It is not newsworthy that a long-time builder of sailboats, like Jenneau, has crossed over to the U.S. powerboat market. Many builders of sailing yachts eventually grab the hand of market forces and begin swapping masts for power plants.

What is newsworthy about the Prestige series built by French sailboat builder Jenneau, is that its powerboats can not be pigeon holed as the ���sailor���s��� yacht, happy to cruise at slower speeds, accompanied by an interior of pragmatic Yankee furnishings and comforts. Instead the Jenneau 46 that I tested looked perfectly at home with its peers of Carvers and Sea Rays lining the dock at the recent Bay Bridge Boat Show in Stevensville, Maryland.

I had the pleasure of spending several hours with Paul Fenn, sales and marketing director of Jenneau America, Danielle Launais, sales coordinator for Jenneau America, and Captain Mark Chest, one the most affable delivery skippers I���ve met.We picked up the 46 from her home at Jenneau���s dealer McDaniels Boat Basin in North East, Md. and ran down the Bay to the show.

My first impression upon seeing her outside of the McDaniels��� sales office was that her designers Garroni and Musio Sales got her lines right. The 46 can certainly be described as having modern lines, yet the designers appeared conscious to not overtax her profile with too many overhangs and appendages, which often give boats in this class the appearance of a crushed wedding cake.

It should be noted that our test boat was absent a flybridge bimini or hardtop, helping the 46 obtain these clean, crisp lines. So, I would caution the buyer of the 46 to pay extra attention to the flybridge canvas to ensure that it doesn���t look like an afterthought. The bridge has a good amount of seating for cruising while under way as well hanging out at anchorage. The bridge rail met my 5-foot 9-inch frame just below the knee, giving me pause as I negotiated the bridge while cruising at 20 knots. Remember everything on a boat is a compromise and a deeper bulwark around the bridge would start to create that wedding cake profile mentioned above.

Aft of the helm, there is a wraparound settee where Paul and Danielle hung out while we headed down the Bay, and I was able to maintain a civilized conversation level with them from the helm.

Reviewing the sunpad area on the bridge, Paul and I discussed tender stowage options. A lot of designs utilize this area for a tender and davit system. But I like the idea, when possible, to keep the weight low and the bridge open for entertaining, like on the 46. Plus, I don���t enjoy brining down a tender from this height, especially when the wind is howling and I���m shorthanded.What are your tender options on the 46? Based on the design of the swim platform, you could go with an aftermarket davit/lifting platform addition from a company like Freedom Lift or TNT, and easily launch your tender, while maintaining the lounging space on the bridge.

Keep in mind there are some major differences in how Europeans, especially in the Mediterranean, use their boats compared to most regions in the U.S. For instance, in Italy, many boats are used solely as large day boats, with crews taking owners and guests from one resort to the other. I���ve seen boats less than 50 feet with crew���s quarters and the 46 does have this option beneath the cockpit sole. You could order this option if you need a fourth stateroom for your mother-inlaw or kids. Or you could forego the option, like McDaneils did on their stock boat, and have a cavernous storage area. I would place an extra freezer in this area, along with tools and spare parts.

Forward of this, there is another lazarette area, which has access to the engineroom. From here you can easily access dipsticks and filters for daily checks. If major service is required, hatches in the main saloon lift.You could use this area to stow hoses, fenders, spare parts and cleaning supplies.

While walking through the interior with Paul, I asked what type of feedback he was getting from the retail prospects during the last several boat shows.���Some have said that they would prefer a larger galley,��� he commented. Hmm, I thought, that one I don���t see. In fact, unless you���re catering a reception, the 46���s galley is very functional. Moreover, the design should prove very safe while running the boat in a seaway, again a benefit of the boat���s sailing DNA.There is a single 12v refrigerator and freezer combo, which is backed up by another fridge on the bridge.

The four of us spent most of our ride driving from the lower station. It is obvious that a lot of thought went into providing good lines of sight from the helm.���I love it down here,���said Captain Matt,while driving from the lower station. And I loved the fact that you can see out the side windows while relaxing on the saloon settee.

Forward of the galley,a dinette is adjacent to the helm. I���m a fan of this arrangememt for several reasons. First of all, you take the dinner plates out of the saloon. Plus, you���re placed in a natural position for conversations versus some of the crescent shaped setups that force everyone to look off into space. Furthermore, due to the dinette���s proximity to the lower helm, there is a natural space to lay out a paper chart.

There are three staterooms, which is the only interior option offered and it works well. The fit and finish are well executed and each stateroom benefits from light and ventilation. But how does this comfort cruiser drive? Oh man, I saved the best for last. Based on what I knew of Jenneau and its solid reputation for building good performance sailboats, I had reasonable expectations that the 46 would not present any major performance shortcomings. What I did not expect, however, was that she was going to be such an impressive ride.The 500 hp Cummins diesels gave us a top speed of 31.9 knots, and a cruising speed of 28.5 knots at 2400 rpm.

Although the speed is commendable, it is not what impressed me the most. It was really the boat���s motion and running characteristics. Without applying any tab, we popped right of the hole,planed within 10 seconds, and settled into a 5-degree running angle.Turning was responsive and she was quiet at all speeds.We only had a slight chop and I had to spin back over our own wake to simulate any type of sea pattern.Yes I know it���s not the best seakeeping test , but I���m willing to state that the 46 will handle unpleasant conditions well based on my experience.

At this writing, Paul and the Jenneau dealers were experiencing some solid interest in the Prestige line, which ranges from 32 to 50 feet.The company sells about 120 sailboats in this country per year, yet the power series doesn���t completely have its legs at this point, beyond strong initial interest. I know buyers are sometimes hesitant to be the first on the block to buy a new model, since it contradicts our follow the herd mentality. So you need to consider that Jenneau has been in this country for decades and they���re not going anywhere. Plus they���ve been building powerboats in Europe for 50 years, and are certainly not the new kids on the block. Better yet,Paul has done the company a service by signing up quality dealers with solid customer service reputations.

The 46 is a good-looking boat, with style, comfort, and great performance, offered at a reasonable price. Now that���s newsworthy. Contact Jenneau America, (410) 280-9400; www.jeanneauamerica.com.