Design and Construction
Both hull and deck are solid fiberglass, and the boat was offered with several keel alternatives — each a fin configuration, with draft varying by load. The standard fin draws about 5.6 to 5.9 feet, while a shoaler fin option brings that down to roughly 4.7 to 5.0 feet, letting the boat enter even shallow marinas when lightly loaded. The length-to-beam ratio of 3.14 and a 36 percent ballast ratio describe a reasonably proportioned hull with a documented immersion rate of about 999 pounds per inch. Her wetted surface is approximately 322 square feet, and the displacement-length ratio of 255 places her among what one review termed "moderate racers" rather than heavy cruisers.
Rig and Handling
As a fractional sloop, the Maxi 34 carries a sail area near 592 square feet and a calculated maximum speed around 4.9 knots, against a theoretical displacement-hull limit of about 7.0 knots. The capsize screening value is 1.87, and the Motion Comfort Ratio falls in the 23.5 to 27.0 band — figures that frame her as a stable, if not exceptionally soft-riding, coastal design. A Volvo Penta MD202S diesel of 21 horsepower drives a saildrive transmission, a configuration that simplifies the powertrain but carries the usual underwater gear considerations of that leg type.
Accommodations
The record notes no interior arrangement details beyond the boat's three-cabin owner layout being more common on the used market and a two-cabin alternative also having existed. With 36 gallons of water and 21 gallons of diesel, the systems support weekend and short coastal cruising rather than long independent passages. The solid-fiberglass deck and hull give a straightforward structure without cored panels in the primary shell.
Known Issues
The saildrive leg is the one component a survey should examine closely for seal and corrosion history, consistent with the transmission type rather than any reported failure.
Refits and Ownership
Production ended in 1998 after 71 boats, and the brand passed through Nimbus Boats AB before later acquisitions; for an owner this means dealing with a small, discontinued model whose spares trace to Volvo Penta and standard Maxi Yachts fittings. Sailing Today published a used-boat test of a Maxi 34 in its October 2010 issue, confirming the model's presence in the long-term fleet.
The Verdict
The Maxi 34 is a Petterson-designed coastal sloop of moderate displacement and multiple fin-keel drafts, built in small numbers with a simple solid-glass hull and a saildrive diesel. She is a rational choice for shoal-draft cruising where marina access matters more than offshore range.
Pros
- Several fin-keel drafts, including a shoal option under 5 feet for shallow marinas
- Solid fiberglass hull and deck, no cored primary structure
- Designed by Pelle Petterson with a documented moderate-racer profile
Cons
- Saildrive transmission requires specific inspection and seal maintenance
- Small production run limits parts commonality and resale liquidity
