during sailing, if not I probably will again, but it allows you to work those winches safely inboard holding onto something, stand, properly grind on those winches if you want to, and keeps this area free because remember another USP of these boats are these ramped walk around decks. Easy So you need to keep this space clear and then when you're sitting here have your feet facing forwards or sit sideways like this or facing forwards but it's a really comfortable place and then what helps the design element that has allowed that is this rounded combings they've included for this cockpit so this is a huge cockpit it's still a 4.5 meter beam. Yacht, you can see that beam is brought right aft here and even though they've got the ramp space that that is a big big cockpit and it allows for those twin tables which gives you that walk through access and yeah it's this design that's helping to bring that as well. So then you've got the main sheet which is the browny beige colored one and the blue headsail sheet running below To this cheek block. Through the jammers onto the winch. And that means... From here you're working your main sheet on one winch and your genoa sheet on the other, or your spinnaker winch, spinnaker sheet, because the spinnaker block is under that bit of cushion there. Then moving forward in this cockpit, loads of space, so that's, so as standard, yes, they'd be fixed tables, but I think most Private owners are going to choose this system here which is to have telescopic tables each side which allows those to fill in to form full sunbed areas but also look how nice and not in the way that is in its folded state so you've still got good cupholders cupholders all over this boat great um so that's it It still gives you that handle, something to grab hold of even when it's folded, but then you have proper access whether just going to sit in this space or to get at the shallow bench lockers each side. And again, yeah, easy to drop that down and fill in that space. Below here is the generator space, deep locker if you're not using a generator, valuable space, and then life raft valise can go in here. Yeah so that outboard side just folds over to access that turning block for the spinnaker sheet so you can lead that straight onto that winch. A nice little 45 degree instrument there for when you're sitting outboard here keep an eye on the on the numbers and the wind angle moving forward here that's furling line brought all the way after here for the code zero. The companionway winches This one is powered as an option which makes sense for raising your mainsail halyard and these work hard. I imagine they're an option, I should have checked sorry, but that is one I would definitely choose because without that you're going to have lines everywhere and look how tidy it is with it there. You don't need that space for anything else, there's no sunbathing area under that. It's a high spray hood so full standing headroom underneath it but there's plenty of space in the main cockpit area without needing that. Keep all your line tails in that and the same little bit small on the primary winches tail stowage there. But yeah, can keep your cockpit nice and clear and clean. Long flat coach roof, lots of white on a day like this. That section there is obviously where your companionway hatch slides forward and then lots of opening hatches further forward for that natural ventilation. Something to grab hold of here but it's pretty low down but no longitudinal genoa tracks to stub your toe or anything because genoa has long used these thimbles for a 3d sheeting system. So that is just runs back here onto a cam cleat there so you can adjust the height of that really easily and they're nice and inboard as well. Keeps also helps keep these side decks nice and clear. you've got outboard shroud bases from that wide spreader wide fractional rig, spreaders, spars two spreader rig so that's what um most people have i would have thought a stack pack like this Yes. you can have a furling mast on here this has got dacron sails you could order performance sails so fully battened which would give you a bit more roach on the main sail quite like this even though Very mid-boomy, your main sheet position, it is at least out of harm's way of the cockpit. So it's a German system on this bridle here, brought forward, and then as I pointed out, brought all the way aft under the combings there to the primary winches. We've got on here overlapping genoa, which I think, to be honest, I think this sail system makes no sense. So a stack pack mainsail, overlapping genoa, and a code zero rigged up on the bow sprit. But you can have. A self-tacking jib. Apparently the rail would go here between the hatches and the mast so you just wouldn't have the hatches up I guess, obviously when you're sailing anyway, but there is the option for a self-tacking jib I'm told. The furling line for the code on the deck here and the furling line for the genoa. This boat has, if you can see where my toe is here, those little poppers so that is for sunbathing cushions that clip on to the foredeck area. And there's smart practical use of space further forward up here as well. Deep sail locker, so despite this line here would be the main bulkhead, you know the watertight bulkhead that separates the interior accommodation. So that's your headboard essentially for your double forward cabin. But you see how wide it is here, an old Lombard hull shape up here, that is for an inner forestay if you wanted a second forestay up there. In front of here though this