Jeanneau 54

Building on the styling and design philosophies established by its larger 57- and 64-foot siblings, the all-new Jeanneau 54 offers contemporary luxury and practicality in a slightly smaller sailboat that’s still capable of exploring every corner of the Great Lakes.

The Jeanneau 54’s beamy, 16-foot, 1-inch hull offers a wide, long cockpit with a huge amount of outdoor space. In fact, the cockpit represents approximately one-third of the boat’s overall length, which is pretty impressive for a yacht of this size.

Long bench seats along each side of the cockpit wrap around the forward bulkhead, creating matched, super comfortable, rear-facing loungers. To the center of the cockpit, they surround a centrally mounted drop-leaf table, with storage in its base. This is a great use of the available space, creating versatile and comfortable seating for conversation, dining and relaxing.

The 54 features twin helms, which are positioned on the aft corners for exceptional visibility when underway. Sail controls (and engine controls, on the starboard helm) are positioned within easy reach to allow full vessel control from the helm position.

Apart from providing an exceptionally clean cockpit, this setup allows Jeanneau’s innovative terrace option, in which the central portion of the transom hinges downward like a pickup tailgate, creating a large swim platform complete with twin sun loungers and a boarding ladder. Davits for the tender, positioned on either side of the terrace, retract almost flush to the deck when not in use for completely unimpeded access.

The Jeanneau 54’s emphasis on enjoying the sun is also evident up front, where a large sunpad on the foredeck includes a small Bimini top.

Entry to the salon is between the main cockpit loungers. This is where it gets really interesting, as Jeanneau provides owners with no less than four different layouts to choose from. While most serious cruisers will likely opt for the spacious two-stateroom/two-head version, three, four and five cabin floor plans are also available. In each case, large windows allow plenty of natural light, while the galley offers a tremendous amount of counter space and room for household-sized appliances.

Standard power is an 80-hp Yanmar diesel with a sail drive, while a 110-hp engine upgrade (with traditional shaft drive) is available.