Islander 34-2 Buyer's Guide
The Islander 34-2 is a Robert Perry masthead sloop that Islander Yachts built for just two seasons, 1983 to 1985, in roughly 16 hulls before the bankruptcy. A few more were completed by Nordic Yachts as the Nordic 34 after the molds changed hands. For a shopper, that scarcity is the first thing to understand: this is not a model you trip over on every dock, and a clean example will have been cared for by an owner who knew what they had.
Layouts on the Used Market
Every 34-2 follows the same two-cabin plan: a V-berth forward, a private aft cabin with its own head, a U-shaped galley with two-burner stove and sink, and a saloon with a convertible dinette. Varnished teak joinery is standard throughout, and the cabin gets good ventilation through multiple ports and hatches. The optional shoal-draft wing keel is the one factory layout variant to look for if your cruising grounds favor shallow anchorages; otherwise the fixed fin keel draws about 6.17 feet.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Given the limited production and 1980s vintage, most boats will carry the original 22-horsepower Yanmar diesel and a 15-gallon fuel tank, so energy and range upgrades matter most. Buyers should focus on power and energy — a generator or expanded battery bank addresses the small standard tankage — and sail handling, where a newer canvas or updated winch setup eases short-handed sailing. Navigation gear will almost certainly be owner-fitted, and comfort items such as a watermaker reflect how far a given owner took the boat beyond her original specification.
What to Inspect
The hull and deck are fiberglass with a foam-cored solid hull, and the wetted surface runs about 355 square feet, so budget accordingly for coating. The keel is lead on a fin, and the spade rudder should be checked for play at the stock. Rigging is well documented — mainsheet of 85.8 feet and genoa sheets of 34.3 feet on half-inch line — and a survey should confirm halyards and sheets match the original diameters rather than being undersized in a past refit.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
With only about 16 original boats plus a few Nordic 34 sisters, the 34-2 is a rare used purchase. When one appears it will suit a couple wanting a private aft cabin and club-race pace in a 34-foot footprint.
- Confirm fin keel versus optional shoal wing keel for your waters
- Survey spade rudder and lead fin keel for play or separation
- Verify rigging diameters against original 3/8-inch halyards and 1/2-inch sheets
- Budget bottom paint for roughly 355 square feet of wetted surface
- Check teak joinery and hatch seals for ventilation-system wear
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Islander 34-2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 1 | $49,900 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $32,000 | -35.9% |
Where they're listed
Islander 34-2 listings appear across 1 country. Canada has the most listings with 1.
Country view
1 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | $32,000 | 1 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
4 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabre 34-2 | 34.17' | $ 43,000 | 33 | 14 |
| Hanse 342 | 33.96' | $ 73,587 | 22 | 5 |
| Tartan 34-2 | 34.42' | $ 29,900 | 16 | 3 |
| Islander 34-2You are here | — | $ 32,000 | 1 | 0 |