With a waterline of 28 feet 9 inches, a beam of 11 feet 3 inches, and roughly 11,500 pounds of displacement, the boat sits comfortably in the middle of the cruising spectrum rather than at either extreme. Its proportions point to a stable coastal and moderate offshore cruiser.
Design and Construction
The hull is a solid laminate of fiberglass and plastic resin. An interior fiberglass hull liner forms the lockers, seats, and berths, providing the backbone for both the structure and accommodations. The decks follow common practice for the period, with a balsa-wood core.
Short overhangs provide a reasonably long sailing length for the boat’s overall size. The keel is cast iron and came in deep- and shoal-draft versions. The deep-draft keel is a moderate-aspect fin drawing 5 feet 7 inches, intended to provide good windward performance. The shoal keel draws 4 feet 3 inches.
Both versions use the same spade rudder, a large blade intended to provide good control. On the shoal-draft model, however, the rudder reaches almost exactly as deep as the bottom of the keel. That leaves it quite vulnerable to grounding damage.
Rig and Handling
A displacement/length ratio of 216 and a sail area/displacement ratio of 16.45 put the O’Day 34 in a moderate, predictable range—not among featherweight racers or heavy voyagers.
The deep-draft fin provides solid upwind ability, while the oversized rudder gives the boat authority in close quarters. Choosing the shoal-draft version trades some pointing ability for access to thinner water. Its rudder depth remains a significant drawback, since a grounding can strike the keel and rudder together.
Accommodations
Below, the O’Day 34 has a conventional, practical cruising layout. A V-berth cabin is forward, followed by a head to port and hanging lockers to starboard. In the main saloon, port and starboard settees surround a centerline drop-leaf table.
Aft, the quarter berth and navigation station are to starboard. Opposite them is a U-shaped galley to port. Because the fiberglass liner integrates these spaces, the interior feels like one molded environment rather than a collection of added furniture.
Power and Systems
Auxiliary power came from Universal Marine’s three-cylinder, 21-horsepower, fresh-water-cooled diesel. It is installed beneath the bridge deck, with good access on all sides. The fuel tank and water heater are aft of the engine.
This placement and the surrounding layout make routine servicing straightforward compared with many mid-cabin engine installations from the same era.
Known Issues
Occasional osmotic blistering appears on the O’Day 34’s bottom. The cast iron keel is a more consistent concern. Most examples reflect rather poor factory preparation and preservation of the metal, and rust scaling is common unless an owner has taken the time to prepare and preserve the surface properly.
The shoal-draft rudder’s vulnerability to grounding damage is the other issue buyers should weigh.
The Verdict
The O’Day 34 is a sensibly proportioned, Hunt-designed cruiser. Its solid fiberglass hull and molded liner provide a durable, if not glamorous, foundation. The main caveats are cast iron keel preservation and the shoal-draft rudder’s grounding risk; the practical accommodations and accessible engine are quieter strengths.
Pros
- Solid fiberglass hull with an integrated structural liner
- Forward V-berth layout with a proper navigation station and U-shaped galley
- Good all-around engine access beneath the bridge deck
- Moderate fin keel with strong windward manners
Cons
- Cast iron keel commonly shows poor factory preservation and rust scaling
- Shoal-draft rudder is as deep as the keel and vulnerable to grounding
- Occasional osmotic blistering on the bottom
