The weather in the sunshine state was in fine form this week to greet the arrival of the latest new Sun Odyssey 349 for a happy customer.
With nearly 45 of the 349 models in Australia and over 500 worldwide, the runaway success of the model has delighted the designers and owners alike as versions have been launched from Alaska to Tasmania.
This model is another of the swing keel models for Queensland which takes the deep draft of 2.54m (8’4″) to 1.26m (4’1″) allowing owners to access many crusing grounds that may otherwise be off limits.
The hydraulic swing keel system for the Sun Odyssey 349 combines ballast and lateral stability in a single moving part. This is different from a ‘traditional’ lift keel where the stability comes from a fixed ballast box out of which a dagger board provides lateral stability. The key advantage of this design is improved performance at all angles versus that of the more traditional model.
When extended, the deep draft of the keel ensures excellent performance, especially when sailing at upwind angles. The weight is the same as the fixed keel version of the yacht ensuring there is no weight penalty that is usually the case for a lifting keel yacht with a ballast box.
The long keel that does not have a bulb is very efficient providing less drag, and the hull is reinforced to allow beaching using beaching legs. Access to the system is easy with opening panels and inspection panels and there is very little impact on the internal volume as the keel stays on the exterior of the yacht.
The mechanism is operated by a stainless steel hydraulic ram that is controlled by a push button system from the helm station. Safe and easy to use, the switch has indicator lights and a safety lock so it cannot be triggered accidentally. There is also grounding protection where the hydraulic ram automatically releases pressure if the keel hits an object.
Jeanneau is the only major manufacturer to offer this type of swing keel yacht that combines shallow depth accessibility and race performance.
For more information on your new Sun Odyssey 349 contact your local dealer now…