Design and Construction
Westerly built the Falcon 34 at Waterlooville, Hampshire, on a solid fiberglass hull with a solid fiberglass deck, carrying iron fin or twin keels and a spade rudder. The hull traces directly to the Seahawk, but the Falcon received a deeper cockpit and, against its centre-cockpit sibling, a much more spacious saloon and cleaner lines — Yachtsnet noted it was better looking than the Seahawk and a successful boat that sailed well. At 33 feet 8 inches overall with a 27-foot waterline, 12-foot-3 beam, and 12,588-pound displacement, the fin-keel version carries 5,732 pounds of ballast (6,171 with bilge keels); the keel width is 97 inches and draft is 4 feet 11 inches on the fin, 3 feet 11 inches on the twin. Westerly's build quality on the Falcon is characteristically solid, and the cockpit itself is spacious.
Rig and Handling
Rigged as a masthead sloop, the Falcon 34 carries a 240-square-foot mainsail with a 485-square-foot No. 1 genoa and 288-square-foot No. 1 jib, combining main and genoa for 727 square feet of sail area. The 28-horsepower Volvo Penta diesel (MD2003) drives a single shaft. Reviewers credited the boat with good sailing performance and an improved turn of speed over the Seahawk, and the Dubois hull underneath gave it a reputation as a boat that handled competently under canvas.
Accommodations
Where the Falcon truly diverges from its centre-cockpit sister is below. The saloon is one of the largest found in any 34-footer, and the layout sleeps seven across three cabins. Forward is a vee-double forecabin, behind which sit the forward heads compartment and hanging locker space. Amidships the unusually large saloon dominates, with the chart table to starboard and the doorway to the aft cabin beside it. Aft, a double cabin tucks below the cockpit with its own en-suite heads — a second head compartment overall. The galley is compact but practical, fitted with twin sinks, a refrigerated icebox, and a two-burner cooker with grill and oven. This interior was deliberately pitched at couples where one partner was less enthusiastic about sailing, and the generous, livable volume is a large part of why the design succeeded.
The Verdict
The Falcon 34 is a small-production Dubois cruiser that took a proven Seahawk hull and made it both better looking and more livable. With only 68 built, it is a comparatively rare boat, but one that pairs solid Westerly construction with a standout aft-cabin layout and a saloon that punches well above its 34 feet.
Pros
- Unusually large saloon for a 34-footer with three cabins and seven berths
- Aft double cabin with private en-suite heads
- Solid Westerly build on a Dubois performance hull
- Fin or twin-keel options for draft flexibility
Cons
- Only 68 built, limiting availability
- Compact galley relative to the rest of the accommodation
- Bilge-keel ballast and draft tradeoffs versus the fin version
