The Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

Published Specification for the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47

Underwater Configuration: Bulb fin keel with spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 47'3" (14.4m)

Waterline Length: 38'5" (11.7m)

Beam: 14'7" (4.5m)

Draft: 6'10" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Masthead Sloop

Displacement: 27,558lb (12,500kg)

Designer: Philippe Briand

Builder: Jeanneau (France)

Year First Built: 1991

Owners Association: Jeanneau Owners Network

Published Design Ratios for the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 21.8

• Less than 16 would be considered under-powered;
• 16 to 20 would indicate reasonably good performance;
• Over 20 suggests relatively high performance.

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 36.7

• Under 40: less stiff, less powerful
• Over 40: stiffer, more powerful

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 209

• Under 100: Ultralight
• 100 to 200: Light
• 200 to 275: Moderate
• 275 to 350: Heavy
• Over 350: Ultraheavy

4. Comfort Ratio: 28.0

• Under 20 indicates a lightweight racing boat
• 20 to 30 indicates a coastal cruiser
• 30 to 40 indicates a moderate offshore cruising boat
• 40 to 50 indicates a heavy offshore boat
• Over 50 indicates an extremely heavy offshore boat

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

• Under 2.0 (the lower the better): Better suited for ocean passages
• Over 2.0: Less suited for ocean passages

read more about these Key Performance Indicators...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 21.8 suggests that, in the right hands, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47 will have enough performance to leave most other sailboats of similar waterline length well astern. 

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 36.7 would usually mean that the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47 would have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze.

However, as she has much of her ballast concentrated in a bulb at the foot of the keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 209, tells us the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47 is a moderate displacement cruiser, which means she'll carry all your cruising gear without it having a dramatic effect on her performance. Most of today's sailboats intended for offshore cruising fall into this displacement category.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 28.0 suggests that crew comfort of a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a coastal cruiser with moderate stability, which is not encouraging news for anyone prone to seasickness. 

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 2.0 indicates that a Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 47 would not be the wisest choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making owing to the lower resistance to capsize in strong winds and heavy seas that is associated with sailboats with a CSF of 2.0 and above.