At just over ten and a half meters, the Show 34 looks every bit the thoroughbred IOR racer, both above and below the waterline. She has a flush deck, a small deckhouse, pronounced beam, and a raised stern worked to exploit the rating chain.
Design and Construction
The result is unmistakably a racing hull. The maximum beam is very pronounced, while the waterline length is not inconsiderable relative to the overall length.
Peterson took direct advantage of the IOR tonnage regulations to extract the best result within the class rating. Soon after launch, the boat was campaigned in the 3/4 Ton Cup in Norway.
The hull is solid fiberglass. The deck is a fiberglass sandwich using polyurethane and marine plywood. Below, the cabin has 1.90 meters of headroom. Outside, the flush deck and small deckhouse reinforce the boat’s racing intent rather than cruising comfort.
Rig, Sails, and Engine
The sail plan is typical of a racing boat. A soundproof light-alloy mast carries internal halyards for the spinnaker, mistragon, and mainsail. The light-alloy boom has a reefing device for rapid reef take-up via winch, along with a hoist to tension the mainsheet.
Four sails came as standard:
- Mainsail
- Medium genoa
- Jib
- Storm jib
Two engine options were offered: a 12-hp Farymann and a larger 20-hp Farymann.
Accommodations
Boretti’s interior fits seven berths, including two doubles, into ten and a half meters without abandoning a racer’s discipline. The galley is large for a boat of this size and includes a swinging stove, sink, refrigerator, chest-cellar, drawer-basket for fruit, and a hatch-bin for garbage.
The single toilet room was built in Fibraclas unibloc and includes a shower, recovery box, and automatic discharge pump. A large, streamlined charting nook serves the navigator. The waxing cabinet has its own scuppers for water drainage.
Two decorative schemes were offered. One used Tanganyika walnut with beige and brown tones; the other used naga wood, with blue and white as the dominant colors.
The Verdict
The Show 34 is a rule-driven racer that wears its IOR pedigree openly: a beamy, flush-decked Peterson hull paired with a Boretti interior that somehow accommodates seven berths. She’s a period expression of the 3/4 Ton idea, not a cruiser with racing lines. Her sandwich deck over a solid-fiberglass hull honestly reflects the construction of her era.
Pros
- Racing-bred Douglas Peterson hull with pronounced beam and strong waterline length
- Four sails supplied as standard
- Soundproof alloy mast with internal halyards
- Seven berths, including two doubles, in just over 33 feet
- Large galley and streamlined charting nook in Boretti’s layout
Cons
- Flush deck and racing focus limit cruising amenities
- A single toilet room serves seven berths
- Aging plywood-cored sandwich deck invites scrutiny
