A few years ago, Jeanneau set about the business of revolutionizing its storied Sun Odyssey line when it introduced its SO 490 and 440 models, designed by Phillipe Briand. Building on that momentum, the French builder has since passed the baton to a new designer, Marc Lombard, who incorporated a number of Briand’s innovations in the Sun Odyssey 410, but has also added some twists of his own. The result is a performance-oriented family cruiser offering a mix of bold new features with enhanced creature comforts.

Design & Construction

As with its larger siblings, construction of the Sun Odyssey 410 is reliably straightforward, with a hull comprised of a solid fiberglass laminate set in polyester and a balsa-cored deck. The L-shaped keel, available in both deep and shoal-draft versions, is cast iron.

What’s different about this boat is the hull form, which includes a subtly raked reverse destroyer bow, the leading root of which overhangs the static waterline by a few inches. This aggressive wave-piercing stem is complemented by a handsome fixed spirit that carries the anchor and can serve as a tack point for a Code 0 or an asymmetric spinnaker. As on the SO 440 and 490, the hull also sports a full-length hard chine down low, for increased initial stability, and carries lots of its beam forward. It is steered by twin rudders, a feature that is pretty much obligatory aboard any boat that carries its beam well aft the way this one does.

On Deck

The SO 410 is the smallest boat in this eighth generation of the Sun Odyssey line to carry the groundbreaking “Walk-Around” cockpit first introduced on the SO 440 and 490. This sees the sidedecks of the boat sloping downward as they run aft to merge with the cockpit sole behind the boat’s twin helms. This in turn makes it possible for crew to move from the cockpit to the deck without ever having to climb over, say, the cockpit coaming. It also allows the person at the helm to stand well outboard of the wheels when steering. Behind the wheels is a fold-down transom to facilitate access to the water. Between them is a fixed cockpit table with fold-down leaves, the body of which contains a handy insulated cold-storage bin. This table body is also slightly offset to starboard to allow easier access to the transom.

The double-ended mainsheet and jib sheets are both led to Harken 46 winches mounted just forward of the wheels on the cockpit coamings, within easy reach of the helm. All other controls run to a pair of Harken 40 winches on either side of the companionway. The main is controlled not with a traveler, but a bridle spanning the coachroof. The effort to do away with heavy hardware also sees the genoa tracks stripped off the sidedecks and sheet leads for the jib handled by a pair of line-controlled friction rings.

Moving forward, the nicely raised bulwarks outboard will boost crew confidence when working to leeward, especially, although the deck lacks good handholds forward of the mast.

Accommodations

For a boat this size there is a remarkable number of layouts on offer. The alternatives include a major choice between twin staterooms aft or one stateroom and a large system’s space. Another choice involves deciding between an offset Pullman double berth or an island double in the master stateroom forward. All layouts feature a combination head and shower aft to starboard. The Pullman layout also allows for an extra ensuite head forward. Factor in the optional in-cabin vanity sink in the island-double layout, and you have six different layouts to choose from.

Amidships, the saloon boasts upholstered bulkheads to help to muffle sounds underway, while to port there is an inline galley with a shallow “U” at one end to help the cook brace in place when the boat is heeled. The standard systems here include a two-burner Eno stove, twin sinks and a Vitrifrigo fridge with an optional freezer drawer that can be added to the systems space in boats with two-cabin layouts. Aft of the galley you’ll find a full-size nav station, a fixture sadly lacking on many modern boats.

Beyond that, the most unique feature belowdecks is an inline lounge seat inboard of the galley storage area. With its nicely upholstered arms, it looks to be a great spot for reading or dozing while off watch. The base pulls out to form a bench seat opposite the dinette table rooted to starboard but is not quite long enough to work as a sea berth for full-size adults.

Under Sail

As with the accommodations, there are a few different sailplan options, all of them involving aluminum spars from Z-spar. The standard rig sees a conventional slab-reefed crosscut polyester Technique Voile mainsail working in conjunction with a 115-percent genoa—or you can substitute a self-tacking blade jib for the genoa, in which case you’d be well advised to order a Code 0-type genoa to fly from the sprit when conditions are light. You can also order up an in-mast furling main or splurge on the performance rig, with another couple of feet of mast height, laminated sails, a square-headed main and an adjustable backstay.

Our test boat carried the standard rig with working sails only. It also carried no instruments, so evaluating our performance was a bit of a guessing game. Using a smartphone to measure our speed-over-ground and my eyeballs to gauge sailing angles, I found the 410 to be reasonably closewinded. Sailing in 9 knots of true wind, we were nicely powered up at an approximate apparent wind angle of 35 degrees and making 4 knots according to my phone. Bearing away this increased to 4.5 knots at 40 degrees and 5 knots at 45 degrees. I should note these numbers seemed low to me, and the boat felt faster than the phone allowed. Heading downwind at a 120 degree AWA, it had us traveling at 3.7 knots.

The helm feels throughout were nice and positive. In the light, to moderate conditions, I felt a faint bit of weather helm, which served nicely to help keep the boat tracking well. Steering ergonomics, thanks to the walk-around cockpit layout, were excellent, and I had no trouble managing the overlapping genoa and tacking the boat singlehanded. My one complaint was with the sheet-lead control, which was two-dimensional, allowing for inboard-outboard adjustments only. It shouldn’t be too hard, though, to retrofit an up-and-down control as well.

Under Power

The standard powerplant on the SO 410 is a 40hp Yanmar diesel turning a fixed three-blade prop via a conventional shaft drive. A 45hp engine and folding Flexofold prop are optional. Our test boat, sporting the standard engine and prop, managed 6.2 knots over the ground running at a cruise setting of 2,100 rpm. Pegging the throttle at its maximum 3,100 rpm saw our speed increase to 7.9 knots.

I was a bit surprised by the boat’s wide turning radius, a full two boatlengths at least. On our test boat, however, this was greatly ameliorated by the presence of an optional retractable bowthruster for maneuvering in close quarters. Backing down, I found the boat exhibited a mild amount of prop walk. This was quickly overcome as the boat gathered speed, after which it was easy to maneuver the stern in either direction.

Conclusion

With its multiplicity of layout and rig options, not to mention a choice between shoal and deep-draft keels, the Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 410 is a remarkably versatile boat. Whether you’re cruising with a family, club racing with friends or puttering about singlehanded, the boat can be easily optimized to fulfill your needs. Add in the excellent on-deck ergonomics, the stable hull form and creative interior, and you’ll find this is a craft that demands consideration if you are shopping for a well-built cruiser-racer in this size and price range. 

Specifications

LOA 40ft 6in LWL 37ft 8in BEAM 13ft 1in

DRAFT 7ft (standard); 5ft 2in (shoal)

DISPLACEMENT 17,637lb

BALLAST 4,416lb

SAIL AREA 865ft2

FUEL/WATER (GAL) 53/140

ENGINE Yanmar 40hp diesel

SA/D RATIO 21 D/L RATIO 145

BALLAST RATIO 25

What do these ratios mean? Visit sailmagazine.com/ratios

DESIGNER Marc Lombard

BUILDER Jeanneau

U.S. DISTRIBUTOR Jeanneau America, Annapolis, MD, 410-280-9400, jeanneauamerica.com

PRICE $235,000 (base) at time of publication

February 2021