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Hunter 34
Designer: Cortland Steck  ·  First built: 1983
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About the Hunter 34

Built during Hunter Marine's production era, this 34-foot sailboat represents the manufacturer's focus on accessible cruising for recreational sailors. Hunter's design philosophy emphasized ease of handling and comfortable accommodations, making their boats popular choices for weekend warriors and coastal cruisers seeking a balance between performance and practicality. The Hunter 34 features the builder's characteristic wide beam and spacious interior layout, prioritizing livability over pure sailing performance. This approach created generous cabin space and comfortable berths, appealing to sailors who valued onboard comfort during extended trips or live-aboard situations. The cockpit design typically emphasized ergonomics and ease of line handling, reflecting Hunter's commitment to making sailing more approachable for average sailors. Like many Hunter models from this period, the boat likely incorporated modern construction techniques and featured a fin keel configuration for responsive handling in coastal waters. The design strikes a practical compromise between sailing ability and creature comforts, making it well-suited for coastal cruising, weekend getaways, and casual day sailing. While not built for serious offshore work or competitive racing, the Hunter 34 serves admirably as a versatile coastal cruiser that doesn't intimidate less experienced sailors while still providing satisfying performance under sail.

Market Price Estimate Beta
$15,000 – $17,000
typical asking price
Median $17,000  ·  7 listings used (6 outliers excluded)
All listings
$15,000 – $17,000 7
Rate a listing price
$
About this estimate
  • Prices are based on recent asking prices from public listings — not actual sale prices, which are typically lower.
  • Condition is not factored in. A well-maintained boat with new sails and engine can be worth significantly more than a project boat of the same model.
  • Location affects price. Boats in landlocked states or areas with fewer buyers often sell for less than those on the coast.
  • Year of manufacture is not filtered. Older examples of this model will generally be priced lower than newer ones.
  • Included equipment varies widely. A boat with a full suite of electronics, dodger, and new standing rigging may command a large premium.
  • Outliers are automatically excluded using statistical filtering to improve accuracy, but some bad data may remain.
Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 34.42 ft / 10.49 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 28.25 ft / 8.61 m
Beam 11.58 ft / 3.53 m
Max Draft 5.50 ft / 1.68 m
Displacement 11,820 lb / 5,362 kg
Ballast 5,000 lb / 2,268 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 567 ft² / 52.67 m²
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/spade rudder
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer Cortland Steck
First Built 1983
Last Built 1987
Number Built 800
Related Sailboats Tartan 34 2 · Tanzer 105 · Islander 34 2 · First Class 10 Beneteau · Pearson 34 2
Owner Reviews

No owner reviews yet — be the first to share your experience with this boat.

Performance Ratios
PHRF Rating PHRF (Performance Handicap Racing Fleet) is a national racing handicap measured in seconds per nautical mile. Lower values indicate faster boats. Ratings are sourced from US Sailing's national database (median across 60+ regional fleets).
Under 0 — Ultralight racer0–90 — Performance racer90–150 — Cruiser/racer150–210 — Typical cruiserOver 210 — Heavy/slow cruiser
 159
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 17.45
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 42.3
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 234.05
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 23.08
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 2.04
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 7.12 kn
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 7.01 pounds/inch
How It Compares

vs. First Class 10 Beneteau, Islander 34 2, Pearson 34 2, Tanzer 105, Tartan 34 2

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Hunter 34 ★
34.4 ft
First Class 10 Beneteau
34.3 ft
Islander 34 2
34.3 ft
Pearson 34 2
34.5 ft
Tanzer 105
34.4 ft
Tartan 34 2
34.4 ft
LWL
Hunter 34 ★
28.3 ft
First Class 10 Beneteau
30.1 ft
Islander 34 2
28.0 ft
Pearson 34 2
28.2 ft
Tanzer 105
27.5 ft
Tartan 34 2
28.8 ft
Beam
Hunter 34 ★
11.6 ft
First Class 10 Beneteau
9.7 ft
Islander 34 2
11.0 ft
Pearson 34 2
11.5 ft
Tanzer 105
11.5 ft
Tartan 34 2
11.0 ft
Displacement
Hunter 34 ★
11 lbs
First Class 10 Beneteau
6 lbs
Islander 34 2
9 lbs
Pearson 34 2
11 lbs
Tanzer 105
13 lbs
Tartan 34 2
11 lbs
Ballast
Hunter 34 ★
5 lbs
First Class 10 Beneteau
2 lbs
Islander 34 2
3 lbs
Pearson 34 2
4 lbs
Tanzer 105
5 lbs
Tartan 34 2
4 lbs
Sail Area
Hunter 34 ★
567 sq ft
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
545 sq ft
Pearson 34 2
550 sq ft
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
538 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Hunter 34 ★
159 s/nm
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
210 s/nm
Pearson 34 2
146 s/nm
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
174 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Hunter 34 ★
17.5
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
19.3
Pearson 34 2
17.0
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
17.5
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Hunter 34 ★
42.3 %
First Class 10 Beneteau
35.5 %
Islander 34 2
39.1 %
Pearson 34 2
—
Tanzer 105
43.9 %
Tartan 34 2
40.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Hunter 34 ★
23.1
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
20.5
Pearson 34 2
23.5
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
23.0
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Hunter 34 ★
2.04
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
2.07
Pearson 34 2
2.02
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
1.97
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Hunter 34 ★
234
First Class 10 Beneteau
113
Islander 34 2
196
Pearson 34 2
—
Tanzer 105
279
Tartan 34 2
204
Hull Speed
Hunter 34 ★
7.1 kts
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
7.1 kts
Pearson 34 2
7.1 kts
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
7.2 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Hunter 34 ★
—
First Class 10 Beneteau
—
Islander 34 2
2.7
Pearson 34 2
2.3
Tanzer 105
—
Tartan 34 2
2.7
Resources & Community
⚓ Class Association Hunter Owners 💬 Owners Forum Owners Forum & Discussion
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