Practical Boat Owner — January 2018

(Tina Meador) #1

Network (we don’t call ourselves an
association) is the only owner group
formally recognised by Jeanneau as an
official partner but we remain totally
independent. The Network has over 3,300
Jeanneaus registered on the owner
database, which amounts to well over
5,000 members.
‘We also have more than 5,300
members on our active associated forum
with an additional 2,200 members on our
dedicated and rapidly growing Facebook
group page.
‘The Jeanneau Owners Network provides
a lot of owner-to-owner technical advice
and information. For example the extensive


Hints and Tips section deals with over 100
projects, with detailed information such as
lift-keel removal or enhancements such as
retrofitting German mainsheet systems,’
said Malcolm.
‘Our members are found in more than
60 countries, although mainly in the UK
and USA. There are also large
representations in Scandinavia and
Australia. With such a geographically
diverse membership, events tend to be
locally organised. Jeanneau dealers have
been arranging “Jeanneau Rendezvous”
events for over 10 years. These have
taken off in North America and we hope to
see more in the UK. Euroyachts in

Scotland has held an annual Jeanneau
Fun Cup that is well attended.
‘With such a large membership we are
often able to track down manuals or at
least photographs and dimensions of
parts that are no longer made to allow an
owner to get something replicated locally.’
The Jeanneau Owners website is
impressive. Any aspiring new owners
association could benefit from looking and
learning. Indeed owners of other boat
brands will find much useful information in
the excellent hints and tips index.

Sadlers and Starlights
The Sadler and Starlight Owners
Association (SSOA) has been running for
many years. Recently retired chairman
Chris Kilbracken made the point that
there’s a distinction between Class
Associations which are specific and often
race-orientated, and Owners’ Associations
which cover all the boats of the range.
He said that the SSOA covers models
from the original Sadler 25 right up to the
Starlight 46, adding that there are about
350 boats on the membership list as well
as other non-Sadler owners who like to
be involved.
Chris also draws attention to the
discussion forum that covers technical
assistance and has been active for about
20 years. This benefits from a hard core of

LEFT The Jeanneau Sydney Rendezvous
back in March 2007

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