There was a time when most mariners viewed Jeanneau primarily as a sailboat builder, but that day is long past. In fact, that view was always a bit mistaken, because the first Jeanneaus to hit the water all the way back in 1958 were powerboats—and they’ve been building them ever since. Today their powered hulls vastly outnumber those equipped with sails, which is in no small part due to models like the NC 795 Sport S2. If maximum versatility and all-weather boating ability are what you’re interested in, this will be a must-see model.
The NC 795 Sport S2 is a pilothouse boat, though it also has the elements to perform admirably as a day-cruising entertainment boat, a fishing boat, and even a weekender. The pilothouse is, of course, what gives it its weather-be-darned useability. Depending on the layout you choose there’s seating for three or four people. Close the doors and you enjoy 360-degree protection from wind, spray, and cold, and forward there’s a lower cabin with a berth and a stand-up enclosed head compartment. Yes, you read that right, an enclosed stand-up head, not the porta-potty hidden under a berth cushion you’ll often see on pilothouse boats of this size.
When you get where you’re going, the boat has two social zones to offer, aft in the cockpit and forward on the bow. The cockpit has fold-out seating along both gunwales and the transom, plus the ability to drop in a pedestal-mount cocktail table. Fold away the seats and stow that table and the social zone becomes the fishing zone, especially if you have the row of seven rocket launchers on the back of the hard top. Up in the bow, a forward seat on the cabin top plus a portside seat offers plenty of space to relax; you can add a filler to turn the bow into a sunpad or put in a table for lunch on the hook. Either way, if the sun is blazing simply put up the bow sunshade. And note that moving fore and aft is safe and secure, thanks to a deep walkaround capped off by a bowrail that catches you at close to waist height.
The NC 795 Sport S2 carries a single outboard up to 250 hp, which gives it a 4500-rpm cruise in the upper 20s and a wide-open throttle speed in the 40-mph range. Opt for a single 200 and you’ll shave off a few mph, but best cruise (at 4000 rpm and slightly over 20 mph) gets you a rather spectacular 2.9 mpg. And cruising in the mid-20 still gets you about 2.8 mpg.
What if you want to make that cruise to a remote corner of the Bay and do some exploring? Note that the roof rack on the top means you can haul a SUP or kayak. Twin swim platforms make getting into and out of the water a breeze. And the long list of options including goodies such as air conditioning, an al fresco galley, a ski arch, or a second control station in the cockpit, means you can semi-customize the boat for whatever sorts of activities you like the most.
The NC 795 Sport S2 also has a couple of features you won’t see on many other boats that are a great indication of the knowledge that comes with decades of experience designing and building boats. Sitting in the bow cockpit, you can remove the seat cushion and open an access hatch that gives you direct access into the lower cabin so you can take out or stow away items without having to walk to the back of the boat. Another nifty tweak is the transom cover, which gives you a working surface in front of the outboard. It swings up on gas-assist struts to make room for tilting up the outboard while creating useable space where most boats don’t have one. And there are low-profile rails atop the cockpit gunwales, so you always have firm handholds within easy reach.
You say you enjoy day-cruising, entertaining, weekend, exploring, and fishing on the Bay in the spring, summer, fall, and even during the winter? Think: maximum versatility and all-weather ability. Think: Jeanneau NC 795 Sport S2.
By Lenny Rudow
Jeanneau NC 795 Sport S2 Specifications:
LOA: 26’8”
Beam: 9’3”
Draft: 2’0”
Displacement (approx.): 4798 lbs.
Transom Deadrise: 19 degrees
Fuel Capacity: 74 gal.
Water Capacity: 26 gal.
Max HP: 250