Design and Construction
The 340 measures 33.46 feet, with a waterline length of 28.38 feet and a beam of 11.15 feet. Her L/B ratio of 2.95 describes a moderately broad hull. She displaces 14,330 pounds and carries 5,071 pounds of lead ballast, giving her a ballast ratio of 37 percent and a displacement-length ratio of 279.
Those figures place her firmly in the heavy-displacement cruiser class. An immersion rate of 198 kg/cm (1,109 lbs/inch) indicates that she sits deep and moves slowly through the water when loaded. Her wetted surface is about 33 square meters, consistent with a full-bodied cruising hull rather than a stripped-out racer.
Construction is traditional: a solid fiberglass hull, die-cast fiberglass deck, lead keel, and stainless-steel fuel tank. A capsize screening value of 1.84 and a Motion Comfort Ratio of 28.1 to 30.7 put the 340 among the steadier, more forgiving designs of her size. Those numbers match her evident purpose as a short-handed family cruiser rather than a regatta boat.
Rig, Handling, and Performance
The 340 carries a masthead sloop rig, a simple and robust arrangement suited to cruising sailors who value predictability over a tall, twitchy fractional setup. Her theoretical hull speed is 7.1 knots.
Draft varies from roughly 1.60 to 1.70 meters (5.25 to 5.55 feet), depending on load. That should keep her within most marina depths while retaining useful ballast-driven righting moment.
Recorded performance under power varies with the engine. A Volvo Penta 2003 delivers a maximum speed of 7.0 knots, while a later Volvo Penta MD2040 is calculated at about 6.5 knots. Both use shaft-drive transmissions.
Accommodations and Tankage
Below, the 340 has two cabins and 3+2 berths, with mahogany joinery throughout—the warm, traditional interior finish found in many Nordic cruisers of the period. The layout suggests forward and aft sleeping spaces, with the saloon settees making up the additional berths. It favors privacy and enclosed stowage over an open bunk-room arrangement.
Tankage comprises 53 gallons of water and 40 gallons of diesel. That capacity supports extended coastal cruising or modest offshore passages without constant replenishment stops.
Known Issues and Refits
A period rig photograph of a 1990-hull 340 shows a mast dated 1999 and a Selden furling mainsail that were explicitly not original equipment. Buyers and owners should therefore treat the mast and mainsail-handling system on any individual 340 as potentially later upgrades, rather than assuming they’re factory-fitted. The age and compatibility of the spar and furling gear should be verified accordingly on any 340.
The Verdict
The Najad 340 is a conservative, well-founded small cruiser from the Karlsson–Najad partnership. She’s heavy enough to be comfortable in a seaway, simple enough in rig and systems for a competent owner to maintain, and finished in a manner that ages gracefully. She won’t win around the buoys, but she was never meant to.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull and die-cast fiberglass deck
- Lead keel and stainless-steel fuel tank
- Steady, sea-kindly figures: capsize screening value of 1.84 and a comfort ratio of about 29
- Two cabins and 3+2 berths in a mahogany-finished interior
- Draft of 5.25–5.55 feet keeps her within most marina depths
Cons
- Original rig equipment has been replaced on at least one example; verify the mast and furling-mainsail age on any boat
- Heavy displacement and modest sail area limit light-air performance
