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Vixen 34
Designer: T. M. Hale & Assoc.  ·  Builder: Martha's Vineyard Shipyard  ·  First built: 1975
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About the Vixen 34

Relatively little documentation has surfaced about the Vixen 34, making it something of an enigma among production sailboats of its era. What can be inferred from its naming convention suggests a mid-sized cruising or coastal cruiser-racer aimed at sailors seeking a capable and manageable bluewater-capable platform. The 34-foot range is a perennially popular choice among buyers for good reason — boats of this size tend to strike a practical balance between comfortable liveaboard space, singlehanded or shorthanded manageability, and the ability to tackle offshore passages with confidence. For prospective buyers researching the Vixen 34, digging into builder records, original sales literature, and owner forums will likely be the most reliable path to understanding her design heritage and on-the-water reputation. Connecting with current or past owners can reveal invaluable insight into her sailing characteristics, construction quality, and any known maintenance considerations. If you're encountering a Vixen 34 on the used market, a thorough survey by a qualified marine surveyor is especially recommended given the limited publicly available specification data for this model.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 34.33 ft / 10.46 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 27.42 ft / 8.36 m
Beam 10.50 ft / 3.20 m
Max Draft 5.20 ft / 1.58 m
Displacement 12,500.00 lb / 5,670 kg
Ballast 5,200.00 lb / 2,359 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 552.00 ft² / 51.28 m²
Headroom 6.25 ft / 1.91 m
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin with rudder on skeg
Rigging Type Masthead Sloop
Construction FG
Designer T. M. Hale & Assoc.
Builder Martha's Vineyard Shipyard
First Built 1975
Related Sailboats Tartan 34 2 · Sabre 34 · Hunter 34 · Islander 34 2 · Irwin 34 Citation
Owner Reviews

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Known Issues & What to Watch For

No known issues documented for this model yet.

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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
 16.46
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
 28.58
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
 1.81
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. 7.02
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.92
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. 1.0
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 40.9
J (Foretriangle Base) 13.8
P (Mainsail Luff) 37.5
E (Mainsail Foot) 14.0
SA Fore 282.21
SA Main 262.5
How It Compares

vs. Hunter 34, Irwin 34 Citation, Islander 34 2, Sabre 34, Tartan 34 2

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Vixen 34 ★
34.3 ft
Hunter 34
34.4 ft
Irwin 34 Citation
34.3 ft
Islander 34 2
34.3 ft
Sabre 34
34.2 ft
Tartan 34 2
34.4 ft
LWL
Vixen 34 ★
27.4 ft
Hunter 34
28.3 ft
Irwin 34 Citation
27.3 ft
Islander 34 2
28.0 ft
Sabre 34
26.3 ft
Tartan 34 2
28.8 ft
Beam
Vixen 34 ★
10.5 ft
Hunter 34
11.6 ft
Irwin 34 Citation
11.3 ft
Islander 34 2
11.0 ft
Sabre 34
10.5 ft
Tartan 34 2
11.0 ft
Displacement
Vixen 34 ★
12 lbs
Hunter 34
11 lbs
Irwin 34 Citation
11 lbs
Islander 34 2
9 lbs
Sabre 34
11 lbs
Tartan 34 2
11 lbs
Ballast
Vixen 34 ★
5 lbs
Hunter 34
5 lbs
Irwin 34 Citation
4 lbs
Islander 34 2
3 lbs
Sabre 34
4 lbs
Tartan 34 2
4 lbs
Sail Area
Vixen 34 ★
552 sq ft
Hunter 34
567 sq ft
Irwin 34 Citation
538 sq ft
Islander 34 2
545 sq ft
Sabre 34
506 sq ft
Tartan 34 2
538 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Vixen 34 ★
159 s/nm
Hunter 34
159 s/nm
Irwin 34 Citation
168 s/nm
Islander 34 2
210 s/nm
Sabre 34
132 s/nm
Tartan 34 2
174 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Vixen 34 ★
16.5
Hunter 34
17.5
Irwin 34 Citation
17.0
Islander 34 2
19.3
Sabre 34
16.0
Tartan 34 2
17.5
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Vixen 34 ★
—
Hunter 34
42.3 %
Irwin 34 Citation
—
Islander 34 2
39.1 %
Sabre 34
—
Tartan 34 2
40.0 %
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Vixen 34 ★
28.6
Hunter 34
23.1
Irwin 34 Citation
24.1
Islander 34 2
20.5
Sabre 34
26.9
Tartan 34 2
23.0
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Vixen 34 ★
1.81
Hunter 34
2.04
Irwin 34 Citation
2.00
Islander 34 2
2.07
Sabre 34
1.87
Tartan 34 2
1.97
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Vixen 34 ★
—
Hunter 34
234
Irwin 34 Citation
—
Islander 34 2
196
Sabre 34
—
Tartan 34 2
204
Hull Speed
Vixen 34 ★
7.0 kts
Hunter 34
7.1 kts
Irwin 34 Citation
7.0 kts
Islander 34 2
7.1 kts
Sabre 34
6.9 kts
Tartan 34 2
7.2 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Vixen 34 ★
1.9
Hunter 34
—
Irwin 34 Citation
2.2
Islander 34 2
2.7
Sabre 34
1.8
Tartan 34 2
2.7
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