Ericson Olson 34 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design Brief & Intent

The Olson 34 was conceived as a premium performance cruiser that could excel in Pacific Coast distance racing—such as the Pacific Cup or Newport to Ensenada—while remaining fully civilized for family cruising. At the time, Ericson’s marketing department wanted a model that was faster and more accessible than the heavier Ericson 35, providing a modern alternative to traditional cruiser-racers.

To achieve this, the boat's interior was engineered around a robust structural fiberglass grid. Bulkheads are securely bonded directly to the hull using heavy 18-ounce woven roving. Unlike the stripped-out racing sleds of the era, the cabin features rich wood joinery, a functional navigation station to port, a starboard galley, and a saloon table that folds neatly against the main bulkhead to open up cabin space. A unique, highly practical feature is the forward V-berth cabin, which sits on a molded fiberglass liner finished with non-skid. With the cushions removed, this space functions as an ideal, secure platform for the foredeck crew to drop, pack, and hoist sails directly through the forward hatch.

Variations & Hull Configurations

While the original design profile drafted by George Olson called for a cored hull and deck to minimize weight, only hull number one was built to this specification by Pacific Boat Works. Once Ericson Yachts assumed production, they transitioned the design to their signature hand-laid solid fiberglass hull construction. This structural change increased the boat's displacement to 10,600 pounds, resulting in a stiffer, more offshore-capable platform than initially planned. The decks, however, retained a high-strength three-quarter-inch marine-grade balsa core, which provides excellent thermal insulation and a solid backing for mounting heavy deck hardware.

Because these boats were hand-built, slight physical variations exist across the production run. The hull was constructed in three separate parts—a port half, a starboard half, and a tabbed-in transom—meaning individual bows can vary slightly in their exact entry geometry. Furthermore, early production models feature an aluminum toe rail that terminates farther back on the deck, exposing several deck screws at the hull-to-deck joint. Later models feature toe rails that extend much farther forward toward the stem. Rigs also varied depending on original owner specifications, with Sparcraft, Ballenger, or Seldén double-spreader masthead rigs stepping onto the deck.

Sailing Performance & Handling

The sailing characteristics of the Olson 34 reflect its West Coast pedigree. With a Sail Area to Displacement (SA/Disp) ratio of 18.1, the boat is highly responsive and accelerates quickly in light-to-moderate air, yet it carries enough sail area to remain dynamic when many cruisers are forced to turn on the auxiliary engine. Its Displacement to Length (D/L) ratio of 215.57 places it in the moderate-light category, giving it a balanced helm that can punch through a head chop upwind while retaining the classic George Olson downwind sliding capability when cracked off the breeze.

With a Capsize Screening ratio of 1.97, the Olson 34 sits safely below the classic offshore racing limit of 2.0, verifying its excellent stability and resistance to roll. The Comfort ratio of 23.02 indicates that while the boat will feel lively in a heavy seaway compared to a heavy-displacement ocean cruiser, its motions are predictable and far gentler than those of more radical, flat-bottomed racing designs. Under sail, the deep six-foot draft fin keel and balanced spade rudder provide exceptionally crisp handling, allowing the helmsman to steer with absolute precision.

Known Issues & Triage

A well-documented quirk among Olson 34 owners is a persistent port-side list. This is primarily a cosmetic and slip-floating nuisance caused by the factory weight distribution, particularly when the standard 23-gallon water tank under the starboard settee is kept empty while the port-side fuel tank and primary batteries remain loaded. Many owners have successfully resolved this issue by replacing the factory starboard water tank with a larger, custom 38-gallon stainless steel or plastic tank to balance the boat’s natural buoyancy.

On the mechanical side, early models equipped with the standard Universal M25XP diesel engine are prone to the notorious "trailer connector" wiring harness failure 9. These plastic wiring harness plugs heat up over time due to electrical resistance, seeping current and posing a fire hazard. Owners should immediately triage this by cutting out the factory plugs and wiring the runs directly to marine-grade terminal strips. Additionally, Ericson utilized untinned copper wiring in the original DC panels, which is highly susceptible to corrosion and "black wire disease" under the insulation. Modern buyers should anticipate at least partial rewiring of the primary electrical circuits.

Finally, the mast step is supported by a thick fiberglass "hat" stringer integrated into the structural grid. While robust, decades of high rig tension can lead to minor down-flex in the fiberglass hat. This is typically indicated by fine hairline cracks in the cosmetic resin along the wooden risers supporting the cabin sole. While rarely structural, the area should be inspected during a pre-purchase survey.

Modernization & Upgrades

Due to the age of the production run, many Olson 34s have undergone or are ripe for major system modernizations. The original raw-water-cooled or early fresh-water-cooled Universal diesels are frequently replaced with lighter, more efficient Yanmar 3YM30 or Beta Marine 25 engines. Along with engine upgrades, replacing the original Martec folding propellers with modern geared folding or feathering props (such as those from Gori or Flexofold) vastly improves reverse thrust and eliminates shaft vibration while motoring.

For the rig, many veteran owners are opting to convert the factory-installed rod rigging to standard 1x19 stainless steel wire. While rod rigging offers lower stretch, wire is far easier to tune, inspect, and replace at a fraction of the cost. Owners looking to optimize downwind performance often install adjustable bowsprit retrofits to fly modern asymmetrical spinnakers, which aligns perfectly with the boat's planing heritage.

The Verdict

The Ericson Olson 34 is a rare, intelligently engineered racer-cruiser that represents the pinnacle of late-1980s West Coast design. It offers an exceptional balance of blistering light-air speed and offshore durability. While it requires some mechanical and electrical stewardship to address age-related factory choices, it rewards its owners with a level of sailing pleasure that few modern, high-volume production boats can match.