Design and Construction
The hull is solid fiberglass with a monohull fin keel and spade rudder, carrying 4,850 lb of iron ballast inside a 12,125 lb displacement for a 40 percent ballast ratio anchor. That high ballasted fraction, paired with a displacement-to-length ratio of 268 and a capsize screening value of 1.98, underpins the boat's documented stiffness: reviewers describe her as very stable and credit a good righting capability if overturned. The deck-to-hull joint formed a structural rubbing strake at the beam. CE category A certification marks her as a certified offshore-capable touring vessel, and the source literature calls her plainly a safe touring ship.
Rig and Handling
She is rigged as a fractional sloop with a 100 percent sail area of roughly 600 sq ft and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 18.27, figures that place her in the lively, responsive band rather than the sluggish end. The well-lined underwater body and balanced rig are credited with driving her to hull speed — about 7 knots — on nearly every point of sail with little delay anchor. Period assessment of the C-Yacht 10.40 calls her a sporty, seaworthy sailer with easy handling, fast, direct, and above all lively, a good performer suited to coastal cruising. The 49 ft air draft and 15 m mast height from the waterline are modest enough for European inland and coastal passages.
Accommodations
Below, the 34-foot hull uses a center-cockpit layout with non-slip side decks and fully self-tending operation from that cockpit, a combination the builder cites as the guarantee of a safe stay aboard. Five berths are fitted, and the 1.90 m cabin headroom is generous for the length. A clever interior plan yields unprecedented space for the size, and for a boat of her length the owner's cabin, galley, and wet cell are surprisingly large. Tankage runs to a 100 L stainless fuel cell, 200 L polyethylene fresh water, and 60 L polyethylene waste water — the original fuel and water ranges being small and short, respectively, by design.
Known Issues
The Saildrive leg and the originally small fuel capacity are design facts rather than faults, but a buyer should treat the limited 26 gal fuel and 53 gal water supply as operational constraints rather than problems to correct.
Refits and Ownership
With only 31 built and production ending in 2008, the Compromis 34 is a scarce Maas design. The Yanmar 27 hp diesel on Saildrive is the standard plant; any unit surviving two decades will reward a survey of the drive leg and tankage. The high ballast ratio and category A rating make her a durable coastal and light-offshore candidate, though the short supply ranges argue for thoughtful cruising plans.
The Verdict
The Compromis 34 is a rare, well-balanced Maas cruiser that pairs stiffness and lively handling with a roomy, safe center-cockpit interior. She is best judged as a coastal tourer with offshore certification rather than a bluewater liveaboard, and her small tanks are the main practical caveat.
Pros
- High 40 percent ballast ratio with documented stiffness and good capsize righting
- CE category A safe touring certification
- Roomy owner's cabin, galley, and wet cell for the length
- Lively, easy-handling fractional rig reaching hull speed quickly
Cons
- Originally small fuel capacity (26 gal) and short water supply range (53 gal)
- Only 31 built, limiting spares-network familiarity
- Best suited as a coastal cruiser rather than long-range offshore vessel
