Bigger isn’t always better | 24 hours testing the Arcona 345 | Yachting Monthly

[@shaneriehl223]

Really wonderful boat. Arcona does a great job of remembering what’s important: sailing (off the wind AND MORE IMPORTANTLY to weather), decent living conditions below, sufficient/reasonable storage. They seem to do those core things really thoughtfully and well executed.

[@Muratshayev]

Great boat. Thanks for the review.

[@erickrueger6464]

Wonderful review. Arcona builds wonderful boats and are worth the price. I like that the interior is very well made and not an ikea boat interior of so many other boats these days.

[@JohnCornellier]

IKEA is a highly successful company because it offers style, function, modern and minimalist design, constant innovation, sustainable production, and affordability.

[@eugenedreyer4805]

Cute small boat, looks very comfortable for its size

[@iansenior9759]

I was thinking a used centre cockpit Moody 33 sloop comes in at circa 25k or 40k for an Island Packet 29 cutter rig. A nice full Keel so if you hit something you know your Keel won't fall off. With 300k guess I'd have plenty of change left over to fund my cruising ambitions.

[@atakd]

You will and get where you want safely. Just don't expect to enjoy the process in the way you would on an Arcona.

[@danielv7983]

Funny how it's 27 years later and my ridas 35 has almost the exact same weight, ballast,draught, lwl/loa, similar steel frame hull structure, similar keel stepped mast and frame mounted rig, performs at least similarly under sail and actually pulls of a 3 cabin layout with pretty much the same global interior layout and storage spots. But 200K pounds is just ridiculous and well over seven fold what I paid 7 years ago. All you get is an extra wheel...

[@mytube001]

Wheel steering on anything 35 foot or smaller is stupid anyway. Tiller is the sensible choice until the force required becomes too great, or the tiller length exceeds the width of the cockpit.

[@danielv7983]

@@mytube001 tiller on a 6 tonne boat is really no longer comfortable plus it forces you in a singular seating position. But two wheels is really excessive on abbeam of around 3.5m. Frim my experience 30ft is the switching point

[@mytube001]

@@danielv7983 On the contrary, it's a wheel that forces you into a single position, usually at the very back of the cockpit, where you're the most exposed to splashes from oncoming waves, wind and rain. With a tiller, I can choose to sit anywhere from all the way aft to almost all the way forward (especially with a tiller extension), tucked in behind the dodger. The force required is partly due to the rudder design (balance, shape and size), so six tons is not a problem. My boat is close to five tons, and it's a breeze to sail with a tiller. One ton extra and a few feet longer hull wouldn't make much difference. When at anchor or docked, I can fold the tiller back and the entire cockpit is open and free of obstructions. The wheel(s) and binnacle are always there, taking up space. With a tiller, you also get a very direct connection with the boat and how balanced the sails are. You can move the rudder much faster. You also know the exact rudder angle at any moment. Wheels have just one real advantage, and that is better control when going in reverse. For large boats, tiller steering becomes impractical, yes, but not on a 35-footer!

[@danielv7983]

@@mytube001 I respect your preference, I just have a different one. I was always more exhausted after a shift at sea manning the tiller when compared to behind the wheel. I've sailed on 22-33fts with tiller and at the top of the range it really impairs cockit width and in my opinion freedom of movement. On the 32-40fts I sailed with a wheel, there's options to take off the wheel when docked and stow it on the sprayhood. With a wheel, I can stand behind it, sit on the cockpit edge, sit next to it, in front of it. In the design both for tiller and for the wheel the arm ratios can be chosen to size, off course. But a tiller is limited in terms of available length. I will give you that always being aware of the cntter point is a nuicance when using a wheel, whereas its always clear with a tiller. Obviously a wheel would be impractical on a contessa 32, but with wide cockpits like these (and what im used to in the performance range) it becomes quite impractical. Two wheels is a bit excessive though I feel like

[@RomainLagrange1]

@@danielv7983 imoca 60 have tillers, of course not comparable. first 36.7 can have tillers, and I didn't had any issue with it in 20knots. There are tillers with gearbox to demultiply efforts if needed, but all come back to the sailplan balance. Even with a wheel it's never a good idea to have too much helm anyway. Also with wheels, you lose a bit of helming capabilities, like pumping for example.

[@roncooper6302]

I wish we could go back to a single wheel steering. Personal choice for a cruising boat.

[@atakd]

Modern boats carry their beam well aft. A single wheel is thus either unreachable from the coaming or awkwardly large to manoeuvre around ir clear the cockpit deck. Canting wheels, such as on the First 35 or Sirius 35 are a good solution but don't seem to have caught on.

