Design and Construction
J&J Design gave the Salona 34 a solid fiberglass monohull with an uncored hull and a fin keel with a bulb. Salona Yachts bonded a structural stainless steel internal frame into the hull to distribute keel, mast, and shroud loads. During this period, the yard used vacuum resin infusion, vinyl ester resin, and tri-axial laminates for its hulls and decks. Transparent gel coat below the waterline allowed the laminate to be inspected visually.
The Salona 34 displaces roughly 10,800 pounds on a 31-foot waterline and carries a beam just shy of 11 feet. Her displacement-length ratio of 178 places her among “light racers.” A ballast ratio near 29 percent and a capsize screening value of 1.99 put her in credible offshore-competent territory for a boat of this length.
A length-to-beam ratio of 2.98 and motion comfort ratio of 22.0 describe a lively, somewhat narrow hull. She’ll move with a seaway rather than simply shoulder through it.
Rig, Keel, and Performance
The fractional sloop carries more rig than 99 percent of comparable sailboats. The Yacht Database review ties this deliberate over-rigging directly to the boat’s light-racer character.
With the ISO reference sail, the sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 18.5. A 135 percent genoa raises it to 21.6. The total sail plan measures 748 square feet, and on a 10,800-pound hull, that helps explain the Salona 34’s turn of speed. Her theoretical displacement-hull speed is 7.3 knots.
The halyard and sheet specifications are generous for a boat of this size. The mainsail, jib, and spinnaker halyards are each 32.5 meters of 10 mm line. The mainsheet is 25 meters of 12 mm line, while the genoa sheets are 10 meters of 12 mm line. Those dimensions reflect a tall, powerful rig rather than a weekend compromise.
Wetted surface is about 376 square feet. Draft varies with load from 5.74 to 6.04 feet, allowing access to most marinas while preserving useful ballast-to-keel bite.
Machinery and Accommodations
The Salona 34 was produced as a cruiser-racer, with a 48-gallon water tank and a 24-gallon diesel tank feeding a single 21-horsepower Yanmar.
The builder’s infusion process and internal frame produced a stiff structure, while the nearly 11-foot beam gives the interior a broader footprint than the boat’s length might suggest. The accommodation is best understood in the context of the hull: this is a light, beamy boat intended to cruise with two or four people and pursue race-weekend ambitions, rather than for high-density, long-term living aboard.
Ownership Considerations
The generous rig that gives the Salona 34 her speed also relies on long, heavily loaded running rigging. Owners should expect the 32.5-meter halyards and 25-meter mainsheet to be regular wear items requiring maintenance.
The transparent gel coat below the waterline is a construction feature, not a fault. However, its usefulness depends on the hull not having been painted over, which would conceal the visual laminate check that the builder provided.
The Verdict
The Salona 34 is a focused, light-displacement cruiser-racer. J&J Design and Salona Yachts combined an infusion-built solid fiberglass hull, a structural stainless steel frame, and a fractional rig that is genuinely overpowered for the boat’s length. She suits sailors looking for 7-knot potential and relatively easy marina access without moving up to a 40-foot platform.
Pros
- Light-racer displacement-length ratio of 178, with a ballast ratio near 29 percent
- Fractional rig carrying more sail area than 99 percent of comparable boats
- Bulb fin keel with a load-dependent draft of 5.74 to 6.04 feet, supporting marina access
- Infusion-built solid fiberglass hull with a structural stainless steel frame
Cons
- A motion comfort ratio of 22.0 means a lively, sometimes harsh motion in chop
- The overpowered rig demands diligent halyard and sheet maintenance
- Production ended in 2011, limiting the pool of modern upgrades
