Jeanneau enters premium dayboat market with DB/43

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The DB/43 is the first boat in a new Jeanneau range; Photo: Jerome Kelagopian

Originally scheduled to be unveiled at Boot Dusseldorf in January before the cancellation of this year’s edition, the new Jeanneau DB/43 recently made its media debut in Cannes where Yacht Style was able to test the boat.

The first model of a new premium range, the DB/43 can carry 12 passengers and is the French builder’s debut in the high-end dayboat sector popularised by the likes of Fjord, Pardo and others, marking a significant leap for the French builder.

Drop-sides expand the beam to 18ft 6in; Photo: Jean-Baptiste d’Enquin

“We want to join this segment by using the luxury codes found in the hotel, automobile and business aviation industries, because it’s a similar clientele,” explained Martin Meyer, Product Manager at Jeanneau.

The brand’s sailboats include the new flagship Jeanneau Yachts 65 while its motorboats range up to the Leader 36 and NC 37. Now the brand’s flagship motorboat, the DB/43 reunites Italy’s Garroni Design and American naval architect Michael Peters, who collaborated on the current Leader and NC models.

Italian Camillo Garroni designed the exterior; Photo: Jean-Baptiste d’Enquin

Peters is responsible for another superb V-shaped hull, while Camillo Garroni – renowned for his work on Prestige motor yachts, also from the Groupe Beneteau stable – cited the ‘world of automobiles’ among inspirations for the DB/43’s innovative, sporty exterior.

The inboard version with twin Volvo D6-380 engines has an overall length of 42ft 10in and a joystick control as a standard feature for ease of handling, while the outboard version features three 350hp engines.

The aft sofa becomes a sunbed when the backrest folds forward; Photo: Jean-Baptiste d’Enquin

During media sea trials in the Bay of Cannes, the inboard version proved playful, very manoeuvrable in curves and was a real pleasure to drive, reaching a top speed close to 34 knots. Several options are available including a Seakeeper stabilisation system.

On the inboard version, the main deck starts aft with a large swim platform and an aft sofa that can become a huge sunpad once the backrest is folded forward to become a headrest. The lateral space is expanded by 6ft when the fold-down bulwarks are lowered to create a three-sided beach club with a whopping wing span of 18ft 6in compared to the standard beam of 12ft 6in.

The two sofas face an adjustable table, while forward is the wet bar; Photo: Jean-Baptiste d’Enquin

When the backrest is up, it creates a dining area with two facing sofas served by a very user-friendly wet bar forward, where the chef enjoys a view over the aft of the boat. Twin helm seats to starboard offering supercar-like ergonomics – also a Garroni signature – and a companion sea to port are protected by a curved windshield. The curved hardtop, which Jeanneau calls the largest on the market for a boat of this size, has a forward sunroof and covers the helm and dining areas.

The midships cabin can have a sofa or a single bed to starboard; Photo: Nicolas Claris

Midships steps on both sides lead to a foredeck featuring a large sunpad and a small seating area in the bow.

Below decks, the DB/43 offers two cabins and up to two bathrooms with a bright and modern decor based on light oak. The full-beam cabin midships has a forward-facing double bed to port and a sofa to starboard, while the forward cabin has an aft-facing bed, both rooms sharing a starboard bathroom opposite a kitchenette to port.

The forward cabin can have an en-suite bathroom; Photo: Nicolas Claris

In an alternative layout, the forward cabin can have en-suite access to the starboard bathroom, while the midships cabin can feature both a double and a single bed, using ‘day head’ access to a second bathroom to port, in place of the kitchenette.