It might not be the most eye-catching boat out there, but the Jeanneau Prestige 36 Fly has so much on offer at such an accessible price
When we first put the Jeanneau Prestige 36 through its paces in 2000, we noted that this well-specced flybridge came in at an astonishing £40k less than its nearest rival. While the Prestige 36 was a tad smaller than its British competitors, the Sealine F37 and the Princess 38, there was no getting away from the fact that the Jeanneau represented an awful lot of boat for your money.
The Prestige 36 was also the Prestige range’s first foray into the flybridge market. The move proved so successful that in 2010 Prestige was spun off from Jeanneau into a separate brand. Today, Prestige is one of the world’s foremost flybridge builders, with a portfolio that spans seven models from 50 to 70ft, so it’s no overstatement to say that the 36 was the start of something big for the French company.
But price was not the only attention-grabbing element of those early 36s. The interior quality, although built to a price, wasn’t too far behind that of the premium brands and the accommodation, inside and out, was more than adequate for a family of four on a cruise or for larger day-tripping parties.
The Prestige 36 was quick off the mark too. With its twin 260hp Volvo Penta KAD 44s our early test boat was on the plane within four seconds from a standing start, achieving a top speed of 27.6 knots. Higher power engines were also offered during the 36’s production run, including 370hp Volvo TAMD63s, which would take it to around 33 knots; and later 310hp D6s, which are the engines fitted to the boat featured in this review – a 2006 model offered for sale by River Hamble and Southampton-based Aspire Boat Sales for £114,950.
Big windows and cream-coloured upholstery make for a nice bright saloon
Small boat, big space
While smaller flybridges can come in for criticism for looking and feeling top heavy and having steep steps up to the fly, the overall length of the Prestige 36 (36ft 7in) is just enough to overcome these issues. Back in 2000 we reported that the test boat handled an awkward 2ft Solent chop with aplomb and the seven steps up to the flybridge presented no problems when scaling them.
Nor is the flybridge unduly small. Twin helm and navigator seats swivel round to face a table, which has a fixed wraparound seating unit for five or six people. The starboard part of that unit has a canted leading edge so it can double up as a chaise longue and the aft seatback also folds flat to integrate with another cushion and create a double sunpad.
If additional lounging space is required, the foredeck is the place to look. Accessed by particularly wide side decks on either side, there’s plenty of room for two people up front. And for those looking to relax on the main deck, the aft cockpit, with its four-person seating unit and space aplenty for a free- standing table and chairs, fits the bill well.
Deck storage is good too with a large lazarette in the aft cockpit, plus lockers below the seating units, both in the cockpit and up on the fly. Add to that a decent-sized locker sunk into the bathing platform and it’s clear this boat offers bags of stowage for your outdoor kit.
The free-standing table can be moved out into the cockpit for eating al fresco
As a result of those wide side decks, the wheelhouse is a shade on the compact side but it still manages to accommodate a 4/5-seat settee around a dining table with a 2-seat settee opposite. There’s also a storage unit, the top of which is ideal for a TV.
Moving forward between the seats takes you past a dividing unit to the starboard-mounted helm and portside galley. The helm has a plump leather-clad double seat, which although not adjustable does provide a decent driving position. Forward and side visibility is good too. And the galley, two steps down from the helm, is also well appointed for a boat of this size, with a three-burner hob, twin-bowl sink, microwave, full-size fridge and plenty of storage below the counter top.
Ahead of all this lie the boat’s two cabins and heads. The snug guest cabin has quite limited headroom but the twin beds can be configured as a double with the addition of an infill panel. That takes up most of the available space but there’s also a wardrobe occupying the area opposite the door.
Opposite that, the heads punch well above their weight by offering a wet room shower/toilet area with a dry space for the washbasin. There’s also a Jack-and-Jill door through to the master cabin, so it can be used as a day heads, an ensuite or both.
The galley is two steps down from the saloon but still connected to it
The master cabin has much more space to play with in the forepeak and it makes the most of that with a centrally mounted double bed, single storage locker and full-height, albeit slimline, wardrobe.
