The Jeanneau Sunfast 37 Sailboat
Specs & Key Performance Indicators

The Jeanneau Sun Fast 37 is a sailboat designed by Jacques Fauroux and built by Jeanneau in France since 2000. It is a development of the Sun Odyssey 37, a cruising/charter boat, but with a focus on sailing performance. It has a fractional sloop rig, a fin keel, a spade rudder and a sail drive engine.

A Jeanneau Sunfast 37

Published Specification for the Jeanneau Sunfast 37

Underwater Profile: Bulb fin keel & spade rudder

Hull Material: GRP (Fibreglass)

Length Overall: 37'5" (11.4m)

Waterline Length: 31'6" (9.6m)

Beam: 12'2" (3.7m)

Draft: 6'9" (2.1m)

Rig Type: Fractional sloop

Displacement: 13,779lb (6,250kg)

Designer: Jacques Fauroux

Builder: Jeanneau (France)

Published Design Ratios for the Jeanneau Sunfast 37

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio: 17.8

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio: 32.6

3. Displacement/Length Ratio: 196

4. Comfort Ratio: 23.0

5. Capsize Screening Formula: 2.0

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the Jeanneau Sunfast 37

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1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of 17.8 suggests that the Jeanneau Sunfast 37 will, in the right conditions, approach her maximum hull speed readily and satisfy the sailing performance expectations of most cruising sailors.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 32.6 would usually mean that the Jeanneau Sunfast 37 would have a tendency to heel uncomfortably 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 her keel, she's likely to be considerably stiffer than her published Ballast/Displacement Ratio might suggest.

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 196, tells us the Jeanneau Sunfast 37 is a light-to-moderate displacement sailboat. If she's loaded with too much heavy cruising gear her performance will suffer to a degree.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 23.0 suggests that crew comfort of a Jeanneau Sunfast 37 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 of 2.0 tells us that a Jeanneau Sunfast 37 would not be as good a choice of sailboat for ocean passage-making, owing to the increased risk of capsize in strong winds and heavy seas, when compared to a sailboat with a CSF of less than 2.0.

Below decks...

Sun Fast 37 2-Cabin version

There were two versions of the interior layout: a two-cabin version and a three-cabin version. Both versions had a decent size saloon and galley, along with a forward facing chart table, with its own seat. The forward cabin was particularly good and had a large amount of stowage plus commendable standing room at the head of the double berth. A key distinguishing feature of the two-cabin version was the heads compartment that incorporated a separate shower stall – a welcome feature for many owners.

Cruisers' Questions about this Sailboat...

What are the main differences between the Sun Fast 37 and the Sun Odyssey 37?

The Sun Fast 37 has a taller mast, a deeper keel, a larger sail area, a lighter displacement and a more streamlined hull shape than the Sun Odyssey 37. The Sun Fast 37 is optimised for racing under different handicapping systems, while the Sun Odyssey 37 is more suited for cruising and chartering.

How does the Sun Fast 37 perform under sail?

The Sun Fast 37 is a fast and responsive sailboat that can handle various wind and sea conditions well. It has a good upwind performance, thanks to its deep keel, powerful rig and efficient hull shape. It can also reach high speeds downwind, especially with a spinnaker flying. It has exceptional stability, for short-handed ocean crossings.

What hull speed can the Sun fast 37 achieve?

The speed of the Jeanneau Sun Fast 37 depends on various factors, such as the wind conditions, the sail configuration, the sea state, and the boat trim. However, according to some sources, the boat can achieve a maximum speed of around 8.5 knots under engine and around 10 knots under sail.

How comfortable and spacious is the interior of the Sun Fast 37?

The interior of the Sun Fast 37 is comfortable and spacious for its size, although not as luxurious as the Sun Odyssey 37. It has three cabins, one forward and two aft, with double berths that can accommodate six people. It also has a large saloon with a U-shaped settee and a folding table, a galley with a stove, an oven, a fridge and a sink, a navigation station with an instrument panel and a chart table, and a head with a shower and a toilet. It has plenty of storage space, ventilation and natural light throughout.

How much does the Sun Fast 37 cost?

The Sun Fast 37 is no longer in production, but you can find used ones for sale on various websites. The price may vary depending on the year, condition, location and equipment of the boat, but it may range from around £50,000 to £80,000.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge, we believe them to be accurate.