Design and Construction
The 34's hull and deck are built from mat and roving with vacuum-bagged balsa coring along the topsides above the boot top and within the horizontal deck panels, a method CS adopted under Castro for its late-1980s models. The keel bolts directly to the yacht bottom, and buyers could choose among three appendages: a shoal-draft, a winged version, or a semi-elliptical deep-fin with bulb for the racing-minded. A shallow bilge without a sump characterizes the hull bottom, while the rig is deck-stepped rather than keel-stepped — a large compression tube carries the loads that a keel-stepped mast would otherwise absorb, which the period reviewer felt diminished the sense of wide-open interior volume. The coach house rises high above the deck and the cabin trunk extends forward, producing six-foot-three headroom below and standing room in the V-berth.
Rig and Handling
Upwind the 34 proved a delightful sailer needing only fingertip control to hold a steady course, and she carried momentum through a tack before quickly regaining speed. The mast is an untapered Isomat section with double spreaders on a masthead rig, and all halyards lead aft to the cockpit where the running rigging passes under a moulded deck cover to a bank of rope clutches. Single-line mainsail reefing is fitted, and the traveller track sits forward of the companionway. Under the tested 15-knot breeze with a 135-percent genoa, she actually sailed better with a reefed main. A Whitlock steering system is standard, and the moulded non-skid offered enough grip to keep the tester safe even when wet.
Accommodations
Below, the companionway stairs are angled to feel level as the yacht heels, opening into a saloon with satin-varnished teak-faced cabinets, strip-teak wall battens, and a teak-and-ash sole throughout. The horseshoe galley sits centrally with twin moulded sinks and a dry locker forward of a gimbaled Force 10 stove, and all plumbing is reachable below the sinks. Across the passageway to starboard is a chart table paired with a refrigerator. The boat sleeps seven: the forward V-berth has standing headroom, a folding privacy door, drawer space, a hanging locker, and a large opening hatch, while the aft cabin behind the galley is surprisingly large and gives access to the stuffing box, battery storage, and the engine side. A separate moulded shower stall and a third hanging locker that also houses the hot water tank round out the head ensemble. Fourteen opening ports and hatches keep the cabin ventilated, and the cockpit itself is spacious with a helm seat high enough to see over the coach roof.
Known Issues
The earliest hulls left the moulds without ventilation ports in the aft cabin, a deficiency corrected on later boats by adding twin ports opening to the cockpit. Testers noted the engine compartment is tight, making even an oil change an acrobatic affair, though an inspection port from the head was later added to help. The engine kill switch sits just under the helm where a foot can strike it, and the reviewer advised relocating it. There is no overhead handrail through the main cabin passageway from the head to the V-berth, and the galley top lacks perimeter cleaning slots.
Refits and Ownership
CS Yachts employed 95 workers at peak at its Brampton plant and delivered the 34 with 65 standard features, a transferable hull warranty, and a North Sails inventory in the sailaway price. The standard engine is an 18-horsepower two-cylinder Yanmar diesel, originally specified with a Universal; a 28-horsepower Yanmar was offered as an option. Twin 12-volt house batteries and a separate deep-cycle cranking battery complete the electrical baseline. The aft-cabin ventilation fix and head-side engine inspection port show the builder responding quickly to early feedback.
The Verdict
The CS 34 is a thoughtfully engineered Castro performance cruiser that balances race-course intent with livable accommodations, though early-build quirks and a cramped engine bay ask for owner attention.
Pros
- Vacuum-bagged balsa-cored topsides and three keel options for cruising or racing
- All-halyard-aft cockpit with single-line reefing and fingertip upwind control
- Six-foot-three headroom, seven berths, and a large aft cabin with good access
- Quick builder response on aft-cabin ventilation and engine inspection
Cons
- Engine bay tight; oil changes and kill-switch location need addressing
- No overhead handrail in main passageway; galley lacks cleaning slots
- Deck-stepped rig with compression tube reduces open saloon feel
