Design and Construction
Crealock’s brief was to balance comfort with good offshore manners. The hull combines a fine bow entry with an 11-foot beam carried well aft, a closed transom intended for open-water work, and a cut-away full keel beneath the forward quarter. A period review weighed a sistership at 15,500 pounds. The Cabo Rico 34 carries 5,800 pounds of lead ballast in her long, cut-away full keel.
The structure is deliberately heavy. Cabo Rico built the boat from the keel up to a standard above that of typical production boats. The keel is totally encased, while the raised-bulwark hull-to-deck joint forms a large U-channel around the entire boat; it is sealed and through-bolted throughout.
For strength, the bulkheads are glassed and clad in solid teak, then fully bonded to the hull and deck with multiple layers of mat and roving. All floor stringers, transfers, and subflooring are solid fiberglass. There is no wood in the bilges or substructure that could rot under any conditions.
The mast steps on an elaborate bridge of heavy, crisscrossed fiberglass laminate topped by a half-inch aluminum plate. This raises the mast butt to the dry cabin sole. The teak-and-holly sole is epoxied above, and the void beneath serves as the holding tank.
A complete grounding system of heavy industrial wire runs through the boat. The hull and deck are also completely insulated.
Rig, Sailing, and Handling
The cutter rig has a relatively large foretriangle for the type, allowing the use of big, lightweight headsails for extra speed. The bowsprit extends the rig more than three feet forward.
Under power, the cut-away keel makes the Cabo Rico 34 more responsive than a traditional full-keel boat, yet steadier than many fin-keel contemporaries of similar length. Under sail, she tracks true like her full-keel kin.
Test sailors found that she routinely made half the true wind speed and pointed surprisingly close—about 33 to 34 degrees apparent. A rigger-owner reported a three-degree helm and perfect balance from 3 to 10 knots. In light air, the boat held within three degrees of her course when the helm was released.
What she won’t do is win a tacking duel. Her weight means she powers up slowly.
Accommodations
Below, the wide beam provides two full double cabins: one forward and one aft to starboard. A third double berth pulls out from a shelf beneath the settee.
The U-shaped galley includes a stainless-steel double sink, a two-burner gas stove with oven, and pressure hot and cold water. Across from the galley, the aft-facing navigation table has folding panels for the electrical boards. Settee storage is accessed through pull-out drawers rather than by lifting the cushions.
Five Lewmar hatches, eight opening ports, and two large dorade vents provide light and air. The dorades are built into guarded boxes that also serve as handholds, and each has an adjustable sliding offset opening below. Even the hanging lockers are ventilated.
The companionway steps are cantilevered on both sides for use when the boat is heeled. Golden teak from Costa Rica is used throughout the interior.
Ownership Notes
The boat’s heavily built character extends to practical cruising details. The mast-step bridge keeps the spar dry, while the insulated hull and deck reduce liveaboard noise and temperature swings. The all-fiberglass substructure also removes a common path for decay in older boats.
The closed transom and guarded dorade boxes are small but deliberate offshore concessions.
The Verdict
The Cabo Rico 34 is a thoughtfully detailed bluewater cutter. Her construction exceeds typical production standards, and her accommodations make intelligent use of the 11-foot beam. She rewards the cruising sailor with steady tracking and good balance, but her displacement calls for patience when accelerating in light air or through a tack.
Pros
- Heavily built, solid-fiberglass substructure with no rot-prone wood in the bilges
- Raised-bulwark hull-to-deck joint, sealed and through-bolted throughout
- Cutter rig with a large foretriangle and a bowsprit extending more than three feet forward
- Two double cabins plus a pull-out third double berth
- Strong ventilation from five hatches, eight opening ports, and two dorades
- Dry mast step and insulated hull and deck
Cons
- Slow to power up when tacking because of her displacement
- Closed transom limits aft-deck utility compared with open-transom peers