[@wysiwyg2006]

34ft is small....hmmm I'll tell my 30ft 1988 jeanneau the bad news

[@med6s]

Haha thought the same

[@otm646]

5:48 with that reach and body position you can put zero force into that mainsheet winch. Clearly not a boat designed with any solo work in mind. Plus a non hydraulic backstay, in a boat listed as a racer cruiser. Plz, this boat can't make up it's mind.

[@morzee94]

She may be expensive but she's a really nice boat. A contender to be a future classic once they've depreciated a bit!

[@eugenedreyer4805]

Ludicrously expensive as it turns out

[@patrickhorgan8389]

Crazy price.

[@JohnCornellier]

Compared to what?

[@eugenedreyer4805]

@@JohnCornellier other products

[@MARTINA-gc3tq]

Slow hull speed? What is the keel weight?

[@Carlos_Verhaak]

One of the few modern quality boats, vs most of the French and German offer. Thanks for the test.

[@gileshammond]

Not impressed. I thought this was an old post. The design is a mirror copy of a Beneteau Oceanis 34/37 from 2008 inside and out., without the headroom and 3 x the price. Agree that the shower/loo combo is the wrong way round, I would think it’s about 50 to in terms of usage so why have the foot traffic (or wet foot traffic!) every time you need a pee, makes no sense at all. Also, when talking about the price did I hear you say the base price didn’t include the sails? Surly not. Must remember to make sure the wheels are included next time I buy a new car😂

[@christophereitrem6864]

Please…

[@kenmunn7127]

No sails inc with any Arcona, coz people who know enough to buy them have the knowledge to know what sails they want, what they want as materials, and who they want to make them.

[@StefanKolmodin]

Would prefer with tiller steering instead, these double wheels are bulky, expensive and heavy.

[@atakd]

I have twin Jeffa wheels and can steer with my little finger in 12 knots. A tiller, while small itself, sweeps a large arc and if you are sailing with an inexperienced crew they will often be in the way.

[@jefflloyd394]

Galvanized steel? Think i would want SS. Nice boat, will buy one when half the price. Cheers, 🏴‍☠️

[@atakd]

Why? It's not like an anchor chain that suffers physical abrasion so the galvanising stays put. Mild steel is also more maleable and will absorb impacts more forgivingly than stainless.

[@kenmunn7127]

Theo, as someone who sailed an Arcona 340 for thousands of miles, you were really dicking about unnecessarily with the wheel going upwind. Steer your course, trim the sails and you can leave the wheel alone while the boat sails itself!

[@ianscott3180]

Not a big boat? Come for a weekend on my Contessa 26 with three guys and a springer spaniel. Maybe you saw us? We were the one, red hull, that shot passed you as you left the Lymington River. Then I woke up! Great review, how boats have come on since Mr Rogers built mine in Lymington 😀.

[@pootsman6722]

Bit naff having the shower at the entrance to the heads. Extra wet floor. And £315k, ouch.

[@mytube001]

I think most people prefer standing headroom in the shower to a dry floor at all times, but having to shower kneeling...

[@pootsman6722]

@@mytube001 fair point

[@marcelokohler]

I think the point was the possibility of hanging your wet clothes more fast and easily.

[@FighterFred]

Quality costs, this boat cannot be compared to a Bavaria. But for the same money you can get a larger, proven Najad or HR that can cross oceans.

[@homebiz4567]

An OK boat for a ridiculously high price

[@kenscrackofdoom599]

Nice boat but ridiculous price compared to the second hand market. Offers nothing that older boats have in design and layout except for a little more speed.

[@tarivard]

Great boat but no helm seat for someone who wants to cruise with it makes it too uncomfortable. Sitting on the rail for an extended sail along any coast will wear out even the most seasoned sailor.

[@kenmunn7127]

Autopilot.

[@bobbob6472]

Confused: *Opening line:* ...It's a bit like sailing a big dingy... *~1min later:* ...nobody wants to be cruising on a boat that is twitchy and really sensitive.... So which one is it?

[@pointnemo72]

34ft... Small??? No, 34ft is not a small boat. 24ft is small. 20ft is small. 34ft is a big boat.

[@pingzhou6890]

OK

[@friarfox]

You do realize that for that kind of money, I can buy a small mansion and yet I don't even get a queen size bedroom here. I think they are totally missing the mark on today's economy where couples dream of escaping the rat race for a world cruising home. For my money I would rather invest in a used Halberg Rassey or Hans Christian and still pocket a hundred thousand.

[@atakd]

And yet Arcona have a two year waiting list. Their client base comprises people to whom 200k or 400k s irrelevant. They have money and want what they want in the way some people buy Heinz ketchup at 4 times the price of Tesco value.