Network Yacht Brokers Conwy supply the full range of Jeanneau Power boats.
The History of Jeanneau
In 1957, Henri Jeanneau was already passionate about aeroplanes and automobiles, and unsurprisingly he discovered a passion for powerboating, one that began as he watched a boat pass by his window. Soon afterward, in Les Herbiers, France, home to a rich heritage of artisan work, he began building a wooden hull. He competed with this boat in the 6-hour Paris race, the largest national race at the time. Henri Jeanneau was first to cross the line, and this galvanized Jeanneau. So, a hobby became a trade.
In 1959, Jeanneau hired canoe builder as an apprentices in his new business, “the Nautical Hall of the West,” which would become, a few years later, the Jeanneau shipyard. France was seeing unprecedented economic growth, and the new company quickly understood that the appearance of new electric appliances designed to ease household chores would allow families to devote more time to leisure activities – to the sun, to the sea, and to boating! (RW)
The 60’s: saw the début of Jeanneau powerboats
It was 1961, Jeanneau’s first fibreglass powerboat made its début, It was the Calanque. It was built on lines of a frigate. It would retaina wooden deck, which made perfect sense because it was moulded onto a wooden hull. Later the same year, the dream became a reality: Jeanneau created the first all-fibreglass boat! This new material, a petrochemical product, created an unprecedented technological advantage. From a single mould, hundreds of hulls could be created. The fibreglass was applied to the mould and impregnated with resin, spread on by a roller.
This was the beginning of an incredible production run of powerboats. Jeanneau built at over 1,500 in a series. One after another, the names followed: the “Squale,” the “Lion de Mer,” the “Caraïbe,” and then the first great Jeanneau motor yacht, the “Impérator 900,” launched in 1966. She was etched into a wall at 1/1 scale. The huge product lines included: Skanes, Arcachonnais, Esteou, Cap Camarat, Merry Fisher, Leader and Prestige.
Within half a century, a revolution had taken place
From the artisan work of the 1960’s that was the norm in France and elsewhere – each boat was unique, and often customised while still on the production lines. This brought us to 2007 and new technological advances similar to those seen in the aeronautical field, allowing Jeanneau to create boats using 3-dimensional design software and digitally controlled laser-cutting machines. Over the past 50 years of development, the men and women of Jeanneau have evolved in their fields while preserving their passion for the sea and love of the work they do . At Jeanneau, the woodworkers and mechanics kept their tools for repairs. In the beginning, to test the rigidity of the first fibreglass boats, a boat would be hitched to a tow rope taken to Lake Tricherie, about 10 km. from the Les Herbiers, French factory yard. There, at full speed, it was launched over a wooden ramp and into the air, clearing a nearby road, to land in a field. Henri Jeanneau was at the helm, of course. Today, real-life tests are conducted on ocean crossings or circumnavigations.
The 1970’s: Pleasure cruising for the masses
The first Jeanneau sailboats were launched in 1964, a date that is synonymous with the democratisation of pleasure cruising. That same year, ÉricTabarly captured the public’s attention when he competed in the English transatlantic race, “l’Ostar,” aboard his 44-foot ketch, the “Pen Duick II.”
Where would French ocean racing – or even pleasure cruising – be without Eric Tabarly’s victory in 1964? It was the first time that a French national beat the English on their own turf! Tabarly became the pride of France. He passed his passion for the sea on to a new generation, and he created a passion for sailing amongst the French. He inspired many careers, leaving in his wake a number of skippers who would know fame in their own right, including Alain Colas, Olivier de Kersauson, Philippe Poupon, Marc Pajot, Titouan Lamazou, Michel Desjoyeaux, Philippe Monnet, Francis Joyon, and Jean Le Cam.
In the late 1960’s, pleasure cruising sailboats became mainstream, and shipyards like Jeanneau would produce their first sailboats to benefit from this new enthusiasm for sailing. Technological innovations lowered production and purchasing costs, pleasure cruising became accessible to the masses. The celebrated Glénans sailing school found its stride in this same period. It was the end of the age of the aristocratic sailor, and sailboat production exploded with the fabulous Sangria, a model launched by Jeanneau in 1970 that sold over 2,700 boats. This formidable success cemented Jeanneau’s place at the forefront of the marine industry in the design and construction of cruising sailboats.
