C34 MkII at Pacific Strictly Sail 2008 (w/ C375 flix added)

Stu Jackson · April 21, 2008, 10:45:27 AM

Having the C375 in the water really helps looking at the lines.

I sure hope they don't mess with the C42 or the C34. The C42 that was at the show had the far superior port aft galley. The pullman berth with forward head is still being offered in the brochure, but the one at the show was the best layout that they make: V berth with head, starboard side nav station and settee, port saloon and port aft galley with head to starboard and entrance to single aft cabin. They got this boat right. One great feature is the tall vertical stainless handrail at the edge of the galley, and good handholds throughout. The galley fridge top actually has HINGES from the factory with a strut to hold it up. When I was on the C34 a couple looking at it was wondering about where to put the fridge top, so I explained how to do it to them. You'd think the factory could do on a C34 what they've done on the C42. Details, details...

The C375 has a large open layout, but absolutely poor handholds. I wouldn't want to be down below trying to get to the forward head in any seaway - it would be dangerous. The dodger didn't come with what the local dealer calls "ocean handrails." I suppose the Bay doesn't qualify for handholds on a dodger, but I wouldn't go anywhere without them. The saloon table is a disaster at best - it has a very heavy particle-board tabletop hooked and higned to the bulkhead, a particle board lower support that has to be winged out and then stainless tube supports underneath - a three person job if I ever saw one. The C25 and C30 table arrangements were much better and easier to use. Not having a simple table arrangement is nuts, I think. I hear "they're working on that." The two separate seats to starboard means no full length settee opposite the saloon and no place to layout or stretch out horizontally except for the cabins.

The aft cabin feels MUCH smaller than our aft cabins because of the arrangement of the headliner/cockpit/hull above - a real head-knocker as bad as ours.

The access under the aft cabin is poor - the covers to the areas below would need to be cut to make them in any way manageable. The single big mattress makes getting to them difficult at best - a split mattress would make much more sense.

The saloon is actually a C350 on steroids. I don't think of this as a replacement for the C36 - it's nowhere near as good a sailing boat, more a marina hopper like the C350. The "improved" headroom makes it require handholds that it just doesn't have.

I didn't have time to find the batteries.

The galley is very nice.

The sailing gear is well done (except for that clam cleat).

Jon Schneider · April 21, 2008, 10:58:14 AM

I agree with you on both the C42 and C34. The only thing I'm not crazy about on the C42 is the backstay that is planted off-center. I don't know why they don't just do a bridle like our boats have. And I totally agree about the optimal configuration for the C42 with a vee berth and storage locker (unless you have two kids of different sexes that need their privacy). I don't understand why people seem to like the pullman configuration. Who wants to crawl over his partner to get out? Yet, that configuration seems to have been the most popular.

Very interesting critique of the 375. I can't wait to crawl around on it. I'll let you know if I find the batteries. I'll bet they've continued the ridiculous practice of installing 8Ds. I wonder if they've gotten smart and co-located a starter battery next to the engine with a separate switch on any of their models?

Steve Sayian · April 21, 2008, 11:51:34 AM

When the 375 was premiered at the Boston show this winter, many of the brokers also commented on the lack of hand holds in the cabin. I happen to speak to Gerry Douglas about that and he said that they are looking into that issue.

David Sanner · April 21, 2008, 01:56:36 PM

I'd say the dipstick hatch must have been an after thought... I can
only imagine the amount of added noise the comes up through that
little piece of wood. The quality of the thin plastic surface on the
engine cover and areas like the chart table was also less than impressive.

I'm not sure why they didn't insulate the forward icebox/fridge?
...the bottom of it is the hull...

A couple of other obvious issues like the crazy routing of the
jib furler line and the massive electronics package at the
helm aren't to my taste but I did like the layout below including
the shower in the head and side access to the forward birth,
flip up table.

What I'm wondering is how she sails? Here are some numbers:

Hull Length / ( LWL ) (Beam) (LWL/Beam) (draft) (disp)
34 = 34-6 (lwl 29-10) (11-9) (2.54) (5-7) (12k->15k)
350 = 35-3 (lwl 31-3) (13) (2.4) (6-8) (13k)
375 = 37-4 (lwl 34-5) (13) (2.65) (6-10) (15.5k)
387 = 38-9 (lwl 32-5) (12-4) (2.63) (7-2) (19k)
42 = 41-10 (lwl 36-0) (13-10) (2.6) (6-8) (20.5k)

The 375 numbers look pretty good if it's really 15.5k lbs...
though I wonder about the lwl ... what's the LWL under sail?
(displacement to length looks good)

Jon Schneider · April 21, 2008, 02:03:20 PM

Dave, I suspect all of the displacement numbers are off, hopefully equally. I'm shocked by how short the 387's LWL is. Given its displacement, no wonder I blow by them ('cause it sure ain't my great sailing ability).

Stu Jackson · April 21, 2008, 06:20:30 PM

Dave,

We saw the forward "icebox" area as dry storage, not a fridge, but maybe a cooler if you added your own ice.

The particle board finish is a real downer.

Just teak oiled our REAL teak (down below) onboard this afternoon. No water based teak finish on our boat.

David Sanner · April 21, 2008, 11:55:04 PM

I figured that's what they were trying to pass off the forward 'icebox' for
but what a place to save a few dollars... especially since the main ice
box isn't very large. And... last I checked, most iceboxes were
insulated... guess it would work ok for trash.

I can understand that they try and save some money here or
there on the finishes but the finish on the chart table was already
chipping off... both the chart table and the engine cover are high
visibility spots. I wonder how much water is going to pour down
that oil check hole over the years.

Overall loads of room down below with the table up. A nice setup.

Still, I wonder what the PHRF rating will wind up being...
...is CY still building boats that perform?

Stu Jackson · April 22, 2008, 07:10:13 AM

Dave

In the galley picture looking aft that I posted, there is the forward "dry storage", then the aft top accessed fridge (or icebox or freezer) and then a vertical forward opening Waeco separate refrigerator. I think they locked the door, we couldn't get it to open.

I agree on the finishes. It's almost like the "paper" covering will peel within a week! The detailing on the rough edge of that oil dip stick hole...

Rating? I'd think that people who own that boat wouldn't even think of it, like the C350 folks, it's a different breed. Performance boats: C34, C42 - that's all that's left (maybe the C470 but that's also a different boat with a different purpose).

It's really a crying shame

that they discontinued the C36!