34C recommendations?

[rtrafford]

best diesel engine setup for this hull?

anyone seen one of these as an express?

[egaito]

I haven't seen a 34C as an express, but here's an idea of the potential:

http://www.slanemarine.com/projects.htm

By the son of the man himself......

-Ed G

[rtrafford]

as my 53c heads for the water soon i'm thinking this is my next project...one for fun...a 34c express...tom, you listening?

[rtrafford]

it's official. the 34c has been purchased and is in line to be the next overhaul project. would love any feedback on the ins and outs of the boat from any 34c owners of the older vintages. to be christened Miss Guided she's a 1967.

again, thinking express with big HP. a skipping stone.

[Passages]

Can you post some pics? If we can get a feel for what you're starting with I'm sure you'll get a bunch of suggestions.

[rtrafford]

i'm working on some sketches now. what i'm contemplating is turning her into an express hardtop with half tower. galley up, opening up the layout to one stateroom with a larger head. i don't believe that Tom has done one of these, but i know that he's done it with a 46 and a 53. i'm taking a very good look at what he's done, and i'll figure the rest out when the boat arrives.

she has a lower station already, so the basic conversion shouldn't be all too different from, say, a tiara. i am thinking of raising the salon sole, however to give more engine space as well as better vision.

this one should be a blast to do...

[67hat34c]

I own a 67 34c. powered with big blocks. There is another owner on this site that just repowered his with 330b's. but if you are going express,you can raise the deck and put just about anything in it. Cummins 350's would be nice. as an express this thing shoud move pretty well.

Hull issues will be the same as any hat, thick heavy hull. it was made with knock outs for recessed trim tabs so if they are not installed now you will find them when you sand the bottom down and the transom will have knock outs for the actuators.

You may want to also raise the dash a few inches just like dan sullivan did. he was able to do that and build an exceptional full stand up shower that is completely enclosed. The dash is not perminently attached attached so it should not be too hard to do.

If you gut her, save the wood and the hardware, cant buy the door handles anywhere. I can use some of your interior bulk head wood. also George on this site who repowered his with yanmars, may want your rear bulkhead as his is gone. There are a bunch of us with these boats and would like your scraps.

Thanks,

Steve Hierholzer
shierh@aol.com

[34Hatt]

I have a friend that has a 34 sport cruiser he got it to do the same thing!!! He has had it a few years but has not gotten far with it. Last I saw it the deck was off and the hull gutted. He is thinking of something in the lines of 350 to 420 hp he too wants to Fly and the 34' can do it and stay stabile.
Do you have any picture on your 53 would love to see more of it since she's almost done!!!

[rtrafford]

i've got a million photos of the 53c. likely it's easier for me to post them to my site and provide a link. reformatting them to work here is time consuming... she is beautiful, however. the hull is painted. the top sides are fared in and primed. we're completing some glass work in the cockpit including the construction of a new aft fuel tank and the installation of a custom deep freeze/refer under the sole. the cockpit should be back in the boat by the first part of april. the interior floors are down, and we're ready to begin building the partitions. we made a template of the new, massive roof measuring 206 inches by 139 inches and are actually constructing the flybridge inside of a warehouse. it's all honeycomb coring. bought a console from Tom. the entire assembly will be carried seperately to the yard and glassed onto the boat from the inside. the entire bridge will weigh less than 1000 pounds including the hardtop.

[rtrafford]

here the hull is covered in shrink, and we're fitting the first piece of the bridge to the boat, checking for height and shape...not much of a photo, but at least it's a taste.