The first new-generation GrandSoleil 34 was launched at thisyear’s Yachting Festival de Cannesin September and, at the time ofwriting, boat number two has beenlaunched and a further four boatsare under construction. The new‘34’ actually has an LOA of 10.70m(or just over 35ft), but remains thesmallest boat the yard haslaunched since the original versionof the Grand Soleil 34 in 1974.

A lot has happened in the sailingworld since 1974 and Grand Soleilhas moved with the times, creatinga modern incarnation of theoriginal. Both boats are beautifullybuilt cruiser-racers, and thedifferences between them areexplained by 43 years of advancesin yacht design and constructiontechnique, as well as the evolvingpriorities of Grand Soleil owners.

The Grand Soleil 58 has beenone of 2017’s success stories, andthe first 80-footer ever to be built bythe yard is also under construction.Cantiere del Pardo has tried tosqueeze some of the best featuresof these superyachts into a 34ftboat and the attention to detail is

obvious from the moment you steponboard. Despite its small size, thenew GS34 remains true to thebrand’s DNA, and owners will beable to cruise their boats in a levelof luxury that few, if any, othermanufacturers of productioncruiser-racers at this size can offer.The 34 uses the same light oakfinish as the super-stylish newGS58, and it does not feel as if theboat’s cruising credentials havebeen compromised in the name ofperformance.

The boat is, however, somethingof a wolf in sheep’s clothing – andthose looking at the lovely interiorphotos should not be fooled intothinking it will not hold its own onthe racecourse. Grand Soleil hasnoted the commercial success ofboats like the JPK 10.80 andSunfast 3600 and is taking up thefight. The slender lines and singlerudder of the original GS34 havebeen replaced by a powerful designwith a full-length chine and twinrudders, making the new boat lookcloser to a Swan 50 than its own predecessor.

The boat has been designed by

Skyron – a group of Italian navalarchitects whose previous projectsrange from Mini 650 designs tonumerous ORC optimisations.Enrico Brandolini worked on hulland appendage CFD optimisationand is keen to point out that,despite first appearances, the boatis actually quite narrow at thewaterline when not heeled andshould therefore perform better inlight-wind venues than many of itsdirect competitors. He also pointsout that while his brief was todesign an IRC boat he has takencare to avoid needless penaltiesunder the ORC rating system andfeels that the boat could be verycompetitive during the combinedIRC/ORC Offshore Sailing WorldChampionships to be held nextyear in the Netherlands.

‘Today’s’ GS34 features an IRCoptimised straight keel, which hasspace for 200kg of lead inserts –the intention being to allow ownersto mode their boats for differentrating rules, weather conditionsand crew numbers. For example,owners of the new GS34 couldchoose to add the extra lead when

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Above: it’sintriguing that given the brief of a contemporaryracer-cruiserwith excellentinterior and ahull and foilconfigurationtargeted attop-level IRCracing, thatthe GS34designers atSkyron delivered a boat with suchstriking visualsimilarities tothe ClubSwan50. With akeel gallerythat allows200kg of leadinserts, thisslipperydesign looksa promisingcandidate forduel IRC/ORCoptimisationfor nextyear’s worldsin the Hague

racing double-handed and remove itagain for crewed racing.

The new 34 is built in GRPsandwich with a PVC core but,unlike some other boats in itscategory, uses vinylester resinthroughout. Bulkheads are allbonded to the hull and much of thesupporting structure is made fromcarbon fibre, making the hullextremely stiff.

It is a testament to Cantiere delPardo’s expertise in compositeengineering that Grand Soleil hasbeen able to build a boat thatweighs the same as many othersuccessful IRC boats of this size(4,900kg), has a higher ballastratio than most (43-46 per cent),and also has a class-leadingcruising interior. The Grand Soleil34 may not be the cheapest on themarket, but it is heartening to seethat in return the boat is betterbuilt than the vast majority of itscompetitors.

Grand Soleil believes their newsmall boat will be of interest to awide variety of different sailors:some of the first clients havebought the boat primarily to cruise,another is aiming to race acrossthe Atlantic double-handed in thenext Transquadra, while others willbuy the boat primarily to race

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Above: thenew GS34’spowerful flataft sectionsalso allowspace for thisgenerous,ergonomicand fast-drainingcockpit whileincorporatingenoughcoaming andseating toqualify forcruiser-racerallowanceunder bothIRC and ORC;twin ruddersensure thatmaximum usewill always bemade of thepowerful sectionsdownwind.However… inspite of sucha powerfulchined hullthe GS34 also featuresvery slender waterlines(right). A worthy successor tothe first GS34

inshore with a crew. The high form stability and twin

rudders make the boat suited toreaching and shorthanded racing,and should also prove an advantagewhen cruising, which is also normallya relatively shorthanded affair!

The hull displays substantialrocker and is relatively narrow onthe waterline when upright, whichmeans it should also hold its ownon windward-leeward courses. Infact, while all yacht design involvesan element of compromise, thisboat promises to at least hold itsown under IRC across the completerange of conditions.

Ghislain Gomiot, head of GrandSoleil France, is certainly convincedabout the direction that the yard

has taken with the new boat.‘Offshore racing in general, andparticularly shorthanded offshoreracing under IRC, is really boomingat the moment.

‘Events like the ArMen Race,Transquadra and Rolex FastnetRace are enjoying record entrynumbers, while in contrast inshoreevents are struggling a little; it’slogical for our business to adapt toour clients’ demands and develop aboat more oriented towardsshorthanded offshore racing,’ he says.

The Grand Soleil 34 does notpromise revolution, but is instead athoughtful evolution of a provenwinning formula.www.grandsoleil.net �