The S&S 34 Sailboat

About 200 boats have been built, approximately 50 in the United Kingdom and the remainder in Australia. The first boats were built by Winfield & Partners/Aquafibre in the UK, and later by Swarbrick & Swarbrick in Australia. Swarbricks continue to build S&S 34 boats to order from the original moulds.

The S&S 34 has a long history of racing success, both in crewed and solo events. Some of the highlights are:

• The first production S&S 34 built was Morning Cloud, owned by Sir Edward Heath, who won the 1969 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race and a class win in the Fastnet Race;

• S&S 34 designs were overall or prize winners in every Sydney-Hobart race from 1969 to 1974;

• They were placed 1st and 2nd in the 1979 Parmelia Race and won the 1996 Lord Howe Island Race;

• Deerstalker won the 1989 North Sea Race, another Fastnet class win in 1991, and a win in the 1992 Round Britain and Ireland Race;

• The S&S 34 has also been used for several single-handed sailing circumnavigations, such as by Jon Sanders in Perie Banou (1981–82), David Dicks in Seaflight (1996–97) and Jesse Martin in Lionheart (1998-1999);

• Jessica Watson unofficially became the youngest ever solo non-stop unassisted sailor on her S&S 34 Pink Lady in 2010.

The S&S 34 has a hull speed of about 7 knots, which can be exceeded in favourable conditions. It has a performance rating of about 0.900, which means it can sail about 90% as fast as an ideal boat of the same length. It is comparable to other similar boats such as the UFO 34 and slightly faster than the Contessa 32.

The S&S 34 is designed to be a comfortable cruising yacht that can accommodate up to six people in two cabins. It has a spacious saloon with a dinette table, a galley with a stove and sink, a navigation station with a chart table, and a head with a toilet and shower. It has ample storage space for gear and provisions, as well as water tanks and batteries. It is well-ventilated and insulated, and has good headroom throughout.

The S&S 34 is a well-balanced and responsive boat that can be sailed and handled by a single person or a small crew. It has a simple and efficient rig with a masthead sloop configuration, a roller-furling genoa, and a slab-reefing mainsail. It has a tiller steering system with a skeg-hung rudder that provides good feedback and control. It has a reliable and economical diesel engine that can power the boat at about 6 knots.

The S&S 34 is a very safe and seaworthy boat that can withstand harsh conditions and heavy weather. It has a strong and solid fibreglass hull that is reinforced with longitudinal stringers and transverse frames. It has a deep and heavy lead keel that provides stability and reduces the risk of capsize. It has a self-draining cockpit with high coamings and a bridgedeck that prevents water ingress. It has a sturdy mast and rigging that can handle high winds and waves.