Ownership experience
There’s no question that the Prestige packs a tremendous amount into compact proportions and the quality is more than acceptable too, with solid feeling fixtures and fittings, and high-gloss woodwork throughout. But when we asked owner, Jonny Davies, a former passenger boat skipper on the Thames, what attracted him to the boat, accommodation, space and versatility were all high on his list.
Both helm chairs swivel to face the main table and seating area up on the flybridge
“My wife Jenny and I were moving up from a Merry Fisher 795 and saw a flybridge as the next step,” he says. “For me, the Prestige 36’s best quality is that it’s great for the UK climate. It’s got a decent sized cabin and the L-shaped seating in the saloon with the TV is a lovely place to hunker down at the end of the day.”
“For me, the big positive is the heating on board and the well insulated cabin,” adds Jenny. “We love winter boating and this allows us to go out at all times of the year.”
The aft cockpit has plenty of storage under the deck and bench seating
“The only downside is when Jenny needs to go outside to handle the lines,” says Jonny. “They were frozen solid in Gosport this year when it was minus four! But I love being outside and having the flybridge because I do probably 95 per cent of the helming from up there. And just being able to switch between the two with zero drama is great.
“We’ve got a console cover up top, so if the weather turns when we’re out, we can just bung the cover over and drive from downstairs. It’s nice having the aft cockpit all enclosed as well. The amount of options you get with this boat is excellent.”
The forward owner’s cabin has its own ensuite access to the shared bathroom
It’s clear that the Prestige 36 has also allowed Jonny and Jenny to venture much further afield than their old Merry Fisher. “Having the extra accommodation enables us to stay aboard longer and explore further afield,” says Jonny. “We keep the boat in Universal Marina on the Hamble, but we live in Oxfordshire. An important part of it was being able to have a few more creature comforts than a weekender, so we can come down and leave things like the bedding and clothes on board.”
But it’s equally clear that the sea manners of the Prestige have been a major bonus. “When we go out, we’ll go to places like Brighton or we’ll do something like a lap around the Isle of Wight, maybe stopping off at Whitecliff Bay. Then we might go into Gosport for a night or two or spend the night down in any one of the nice sheltered coves around the Island. And the seakeeping is immense.
Limited headroom in the guest cabin but the bed can be made up as twins or a double
“We’ve been out in far worse conditions in this boat than we did in the Merry Fisher. It’s just that much more capable. Down on the lower helm, it can sometimes get a bit wet if you’re punching through the chop, but the windscreen wipers work perfectly well. And up on the flybridge, like I say, the visibility is fantastic. I remember on one occasion, we went to Buckler’s Hard with the Universal Yacht Club and it was great fun on the way back. We all got caught out by the weather but we had no dramas at all. We literally got back home and put the kettle on. Job done!”
So here is a boat that has the four key bases covered. You get performance, handling, accommodation and space. It might not be the most eye-catching boat out there, but with so much on offer at such an accessible price, it’s tough to make a case against it.
Helm station looks good but has limited room for a modern chartplotter installation
Prestige 36 Fly specifications
MODEL: Prestige 36
DESIGNER: Jeanneau and Garroni & Musio Sale
HULL TYPE: Planing
RCD: Category B (8 persons)
LOA: 36ft 7in (11.16m)
BEAM: 12ft 7in (3.84m)
DRAFT: 3ft 0in (0.93m)
AIR DRAFT: 11ft 3in (3.45m)
DISPLACEMENT: 8,300kg
FUEL CAPACITY: 800 litres
WATER CAPACITY: 400 litres
TOP SPEED: 27.6 knots (with KAD44 260hp engines)
RANGE: 203nm at 22.2 knots with 20% reserve
Prestige 36 Fly costs and options
FUEL: Annual fuel burn 2,920 litres (based on 25 hours at 25.1 knots and 25 hours at 9.4 knots)
BERTHING: £7,923 per year (based on £710/metre for a Hamble River marina downstream of Bursledon bridge)
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