BoatsMoody 34

Moody 34

Masthead Sloop · Fin With Rudder On Skeg · 1983–1986

A 1980s mid-sized cruiser with a 40% ballast ratio, designed for stability and predictable handling in coastal waters

Designed by Bill Dixon, built by Marine Projects Ltd.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin With Rudder On Skeg

See her sail

The Moody 34, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Sailing Nervous- Starting Over!

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 22 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 22
CoastalBluewater

2.09 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.09
LightHeavy

234 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 234
EasygoingPowered-up

16.6 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.6
TenderStiff

40% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 40%

A balanced, easily-driven cruiser — comfortable and forgiving for coastal work.

What the fleet has seen

The Moody 34, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Moody 34 is a Bill Dixon-designed masthead sloop built by Marine Projects Ltd. and A. H. Moody, Sons from 1983 to 1986, known for its robust construction.3:02 It features a fin keel with a rudder on a skeg, measures 10.2 meters LOA, has a 3.6-meter beam, a 1.5-meter draft, and displaces 5080 kg. A bilge keel version was also produced. Aboard *Sailing Nervous- Starting Over!*, the crew replaced four through-hulls and seacocks, cleaned four others, and prepared for a renaming ceremony.0:33 They noted the importance of inspecting chainplates, some of which are behind cabinetry, and planned a professional rigging inspection after launch.2:41 Moody yachts, including the 34, are considered high-end, blue-water cruisers with solid fiberglass hulls, though older models often have original Thornycroft diesel engines that owners frequently replace.6:35

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Seen 2 times across 2 channels of the fleet.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

On the water

The Moody 34 on video

What they go for

Market signal

Where the fleet has seen this model for sale, and the asking prices that came with it.

1seen for sale
1channel looked into buying
$40,000Median asking

From the fleet's own footage — our observed signal, not broker listings.

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
40.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.6
Displacement / length
234.0
Comfort ratio
22.3
Capsize screening
2.09
Hull speed
7.1 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1157
Hull
Hull type
Fin with rudder on skeg
Construction
Fiberglass
Production
Years built
1983–1986
Units built
165
Designer
Bill Dixon
Builder
Marine Projects Ltd, Moody Yachts (A. H. Moody, Sons)

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Hunter Marine 34010.29 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA B&R rigged cruiser featuring a shoal-draft fin keel and spade rudder, designed for stable and efficient coastal sailing
Why Are Sailboats So Cheap?3:09from Practical Sailor
Cal Boats 3410.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, favored by Jensen Marine founder Jack Jensen for personal cruising
Episode 1 - Sadie Johnson5:11from SheHelms Sailing
C&C Yachts 3410.21 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered in both deep keel and keel/centerboard configurations, this 1977 masthead sloop balances performance with versatility
Life is Like Sailing - 3 Years in a Tiny Home - A Liveaboard Boat Tour0:06from Life is Like Sailing
Mirage 3310.21 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Robert Perry-designed masthead sloop offering a balanced, performance-oriented cruiser profile in a 33-foot hull
C&C Yachts: The Canadian Sailboats That Changed Racing & Cruising Forever10:11from Practical Sailor
Catalina Yachts 31610.06 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 2024 6 Series fractional sloop featuring a deep-draft fin keel and spade rudder for precise coastal handling
First Look at the Brand New Catalina 316from Practical Sailor
Islander 3410.24 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop featuring a rudder profile inspired by the 1964 America's Cup defender Constellation
S1, Ep3 Bringing her Home!1:25from Sailing Into the Mystic

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Moody 37A short-run 11-metre cruiser featuring a high ballast ratio and a skeg-hung rudder for offshore stabilityMoody 346A 10.5-metre masthead sloop with a 40% ballast ratio, offering a stable and comfortable platform for coastal cruisingMoody 27A Bill Dixon-designed masthead sloop featuring a fin keel and transom-hung rudder, built for coastal cruising stabilityMoody 31 MKIA compact 9.37-metre cruiser with a 37% ballast ratio, built over a short three-year production window in the mid-1980sMoody 422A 12.4-metre masthead sloop with a 40% ballast ratio, configured with a skeg-mounted rudder for directional stability

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

Search what's been said about the Moody 34, or ask a specific question — the answer comes back written out, with links to the moments it draws on.

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