S&S 34 Buyer's Guide
The S&S 34 is a Sparkman & Stephens design launched in 1967 that became a favorite for solo circumnavigation and offshore racing, with about 200 built including 130 in Australia. On the used market you will meet Mk 1 boats with straight coach roofs and single-spreader rigs, later Mk 2 versions with taller twin-spreader rigs and spade rudders, and current vacuum-infused builds from Cottesloe and Swarbrick & Swarbrick with modified tall rigs. Knowing which generation you are looking at matters, because keel ballast and rig geometry differ between them.
Layouts on the Used Market
The standard Australian cabin shows 6 feet 1 inch of headroom tapering slightly at the main bulkhead, with a port quarter sea berth and nav station forward of it. The galley is to starboard, hanging lockers and head sit forward of the saloon, and a tight forepeak V-berth has 5 feet 10 inches of headroom. English-built boats differ in a slightly raised doghouse, while original U.K. hulls used a step-down coach roof with a bulwark formed by the deck line. Aquafibre hulls were often finished by other yards, so interior joinery quality varies by finisher rather than by the mold.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
The most consequential buyer differences are rig-related: Mk 1 boats may carry the original short rig or cruising rig, while Mk 2 and later tall rigs reach a 43-foot forestay and near-38-foot mainsail luff. A vacuum-infused current build represents the newest structure and a slightly modified tall rig. Review any genoa inventory against the class maximum of 150 percent LP and confirm the spinnaker size matches the rig generation before assuming sail compatibility.
What to Inspect
The single documented loss at sea across the entire class is one boat, so structural survival has been exceptional. The real verification work is in the numbers. Original S&S plans listed displacement and length ratios that are not accurate because every boat came out heavier than the design weight, so do not trust a spec sheet's ratio claims at face value. Check the keel identity: Mk 1 built ballast runs 5,450 lbs, Mk 2 current ballast about 5,214 lbs, and the original Mk 2 mold was lost so its weight is uncertain though likely a few kilograms less than current due to bolt galleries cast into the new keel. Confirm the rig is as labeled—Mk 1 maximum forestay 41 feet, Mk 2 and current 43 feet—because some boats measured less than class maxima. Verify pounds-per-inch immersion behavior with a load test if possible; that figure has proven accurate even though ratio estimates have not.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Focus on the boat itself.
- Check whether the keel and rig are Mk 1 or Mk 2 before negotiating.
- Weigh documented ballast against built figures, not plan ratios.
- Confirm forestay height matches the claimed rig generation.
- Inspect keel-bolt galleries on any Mk 2 with lost-mold history.
- Test immersion response under realistic load.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabre 34 | 34.18' | $ 24,500 | 39 | 5 |
| Sparkman and Stephens S&S 34 | 33.42' | $ 27,366 | 17 | 3 |
| Pearson 34 | 33.79' | $ 16,000 | 16 | 6 |
| Sweden Yachts C34 | 34' | $ 51,242 | 12 | 3 |
| Sea Sprite 34 | 33.84' | $ 28,000 | 11 | 5 |
| Seastream 34 | 34' | $ 42,505 | 9 | 0 |