Sun Odyssey 350: the perfect vacation “boat” at a reasonable price

Sun Odyssey 350 is the entry-level of Jeanneau’s cruising range, a vessel with surprising interior volumes. The walk-throughs are “walkaround” and it has a backstay-less limb. Good performance, even in breezes. Available in 2- or 3-cabin versions.

Sun Odyssey 350, son of the legendary 349

It is an important legacy that Jeanneau’s new Sun Odyssey 350 has to handle: after ten years on the market and more than a thousand units sold, the SO 349 will in fact be retired.

There is no change in the signature water lines, still by Marc Lombard but completely new, and the touch of Jean-Marc Piaton is added for interior and exterior design. However, first of all, market demands have changed.

So here is the boat-made no longer in the Bénéteau Group’s Vendée factories but in those in Poland-has significantly more volume below deck and more walkable space outdoors.

The maximum beam not surprisingly increases by as much as half a meter to 3.59 meters, a value not far from that of its big sister, the SO 380. Internal heights go up, which are now, virtually throughout the boat, 1.88 m.

Add to this the fact that the boat is long, as only the hull 9.99 meters, and is therefore approved as a natate, and that the berths go up to six in the three-cabin version, here it is easy to see what its desirability is in the entry-level market for pure cruising.

What it looks like

From an aesthetic point of view, the new Jeanneau aligns with the new Sun Odyssey range, which has been completely revamped from 10 to 14 meters, starting right from the 350 and ending with the 490. Distinguishing marks: the slightly upturned foredeck, a prominent bowsprit, the “knife” design of the fenestration on the deckhouse, the edge that runs, very noticeably, low on the water and along the entire length of the hull.

This last choice is one of the solutions that allow the new Sun Odyssey to perform more than decently even in low wind (as we tell you in detail later) even while having to carry such large volumes: in fact, the wetted surface remains contained as long as the heeling angles do not become important.

The boat has dual rudder blades and is available in three different keel configurations: standard 1.98 meters (with an L-shaped bulb), short 1.49 meters, and retractable, which increases from 1.28 to 2.54 meters.

The construction is full fiberglass laminate with polyester resin for the hull and injection molded for the deck.

In the end the boat has a displacement, 5,650 kg in the standard keel version, not a featherweight but in line with current market competitors (and about 200 kg more than the 348).

All other details about the boat, and the price, in the video…

Sun Odyssey 350
Hull length ft: 10.94 m
Hull length: 9.99 m
Waterline length: 9.38 m
Maximum width: 3.59 m
Standard draft: 1.98 m
Short keel draft: 1.49 m
Lifting keel draft: 1.28/2.54 m
Ballast standard version: 1,580 kg
Displacement: 5,656 kg
Engine: Yanmar 29 hp shaft line
Water: 206 liters
Fuel: 130 liters
Sail Sup.: mainsail 31.60 sq. m.
Genoa 23.40 sqm
www.jeanneau.com