A Worthy Successor: Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350 Raises the Bar

The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 350 had a tough act to follow. In 2014, the French boatbuilder launched its Sun Odyssey 349, which was a commercial and critical success. It was Cruising World’s Overall Boat of the Year and ultimately sold more than 2,200 units—a remarkable production run by any measure. A decade later, the company commissioned the Marc Lombard design collective—Lombard had crafted the lines of the 349—and basically said, “Make it better.” Remarkably, at least in the opinion of our current Boat of the Year judging team, of which I was a member, that’s exactly what they did. The model has evolved significantly, so much so that it bas again been named a winner: the Best Midsize Cruiser for 2025.

How, exactly, did Jeanneau accomplish such a feat? Let us count the ways.

We’ll begin with the 350’s signature ­feature, the so-called walk-around side deck: the sloping walkway that permits safe and easy egress from the cockpit to the foredeck. It debuted in 2018 on the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 440 and has since become a brand trademark. I was curious if it would work well on a smaller platform, and it absolutely does. An added benefit is that it allows the driver to lean into the coaming and stretch his legs forward when steering to leeward from either of the boat’s twin wheels. It’s completely comfy. 

During our sea trial, which was conducted this past autumn on Chesapeake Bay in sweet breezes of 12 to 14 knots, our test boat had the Performance ­package: a traditional, square-topped fully battened mainsail; a dedicated sprit for the code zero and the ground tackle; a double-ended mainsheet that does double duty as the traveler; and floating “friction rings” for jib leads that allow countless variations of headsail trim. All of the attendant hardware and fittings are top-shelf: Harken winches, Spinlock clutches, Carbonautica wheels, a 29 hp Yanmar diesel, Facnor FlatDeck furling gear, a Quick windlass, and Selden spars with a solid Rodkicker vang (the mast is ­deck-stepped, which opens up a lot of space in the ­belowdecks floor plan).

In addition to the Performance ­layout, a dedicated cruising setup, the Voyager package, is also available. It includes a spray hood/dodger, a removable inner forestay and a coachroof solar panel with charging relay, among other features. 

Upwind, the 350 was locked in at 5-plus knots with occasional bursts into the 6s in the puffs. The twin rudders had a lot of bite, and the steering was sharp and precise. Cracking off to a beam reach, the boat lit up, tracking along at better than 7 knots—impressive speeds for a 35-­footer. Like its predecessor, the 349, it’s an ­excellent sailboat and a lot fun to drive.

Aesthetically, the look is clean and ­contemporary, with a raked “negative” bow entry, a prominent chine that runs ­almost the length of the waterline, an open transom, a slightly reversed ­sheerline, a pair of hull windows, and a low coachroof with a single long window. It’s one of those boats that looks like it’s moving when it’s hanging off a mooring. Our test boat had the deep, 6-foot-5-inch fin keel, but a shoal-draft version is an option, as is a lifting keel.

While a three-stateroom layout is available, our model had the twin-­stateroom layout with a V-berth forward (accessed through a pair of swinging double doors that can be closed for ­privacy), a large double berth in the stateroom aft to starboard, and a generous stowage locker to port that can be accessed from the cockpit or via a hatch in the head. To me, this is an ideal setup. I reckon, for the most part, that this will be a couple’s boat, with just enough extra room for occasional guests.

For furniture and joiner work, owners can choose teak or gray cedar; floorboards come in light or dark oak. The central salon drop-leaf table is flanked by a pair of long settees. The portside head/shower compartment would not be out of place on a 45- or 50-foot yacht. A compact chart table is also to port, opposite a workable L-shaped galley to starboard. The efficient use of space throughout the layout—coupled with 6-plus-foot headroom—is impressive. 

All in all, the 350 is an extremely versatile boat that, like the 349, will work equally well for performance and coastal cruising, as well as for club racing. Pretty, simple and quick, it’s a worthy successor to a success story in its own right. 

CW editor-at-large Herb McCormick was a 2025 Boat of the Year judge.

Take the next step

Price: $285,000
Contact: jeanneau.com

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