All Jeanneau boats benefit from:-
The Technology of Beauty
The strength of Jeanneau can be seen in the beauty of our boats. World-renowned designers and architects work with our in-house teams from the inception of each project and provide their expertise and innovative ideas. The result of this partnership produces captivating and inspiring designs that have stood test of time.
Performance
A Jeanneau must be responsive, agile and fast. Performance yes, but not only speed, exceptional handling under power, smooth passage through heavy seas, confidence and control is essential. Every experience onboard a Jeanneau is enhanced by our well-balanced sail plans, modern hulls, high-end sails and quality deck hardware.
CATIA®
Each new Jeanneau is comprehensively designed via the powerful CATIA® design software. CATIA® Thisallows Jeanneau to design a better boat with more attention to detail in a shorter timeframe.
Research & Development
A specialized Research & Design facility at Jeanneau houses over 130 engineering specialists. This facility is unique in the boat-building sector, providing Research & Development resources usually available only to large aeronautical and automobile companies.
The Engineering of Beauty
The Jeanneau Formula for success: Combine 50 years of practical boat building savoir-faire with the latest construction technologies. Invest in and continuously improve technologically advanced factories with ergonomic production lines, computerized processes and efficient logistic supply chains. This translates the efficiencies into lower costs and higher quality for the customer.
Superior composite technologies
20 years ago Jeanneau developed a closed moulding process called Prisma Process. This technological edge yields a higher-quality component (Jeanneau moulding) with a lower weight, but also reduces airborne VOCs by 90% as compared with traditional GRP moulding, thus making it a much cleaner way to produce boats.
A passion for wood
Rich interior woodworking has always been the signature of Jeanneau quality. Using fine quality hardwoods and marine composites, computerized varnishing machines and CNC routers provide precision parts finished to industrial tolerances. These are then individually assembled with the experienced eye and hand of the craftsman.
Economies of Scale
No other builder enjoys the economies of scale available to Jeanneau. As an integral part of the world’s largest sailboat building group Beneteau, Jeanneau benefits by having access and influence with the very best suppliers. This allows us the highest quality materials and components, sourced from the leading suppliers, at appreciable savings to our customers.
The Computer-controlled carpenter
The wood furnishings on board all Jeanneau boats are produced with incredible precision thanks to the capabilities of the ‘computer-controlled carpenter’ that cuts and mills wood to within a 10th of a millimetre accuracy. Building with wood is a tradition within Jeanneau .
The Timelessness of Beauty
Our quality control system tracks our Jeanneau product through the entire production process and beyond. From laboratory tests of each batch of resin to tank testing to customer satisfaction questionnaires and frequent supplier reviews, we continually seek ways to improve our Jeanneau boats.
Dependability
Quality starts with the best materials and components. Aboard a Jeanneau you will find equipment from the leaders in each field, because we only use suppliers that share our commitment to quality control and product excellence. These premium suppliers also help ensure servicing of your Jeanneau boat’s is possible world-wide.
Safety
Peace of mind is part of the Jeanneau experience, which is why safety is a standard without compromise. We conduct extensive finite element analysis of our structural systems, design secure handholds throughout, utilize large hatches that double as emergency exit routes, and only use the highest quality deck fittings. This helps create the legendary Jeanneau seaworthiness that comes with 50 years of experience in building offshore boats.
ISO 9001
As an ISO 9001 company, the Jeanneau’s building process is certified to the highest international standards. Each new sailboat is thoroughly tested throughout the building process and each receives additional tank testing where all the systems are put through their paces.
International Standards
All Jeanneau boats carry the CE certification which ensures strict standards for stability, safety and structure. In addition, all boats 12 m and over are certified by the Bureau Veritas, an independent engineering certification. This certification includes every part of the conception and building process.
That’s why we believe your next boat should be a Jeanneau Yacht, a Prestige Yacht, or a Jeanneau Motor Boat including the Merry Fisher built in the new Jeanneau factory in Poland supplied by Network Yacht Brokers Conwy. A major importer of Jeanneau Product.
