Sweden 340 Sailboats for Sale

The construction itself is a sandwich fiberglass hull and deck throughout, which does two things of practical value: it keeps the interior noticeably warmer and drier in cold-water sailing regions by reducing condensation, and it produces a stiffer, quieter structure than solid-glass contemporaries. The ballast is lead, which means the fin keel is more compact than an iron equivalent and contributes to the boat's well-regarded stiffness under sail. The masthead rig keeps the sail plan relatively low and uncomplicated, a deliberate choice that favors reliability and ease of handling for a short-handed couple over outright racing efficiency.

Layouts on the Used Market

The Sweden 340 was offered in a standard interior configuration carrying three cabins and six berths, with the expected V-berth forward, a main saloon, and an aft or quarter cabin depending on the fit-out. The mahogany interior woodwork is a consistent feature across the production run — well suited to the boat's intended market and typically found in good condition on boats that have been properly ventilated. The galley is a proper offshore installation with meaningful fresh water tankage, and the holding tank arrangement reflects the Scandinavian market's early compliance with marine sanitation standards.

Buyers should be aware that the Sweden 340 was offered with keel alternatives: the standard deep fin, a shallower fin, and a wing keel variant. The wing keel version offers meaningfully reduced draft and easier access to shoal anchorages and tidal marinas, but the geometry of wing keels from this period can trap fishing gear, kelp, and line, and should be inspected carefully around the keel-hull joint. The deep fin versions offer the best windward performance and are generally preferred by bluewater-oriented buyers.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

The Volvo Penta saildrive diesel is the engine found in essentially all examples, and it is well-regarded for longevity when properly serviced. The saildrive leg itself — rather than a traditional shaft and cutlass bearing — is the item that receives the most attention from surveyors on boats of this age, particularly the rubber seal between the saildrive housing and the hull. The stainless steel fuel tank is a premium specification that eliminates the corrosion concerns common to alloy tanks on similar-era boats.

The masthead rig means that owners who have upgraded running rigging are typically working with fairly straightforward geometry. A 135% genoa is the commonly seen working headsail, and boats that have been actively cruised often carry a furling system that is either original or a later upgrade to modern low-friction designs. Roller furling for the main is a frequent owner addition on boats intended for short-handed sailing. Chartplotters, AIS transponders, and VHF DSC radios are standard additions found across the fleet as older instruments have been swapped out.

What to Inspect

The sandwich construction that makes this boat comfortable also demands careful osmotic inspection. Delamination within the sandwich core is the primary structural concern on fiberglass sandwich boats of this generation, and a survey should include both moisture meter readings across the hull below the waterline and careful percussion testing of the deck surfaces for soft spots, particularly around deck hardware, chainplates, and the mast step area. The deck fittings on boats used in cold, wet northern conditions can allow water ingress into the balsa or foam core layer over decades, and any softness underfoot should be treated as a priority finding rather than a cosmetic one.

The saildrive seal is a maintenance item with a defined service life, and buyers should confirm when the seal was last replaced and budget for its renewal if the service history is unclear. A failed saildrive seal introduces water into the bilge at a rate that demands immediate attention. The transmission housing should be inspected for cracks or corrosion around the hull penetration.

Chainplate attachment points and the surrounding laminate deserve thorough inspection, as does the condition of the standing rigging. Boats that have spent their lives in salt-water environments may have corrosion hidden behind the liner in areas where rigging passes through the deck. The lead keel bolts and the keel-to-hull joint should be inspected by a qualified surveyor; any staining or weeping around the keel root is worth investigating before purchase. On wing keel variants, the junction geometry makes a visual and physical inspection of the keel joint particularly important.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

The Sweden 340 is most readily encountered on the European used market, with the strongest concentration of examples in Scandinavia and the Baltic, where the boat was originally marketed and where owners have maintained these boats through multiple decades. Secondary markets in the United Kingdom and the broader Northwestern European coast also carry examples with some regularity. Boats do surface in North America from time to time, typically brought over by owners who have delivered them across the Atlantic, and these examples can represent genuine value if the crossing has been done properly and the boat has been well maintained.

For a buyer, the key checklist before making an offer:

• Commission a full out-of-water survey with specific attention to the sandwich core condition, deck hardware bedding, and keel joint
• Confirm saildrive seal service history and inspect the saildrive leg for corrosion or cracking
• Verify keel type and, for wing keel variants, inspect the keel-hull junction carefully
• Review the standing rigging age and chainplate condition, particularly where rigging passes through the deck
• Confirm engine service history and check transmission for oil contamination that may indicate saildrive seal failure
• Inspect the mahogany interior for evidence of persistent leaks, which will show in the headliner and at portlight frames
• Confirm holding tank and sea-cock condition, which on older Scandinavian boats may have been upgraded to meet more recent regulations