Optimized volumes
Nine meters is the first truly livable size, along with the headroom, for a sailboat that wants to remain elegant. While most modern cruisers have played with an extended beam of more than 3.30 meters, the Océanis relies on the extensibility of the programs with its width not exceeding 3 meters. To preserve space, the hunt for square centimeters has been ruthless in all areas. In the saloon, the benches are set back to the almost vertical edges, with a seat that tapers towards the front, are two meters long and allow for a bar to be placed in the center of the folding table. The headroom of 1.98 m in the saloon and 1.85 m in the cabins is unusual. It is due to the floors placed, between and at the same level as the varangues of the structural counter mold.
All functions, as on a larger unit
The optimization is not only vertical or lateral, but also longitudinal. The space exploited at the ends allows for an entrance hatch with ample storage space for both cabins, front and rear, which is rare in this size. The kitchen also benefits from a special treatment with a gimbaled oven and a 75-liter cooler. The very spacious bathroom is two meters long and a smart blind isolates the toilet side when showering. The Alpi-flat oak finish is both bright and warm, and the cramped conditions compared to its peers are less noticeable at first glance, except in the aft cabin, where the middle berth is a bit wedged under the cockpit.
A friendly atmosphere
The card table is a small model of ergonomics. Its pivoting flap has a drawer to store the tablet, which once folded, leaves room for the bench topped by a mini bookcase. It is both cosy and in line with our modern means of navigation (a tablet instead of a paper map). The first feeling of being cramped is almost not perceptible once installed on board, as all functions are ergonomically arranged. The brightness, created by the hull windows, also helps this feeling. The cockpit also gives this impression of ease. The two steering wheels may seem surprising, but they provide a relaxing space that can be used to eat at a table for six people. They allow for easy circulation from the companionway to the aft skirt.
