UFO 34 ~ TURN-KEY CRUISING YACHT

There are numerous UFO 34’s plying the waters of Australia, but you would be hard pressed to find a better example than ‘Seabird’. Seabird was built to a very high standard by master shipwright Ron McCoy in Western Australia. The build, deck hardware and rigging are all top quality and heavy duty. If anything, Seabird is guilty of being over engineered, but that’s exactly how offshore sailors like their yachts.

Seabird offers a distinctive take on the UFO 34. Her deck and cockpit feature elegant teak trim and accents, giving her a striking and unique appearance.

Step below, and you’ll immediately notice the outstanding craftsmanship in the timber fit out. The rich, warm tones of the wood create a welcoming atmosphere. The joinery is meticulously detailed, and upon closer inspection, you’ll discover a variety of clever design features. Every item on board has its own dedicated storage place. The attention to detail is impressive and there are lots of little custom made timber catches and latches throughout.

There is well designed and functional L-shaped galley on the starboard side of the companionway. It features deep dual stainless steel sinks, a two-burner kero stove, and plenty of smart storage options. There is even a designated spot for a thermos flask, perfect for those late-night coffees during night watch on passages. Refrigeration is well catered for with a separate fridge and freezer that operate off an engine driven eutectic compressor. A flow control valve lets you use both as fridges or configure one as a freezer and the other as a fridge.

The navigation table to port is impressively large for a yacht of this size and can accommodate a full-sized nautical chart. It features a beautifully crafted timber mount for a tablet. The tablet runs Navionics charts for navigation, connects to the stereo for music and the HF radio for downloading weather charts via an app. Additional features include a clock, barometer, hand-bearing compass, and both VHF and 27 MHz radios. A networked Simrad repeater displays essential data from the other instruments onboard. From the navigation table alone, it’s clear that this boat is set up for serious offshore sailing.

The saloon features two genuine sea berths on the starboard side and an L-shaped settee on the port side. One of the standout features is the Taylors paraffin heater. These heaters are hand built in England and cost well over $5000 in Australia. Fuel for the heater is delivered via a storage tank under the settee that is pressurised with an electric pump. While looking at this heater, it is hard not to imagine yourself sitting in front of it in the depths of winter with a good book and a glass of red wine.

Accommodation is well catered for with a double V-berth, three singles in the saloon, and the master double bed in the port quarter behind the nav table.

The cockpit has a great layout, and with numerous self-tailing winches and the mainsheet close at hand, she is easily sailed by a couple or single handed.

Seabird is powered by a reliable Bukh DV20 engine that has been very well maintained. Past maintenance includes the head being removed and reconditioned, including new valves in 2012. The injectors were overhauled, and the injector pump was rebuilt in 2021. A cooling water sensor was installed in 2022, which sounds an alarm if the flow of cooling water is compromised, the water pump was also reconditioned at the same time.

The current owner has owned Seabird for 28 years. Over that period of time, he has been absolutely meticulous with his maintenance program and the current condition of the yacht is a credit to him. Seabird has sailed to Christmas Island, cruised the Gascoyne coast, and done numerous trips down south around Geographe bay. She is also on the Australian Ship Registry, making sailing to exotic foreign locations is a real possibility.

Seabird is being sold as a turn-key cruising yacht. Everything onboard is included in the sale, right down to the pots and pans, tools and numerous spare parts. The antifoul was just done in February 2024 and she is all ready to go for summer. The Pen at FSC is available to lease by a member of the club, or by someone who would like to become s member and keep the yacht at the club.

River sailors take note, the mast is hinged, and the boat comes with two spinnaker poles and mast lowering gear.

The UFO 34 was designed by world-renowned naval architects Holman and Pye. The design was so successful that over 150 yachts were built in the UK and Australia. The design proved to be an extremely seaworthy, and with few vices, they make excellent all-round fast cruiser/racers.

During the notorious 1998 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race the UFO 34 Not Negotiable experienced winds in excess of 65 knots for approximately 6-8 hours. During this period breaking waves of 4-8 metres, with the occasional 12 metre wave were also encountered. Apart from one knockdown to 80 degrees, Not Negotiable had no issues and safely retired to Eden.
Six UFO 34s competed in the 1979 Fastnet race and experienced winds averaging 50 to 55 knots, gusts to 68 knots and waves as high as 50 feet. None of them sustained significant structural damage to the hull. Among the 58 boats in Class IV (34 ft), two of the six finishing yachts were UFO 34s.

Thinking about selling your boat? It’s a competitive market and to achieve the best price possible for your boat the online marketing needs to be inspiring. At West Coast Boat Brokers, we place a high priority on marketing boats with high quality photos, videos and compelling advertising copy. We offer a comprehensive and free on-water photo shoot with every listing.

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Details of this vessel are offered in good faith, but West Coast Boat Brokers cannot guarantee, or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.