Townson 34 Buyer's Guide
Shopping for a Townson 34 means looking at one of the rarer 34-foot sloops afloat — a Des Townson design built from 1977 in small numbers, with solid fibreglass construction and a fin keel. These are New Zealand boats at heart, and the used market for them is correspondingly narrow.
Layouts on the Used Market
The Townson 34 is a 34-foot masthead sloop with a 28-foot waterline and a 10.5-foot beam The Townson 34 is built with a masthead rig., giving a conventional coastal-cruiser footprint. With only a few hulls built, each boat offers essentially the same layout. Fresh water capacity is 151 liters, so onboard tankage is fixed and modest.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, Townson 34s commonly carry solar panels, electric winches, autopilot, and a chartplotter. Together these mean a boat set up for short-handed sailing and basic navigation. Electric winches and autopilot in particular suggest many survivors were upgraded for easier single- or two-person handling.
What to Inspect
The Townson 34 shows no model-specific structural or rigging defects, but the class's age means a viewing should confirm general fibreglass condition. Check the solid hull and deck for osmotic blistering or crazing, and verify the lead-ballasted fin keel attachment and spade rudder stock for play. Inspect the masthead rig's half-inch sheets — mainsheet about 85 feet, genoa and jib sheets about 34 feet — for UV damage if the boat has sat with old sails.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in New Zealand. For a buyer, the takeaway is straightforward:
- Confirm hull and deck are free of blistering
- Check keel bolt and rudder stock for movement
- Verify electric winches and autopilot function
- Inspect sail sheets for UV degradation
- Survey the 151-liter water tank for integrity
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Townson 34. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 1 row
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 26 | 2 | $12,915 | — |
Where they're listed
Townson 34 listings appear across 1 country. New Zealand has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Zealand | $12,915 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
10 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina 34 | 34.5' | $ 32,500 | 155 | 47 |
| Dehler 34 | 33.13' | $ 42,006 | 91 | 28 |
| Contessa 32 | 32' | $ 32,984 | 68 | 20 |
| Sabre 34 | 34.18' | $ 23,750 | 40 | 2 |
| Oday 34 | 34' | $ 21,000 | 32 | 11 |
| Sadler 34 | 34.75' | $ 31,208 | 22 | 7 |
| Pearson 34 | 33.79' | $ 19,900 | 17 | 7 |
| Barberis 34 | 33.67' | $ 29,124 | 11 | 2 |
| CS 34 | 33.5' | $ 41,700 | 8 | 5 |
| Townson 34You are here | — | $ 12,915 | 2 | 0 |