Independent guide: Not affiliated with Jeanneau. Confirm details for your model and year with the owner's manual and a rigger.

Quick answer

Jeanneau's Sun Odyssey range is a staple of Australian cruising and charter, and the Sun Fast range is popular for short-handed racing. Sun Odyssey boats are commonly specified with in-mast furling mainsails and headsail furlers; many recent models use swept-back spreaders and lines led aft. Priorities are in-mast furling care, forestay and furler condition, chainplates and rig age documentation.

Typical rig features

  • aluminium mast, often with in-mast furling on cruising models
  • headsail furler on the forestay
  • swept-back spreaders on many recent models
  • lines led aft to cockpit winches
  • performance Sun Fast models with fractional rigs, sprits and adjustable backstays

In-mast furling care

In-mast furling is convenient but unforgiving of poor technique. Keep outhaul tension on while furling, furl with the boat head to wind or slightly off, and never force the furling line with a winch. Have bearings and the foil inspected with the mast out. See in-mast furling.

Inspection priorities

  1. In-mast furling mechanism and the mast slot
  2. Forestay and headsail furler
  3. Shroud chainplates and deck bedding
  4. Spreader tips and roots
  5. Mast step and support structure
  6. Clutches and running rigging led aft

Services Jeanneau owners often need

A re-rig plan for a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey

  1. Find the rig age. Look for invoices, survey reports or a previous owner's records — see how to check rigging age.
  2. Identify the spar maker and furling system from the mast badge and the owner's manual, so parts can be ordered before the mast comes out.
  3. Book an inspection including a trip aloft; ask for a written scope.
  4. Decide the mast-out scope: in-mast furling service, furler service, running rigging, and masthead lights and instruments.
  5. Inspect chainplates and the mast step or compression structure while the rig is off.
  6. Restep, tune and sea trial, then re-check tension after the first sail.

Budget with the cost estimator and the size-specific pages for a 35-foot, 40-foot or 45-foot boat.

Frequently asked questions

Why does my Jeanneau in-mast furling jam?

Common causes are furling with too little outhaul tension so the sail bunches inside the mast, furling at the wrong angle to the wind, a stretched or baggy mainsail, worn furling line or bearings, and a halyard set too tight or too loose. Correct technique and a sail cut for in-mast furling solve most jams.

Should I re-rig a second-hand Sun Odyssey?

If the rig age cannot be documented, or it is near or past about ten years, a re-rig or at least a thorough professional inspection is a sensible condition of purchase planning. Ex-charter boats in particular should be checked carefully.

Is the Sun Fast rig different from the Sun Odyssey rig?

Sun Fast models are performance-oriented, commonly with fractional rigs, adjustable backstays and sprits for asymmetric sails, while Sun Odyssey cruisers prioritise ease of handling with furling systems. The performance rigs need closer attention to tuning and running rigging.