Resources

The information below should be of general interest to Coast 34 owners. Please contact us if you have a review, manual, or other document you would like to share with other owners.

By Herb McCormick, Crusing World, August 1993

British Columbia's Randle Yacht Corporation is the purveyor behind the Coast 34, a husky, canoe-sterned, semi-custom sailboat that has a lot to offer the cruising sailor. Built by Canada's Marquis Marine, the boat is available in either finished or kit form, with sloop or cutter rig, and with a variety of interior laybuts and options.

The design has had an interesting evolution. The lines were penned by Graham Shannon while in the employ of designer/builder Bruce Roberts, and the boat was originally known as the Roberts 34 1. About 35 boats have been built to date.

We test-sailed hull number 30, Tether, owned by Ted and Heather Taylor, on English Harbor outside Vancouver late last fall. The Taylors had purchased a Coast 34 and were "commuting from their Calgary home while preparing for an extended cruise. They were obviously thrilled with their boat.

In extremely light breezes we were able to maneuver and work upwind quite nicely, a tribute to the modified fin and big skeg/rudder underwater configuration; the Coast 34 may resemble a Baba 35 above the waterline, but she tells a different tale below. Powering back to the dock, the standard 27-horsepower Yanmar slid us along near hull speed. If he had it to do over, Ted Taylor would specify a slightly larger engine -- not for motoring, but for driving more accessories.

Construction is solid and straightforward. Klegecell foam coring is used above the waterline and in the decks. Ballast is internal lead. The double-spreader rig features a high-aspect mainsail, is available as a sloop or cutter, and is deck-stepped. Side decks are expansive for a boat this size, and are bordered with a substantial bulwark. There is loads of storage throughout, including a huge cockpit seat locker.

Tether's interior was completed by Napier Custom Yachts on Vancouver Island, and they did a splendid job. The predominantly dark mahogany interior might seem a bit too rich for some tastes -- particularly amid the relatively close space in the forward cabin -- but that is a personal preference easily changed by another owner. In the end, that's one of the great things about the Coast 34: You can have one your way.

Specifications: LOA 34'4"; LWL 28'8"; Beam 12'0", Draft 5'6" Ballast 6,500 lbs.; Displacement 15,750 lbs.; Sail area 628 sq.ft.

For more information contact The Randle Yacht Corp., 1210 Pipeline Rd., Port Coquitlam, B.C., Canada V3B 4S1. Phone (604) 941-1688.