Searched the internet with multiple variations of “True North 34 Sailboat”. It quickly became apparent that the True North 34 sailboat was a limited production run based on the small amount of information available.
Basic information was found at website SailboatData.Com for the True North 34.
The True North 34 sailboat was designed by Canadian naval architect Stanley C. Huntingford of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Searches on the internet for him revealed very little – could not locate a biography or even a picture of him. Searches on his name revealed he designed many different sailboats, most built in Canada or Taiwan during the 1970-80s. It is very strange that a yacht/sailboat designer as renown and famous as him is not historically documented – suspect he might have been a bit of a recluse. From internet discussions learned he is deceased, but could not determine when this occurred.
On the Facebook pages True North 34 and Noon Ocean 34, discovered that the design of the True North 34 is essentially the same as its predecessor the Noon Ocean 34 – the principal difference between the two are the plank lines cut into the hull of the True North 34. It stated that approximately 12 Noon Ocean 34 and 20 True North 34 were built. These sites served as a basis for the names of boats for follow-on internet searches.
Another Canadian based website (no longer available) had posted some articles and diagrams of the True North 34.
To formulate an opinion researched the internet for both the Noon Ocean 34 and True North 34 sailboats. Read multiple discussions and blogs; Cruisers & Sailing Forums had a few gems of information. Downloaded any relevant pictures and boat for-sale listings. Compared each boat’s configuration and layout. Noted the listed for-sale price on the for-sale listings obtained to determine the range of resale values. Obtained publicly available registrar information on these boats by inquiries at the United States Coast Guard’s Port State Information eXchange (PSIX) Vessel Search system, NOAA Vessel Documentation Search, Transport Canada Vessel Registration Query System, Australian Maritime Safety Authority List of Registered Ships, and International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Maritime mobile Access and Retrieval System (MARS) Ship Stations List. Discovered that the website Sailrite had detailed information on sail measurements for the True North 34 – this would aide in the evaluation of the sails aboard.
Got the general impression that most owners really liked their boat and were aware of its shortfalls – heavy and slow. Many had experienced issues with the teak decks, leaks, and subsequent wood rot issues of the decks and cabin tops. Some had issues with the standing rigging and placement of chain plates in the deck structure and replaced/relocated them to the hull topsides. With the passage of time replacement of obsolete and worn-out components, engines, and the old original wiring was common. Some had issues with balanced steerage due to weather helm.
The following table contains the range of resale values derived from many internet searches. (NA = Not Available) The listed price is based on values obtained on for-sale advertisements, internet discussions, and internet research. The actual sold price in most cases is unknown – so the listed price in most cases is probably higher than the actual purchased price. The listed prices are all converted to US dollars for easy comparisons.
The actual sold price in most cases is unknown – so the listed price in most cases is probably higher than the actual purchased price. The listed prices are all converted to US dollars for easy comparisons. As still a member of BoatUS, requested a Value Check on a 1978 True North 34 sailboat and received the following response.
“Resale value is estimated to be in the $38,000 – $42,000 range, although, noting the age and the fact that some were even sold in kit form, the specific vessel could easily be properly priced significantly higher (or lower). We would, therefore, encourage at least an informal “sense of things” inspection and consultation with a marine surveyor prior to making an offer, to be followed up by a thorough pre-purchase survey upon acceptance of the offer. In any case, it is recommended that you avail yourself of a sea-trial, to include flying all sails in the inventory, a complete rigging and hull survey, and a separate engine and engineering survey of the mechanical propulsion components, preferably by an experienced technician certified for that brand of machinery, including a spectrographic analysis of the engine oil. Marine Insurance should be considered a cost of owning and operating a boat. A fast free insurance quote is available online from the BoatU.S Marine Insurance Department at www.boatus.com/vcinsuranceapp or by dialing toll-free 1-800-283-2883. Please refer to Priority Code 8000 or the Value Check program. Special note: The information above is based on research and the experience of BoatU.S. staff. We recognize that the range of values for older boats can be huge, depending on condition, the degree of preservation, customization, restoration, collectability, etc. Again, BoatU.S. recommends that you make arrangements for a marine surveyor to provide an on-site assessment of the condition and value of the specific vessel within the overall context of the local market prior to purchase. See http://www.boatus.com/boatinsurance/survey.asp for a marine surveyor referral list. This is a list of marine surveyors approved by BoatU.S., and they’re posted geographically.”
