Design and Construction
The English version of the S&S 34 carried a slightly raised doghouse, while the Australian boats built by Swarbrick Brothers used an uninterrupted cabin trunk. Original U.K.-built hulls had a step-down coach roof and lower deck line joining the hull to form a bulwark. Aquafibre produced hulls that were often finished by other yards. The design was exported to the United States as the Palmer Johnson 34, built in Denmark as the Sagitta 35, and in Italy as the Impala 35. About 200 have been built since the class appeared in 1967, including 130 in Australia, where they are loved to this day.
The S&S 34 has been built with slightly different specifications over the last 40 years. Swarbrick Brothers initially built the Mk 1 with a straight coach roof and single-spreader or cruising rig, then later the Mk 2 with a slightly taller twin-spreader rig, Mk 2 keel, and spade rudder. The Mk 2 keel carries a lower centre of gravity and a different profile than the Mk 1 keel. Cottesloe Yachts and Swarbrick & Swarbrick Yachts now build the design with vacuum-infusion and a slightly modified tall rig.
Rig and Handling
The S&S 34 carries a relatively tall masthead rig with a high-aspect mainsail and enlarged foresail, a configuration regarded as innovative for its day. The original S&S specification gave a forestay height of 40 feet and a mainsail luff of 35 feet, while the Mk 2 tall rig pushed the forestay to 43 feet with a mainsail luff near 38 feet, and current tall-rig boats measure close to those maxima. The hull is easily driven and only about 20 horsepower is required to reach hull speed. She remains hard to beat to windward in more than 10 knots, and owners have reported tacking through 80 degrees. With a 50 percent ballast ratio she is a stiff boat, taking a first reef only at a hefty 25 knots, and as she heels the waterline length increases significantly. She can hold her course when beating to windward without active steering, sea state permitting, and is forgiving of mistakes and rough treatment.
Accommodations
Down below, the standard Australian cabin offers 6 feet 1 inch of headroom, tapering to an inch lower at the main bulkhead. A sea-going quarter berth lies to port with a navigation station just forward, and the galley to starboard. Hanging lockers and a head sit forward of the saloon, while a rather tight V-berth at the forepeak has 5 feet 10 inches of headroom. The boat is listed with six berths in total.
Known Issues
The record shows only one S&S 34 has ever been lost at sea, a notable point given the number sent solo around the world. The original S&S plans listed calculated parameters such as displacement-to-length ratios that are not accurate, because all boats were built heavier than the design weight. Practical measurements have shown the pounds-per-inch immersion figure to be fairly accurate, so weight growth affected the ratio estimates rather than the immersion behavior.
The Verdict
Over 40 years on, the S&S 34 is still a quick boat, renowned for heavy-weather performance and exceptional speed to windward when introduced. Its bloodline runs through single-handed record attempts and ocean races alike, and the later Mk 2 refinement with lower-CG keel and skeg rudder kept the concept current. Robust in every detail, the design rewards a buyer who understands its generation-specific ballast and rig differences.
Pros
- Stiff, easily driven hull with only 20hp needed for hull speed
- Outstanding windward ability and heavy-weather record
- Proven in solo circumnavigation and Sydney Hobart competition
- Long production with Mk 1 and Mk 2 refinement paths
Cons
- Original design ratios understate true displacement
- Tight V-berth headroom at forepeak
- Mk 1 keel ballast figures vary across plan and built weights
