Design and Construction
Perry's hull carries a low chin bow and a short canoe stern, with a long flat run aft and a fairly straight deadrise through the midsection over a V-bottom. The hull itself is solid, thick, hand-laid fiberglass, and the deck is a 5/8-inch teak plank laid over a sandwich of 3/8-inch glass, 3/4-inch plywood, and another 3/8-inch glass layer, while the cabin top is cored with 1/2-inch plywood. The hull-deck joint is glassed over on the inside and appears through-bolted, and solid bulwarks let the lifeline stanchions stand vertically for more strength than deck-through-bolted arrangements, with the retaining nuts embedded in the glass. Practical Sailor's survey found the solid bulwarks and embedded stanchion nuts a thoughtful detail repeated elsewhere in the structure.
Rig and Handling
The cutter rig carries a solid bronze traveler set well forward on the boom, which one owner survey noted makes sheeting awkward. Under sail she is a reach-oriented boat: the highest she is likely to point is 45 degrees, and Perry himself recommends sailing with a genoa and leaving the staysail ashore to wring out light-air performance. Heeling stayed modest at 15 to 17 degrees in 15-knot winds, and reefing is not called for until well into 20 knots. She needs a solid 15 knots of breeze to approach her 7.24-knot hull speed, yet owners have logged 11 knots surfing in a following sea and 9 knots on the Bermuda One-Two return. The PHRF record sits at 204, and Practical Sailor judged her an excellent choice for the serious bluewater sailor while flatly noting she is not suited to the weekend coastal sailor or light-air venues.
Accommodations
Below, the all-wood interior is lit by six oval opening bronze ports and a large rod-reinforced skylight. The galley lies to port at the foot of the companionway, small, with a two-burner stove, ice chest, and limited counter space. To starboard aft is a quarter berth one owner called his favorite, while the saloon holds a starboard settee berth and a port U-shaped dinette with stowage behind and under. A generous chart table is sized for a dedicated navigator. This is a deep boat with a big bilge, good access to systems including the engine, and the original stainless steel water tanks ran two under the salon and a smaller one forward. The cockpit is wrapped in teak staving, small enough to be safe at sea, and drains adequately.
Known Issues
The teak decks and wood interior are attractive but carry the burden of constant upkeep. One owner complaint centered on a squared-off leading edge on the keel, described as looking like a cheese wedge. The forward bronze traveler position also drew criticism for difficult sheeting.
Refits and Ownership
Original auxiliary power was a Volvo diesel, with 80 gallons of fuel and 120 gallons of water capacity supporting long passages. The deep bilge and good systems access make engine and tank work more tractable than on many comparably sized yachts, though the teak decks will demand ongoing attention from any owner.
The Verdict
The Hans Christian 34 is a small-production, genuinely bluewater-minded heavy cruiser from Perry's Taiwan-era drawings. She rewards the offshore-bound sailor with a tough solid hull, a deep and accessible bilge, and a seakindly motion, but asks for wind to perform and a committed owner for her wood-and-teak upkeep.
Pros
- Solid hand-laid fiberglass hull with glassed and bolted hull-deck joint
- Deep bilge with good engine and systems access
- Bluewater-oriented, stands up to a gale per period review
- Generous tankage and a navigator-grade chart table
Cons
- Requires 15 knots to reach hull speed; poor light-air and coastal fit
- Teak decks and wood interior need constant upkeep
- Forward bronze traveler makes sheeting difficult
- Squared-off keel leading edge noted by an owner
