S & S 34

[Solosailor]

My heart be still. Saw a couple of pictures of Sparkman & Stephen's 34. Can anyone give me the low-down on these beauties? Would you consider this a good Blue Water boat?

Does anyone know where there is one for sale? A fixer upper is gong to be in my price range.

[Weyalan]

S&S 34' have a great reputation as a blue water boat. They have been single-handed around the world, recently and notably by a young (17 yr old?) Australian kid (maybe called Jesse Martin - memory ain't my strong suit)

I have crewed on one for a few round the cans races. Its strength was going to windward; particulary hard on the breeze, its weakness was running, as is the case with most IOR designs. On balance, it gets a "thumbs up" from me

[raw1]

[QUOTE=Solosailor;204549]Would you consider this a good Blue Water boat?

Google "Jon Sanders" and "David Dicks"

Cheers, Ron

[swagman]

Lovely yacht from the board of the masters. Bit wet upwind but super motion and usually solidly built.

They rate exceptionaly well under IOR and IRC if you like racing, and notably Jon Sanders did his solo circumnavigation some 20 years back, plus his young mate repeating it after, plus yet another West Oz SS34 did Parmelia Race (UK to Freo) for WA Bicentennial some ten years before.

Ted Heath (UK Prime Minister) also had one 'Morning Cloud' on which he wiped up the Sydney Hobart.

Bit cramped below by modern standards, but boy are they pretty.

JOHN

[surfingminniwinni]

Hey Weyalan,

Your memory is spot on, it was Jesse Martin. A kid with so much spirit.

[ilenart]

Solosailor,

this S&S 34 website gives heaps of info. Ditto what everyone has said, a very seaworthy boat.

Sparkman and Stephens 34 Association

Ilenart

[highseas]

Check out Hughes for sale in classifieds,same design.

[Curmudgeon]

Can someone point out the major differences betwen this boat and the original Tartan 34, which I believe was also an S&S design?

[nonam]

Hughes 37' Sailboat

Oops,a bit too long.

[anotherT34C]

Originally Posted by Curmudgeon

Can someone point out the major differences betwen this boat and the original Tartan 34, which I believe was also an S&S design?

The Tartan 34 has a centerboard to get into skinny water (3'11"). The placement of the engine is a bit different (farther aft on the Tartan... better for engine access but a bit inconvenient for the galley). The Tartan is more 'classic' S&S in appearance (closer to the old S&S Hinkley Pilot 35). The Tartan is actually a full foot longer, and almost a foot beamier. The extra length is in the cockpit... it's big. The Tartan is heavier by about 2 tons, and I'll bet slower. You can find the Tartan in a yawl, if you look long enough.

[Curmudgeon]

Thanks, anotherT34C, for an informative response.