is a deep sail locker ladder down into it that is an asymmetric sail and we've got all of our fenders on top of that as well so plenty of space for a couple of head sails or you know fenders and a big deep anchor locker further forward of that as well. Chunky bowsprit gives you room to mount both your anchor windlass the roller and both furlers so having your code sail rigged most of the time would make a lot of sense uh because especially in these sort of conditions like light wind you want a performance head sail like that to to make the most of it and that is the tack line for the asymmetric which is in the sail locker this obviously is just the um non-slip in the gel coat so no timber on deck on the side decks But there is in the cockpit. I think it comes on the benches as standard. So on the helm seats, cockpit seats, but this has the extra of all in the cockpit as well. And this is Group Beneteau's Iroko deck as well. So sustainable, fast-growing African hardwood that they use on the deck instead of teak now as well. It looks really nice. I like the look of this. Now, yes, I would prefer it were blowing 20 knots plus and we could have a really lovely sail, but. Pretty nice place to experience what it'd be like on charter or something on a yacht like this. So much space, so much deck space to enjoy and it's a nice, big, bright, voluminous boat to house your friends and family as well. Still looking at a good sail though. Wow, she's a lovely day for a yacht. As you can see, there isn't that much of the windy stuff. And we do try. It is April and we now have two days for this. In the hope that there would be some pressure and this is it. The forecast was for around 10 knots now, we've got about half of that. We're trying to find it, doing our best. Anyway, this is what the Sun Odyssey 455 looks and feels like in between about four and a half and six knots of true wind sailing under the genoa. And as I said, or I will say, having an overlapping genoa. Makes a lot of sense in these lighter weight conditions, we're still making good progress upwind and you know having that code sail as well, really nice for light wind reaching. No we won't be able to tell you too much about the Lombard hull shape performance, how enjoyable it is in a breeze. I would go off the 415 being a really fun sailing boat. You do get a sense of I guess more of like the charter mode. Light wind sailing, the amount of deck space there is, a lot of lounging space, comfortable boat to be aboard, better than being in the office. Sitting in the quarters here, obviously a very comfortable place to sit and steer. Still only got light breeze, so we've been doing about three and a half knots in five with the Code Zero and three knots in similar with the Genoa, but we have now just got another Not a breeze, so... We've got six and a half knots true, seven and a half knots, up to eight apparent. We're just touching five knots there to boat speed. Bear in mind this has the fixed three blade prop on it. It's definitely nice having the code zero, makes that telling bit of difference, creating that extra bit of apparent wind, makes the sailing helming part more engaging. It is a lovely place to sit here in the quarters. Look up at your telltales, nice free vision up through there, up through the ramp deck there and yes this does foul it a little bit when you've got the spinnaker or code sheet there but I still have my feet stretched out there, no problem. Under asymmetric we've still only got between three and a half and five knots of breeze but even that little one knot extra makes a big difference. So we're closer to matching the wind speed now. Five knots breeze, we can nearly hit five knots, four and a half. And that's sort of close reaching with this, so 60, 70 to the apparent. So I was just trying to show that how we're in position. And as I mentioned, you know, sitting with your feet out forward. Or sitting as Michael is now, just facing sideways with one hand on the wheel. It's very nice. So as we head back into the can on the A-sail for the final time, we've given it our best go. Six months ago I sailed the 415 and I would say it was right up there with one of my best sails for a long time. 2025, bearing in mind I sailed things like the Dragonfly and the First 30. But the ease of which we could have fun on that 415 really stuck with me. I was hoping to repeat that on here because I think it has got quite a lot of potential but I can't tell you that in six knots four five six knots of breeze so that's why we'll give you a you know that's why the full tour of the deck and everything else I can give you I've tried to and hopefully later in the year we'll get a chance to see it in waves and wind what I can tell you is this boat starts at 353,000 euros And the boat we're on is 435,000 and that includes the downwind pack, the code zero, the Iroko deck in the cockpit, spray hood and bimini, that sort of thing. I guess this would be an average type of spend for a private owner on this type of boat. I think it's a lot of boat. for that for that price and let's say it has to be to compete with 50 footers. There we go right at the end there's our nine and a half almost ten knots we're doing seven and a half so eight knots breeze you can do seven knots with the asymmetric gear reaching at 60 70 apparent got a bit of heel on a lot more movement through the water really nice yeah with some good sails up. Once you get over sort of 7-8 knots true breeze, it's enough to induce a bit of heel, get that extra apparent wind and have some sport.