Elan 34
Elan · J&J Design · 1997
Updated
The Elan 34 is a 10.00 m heavy displacement racing yacht designed by J&J Design and built by Elan, first launched in 1997. It races in Class C. Across the measured fleet it goes better than its own numbers promise, ahead of 50% of the designs it races against.
Goes better than its own measurements promise, and does it better than 50% of the boats it races against.
80th of 159 in its class.
This design has been found in real race results — 31 starts across 15 events — not only in measurement files.
Length
10.00 m
32′ 10″
Beam
3.28 m
Draft
1.78 m
Displacement
4.8 t
Sail area
53 m²
On the podium
Where a Elan 34 finishes when she goes racing.
On the podium
26%
of 31 starts by 1 boat
Wins
3%
Read from 31 starts by 1 boat between 2018 and 2026, counting races with six boats or more.
Recent regattas
The latest events where a Elan 34 was on the start line, named as the organisers publish them.
'Σαββα Γεωργιου 2026' (Α+γ)2026- 3ος Ιστιοπλοϊκός Αγώνας Α/Θ ¨Πέρδικα 2026¨2026
- "Κυπελλο Χριστουγεννων"2025
- "Αγ. Νικολαου 2025"2025
- 8ο Κυπελλο Καλλιθεας2025
Raced one we are missing?
Report a regattaRound the buoys, or offshore
A short windward-leeward and a night at sea ask different things of a boat. Here is how this one does in each.
Round the buoys
—
Not enough data yet: no races of 10 NM or less carry a published distance.
Offshore & coastal
26%
of these races end on the podium
Who she races against
The designs a Elan 34 actually lines up with, most often first. The bar shows how those meetings ended.
Also met, too few times for a figure:
Oceanis 38.1 (7 meetings), Sun Odyssey 45.1 (7 meetings), Maxi 95 (7 meetings), Feeling 109 (7 meetings)
Some of the boats it races against
How the Elan 34 has fared against each of them, boat against boat on corrected time. Ordered by how often the two meet, not by who wins.
Speed at every angle
The shape of this design's speed, drawn from the measured fleet. Pick a wind and watch it stretch.
Upwind VMG
4.71
40°
Beam reach
7.62
90°
Broad reach
8.36
135°
Downwind VMG
7.36
170°
Speed in knots at 20 knots of true wind. Green marks the angles that pay: the closest useful beat and the deepest run worth sailing.
Where it wins and where it pays
Every boat is judged against its own measurements — length, weight, sail area. The quicker those say it should be, the more it has to deliver just to break even. Going fast is not enough: it has to go faster than its own numbers promised.
There is no obvious weak spot here. It rewards preparation and crew work more than it rewards picking the right day.
Where it gains
Its best ground is on the run in moderate air, where it goes better than its measurements say it should, and by a margin worth having. It holds that advantage on a broad reach as well, so the gain is not down to one leg of the course.
Where it pays
There is no condition where it falls away badly, which is worth something over a season of mixed weather.
Above the line it delivers more than promised and gains on the fleet. Below, it falls short. Move the wind: plenty of boats sit on one side in the light and the other when it blows.
Full width is 0.4 kn either way.
At 10 knots this design makes back more than its rating asks on the broad reach.
How fast is a Elan 34
Boat speed in knots, by true wind angle and wind strength.
| Angle | 6 kn | 10 kn | 14 kn | 20 kn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beat VMG | 3.00 | 4.17 | 4.64 | 4.71 |
| 52° | 4.64 | 6.13 | 6.62 | 6.75 |
| 60° | 4.92 | 6.34 | 6.80 | 6.96 |
| 75° | 5.10 | 6.51 | 7.00 | 7.31 |
| 90° | 5.08 | 6.63 | 7.12 | 7.62 |
| 110° | 5.18 | 6.78 | 7.37 | 8.07 |
| 120° | 5.00 | 6.72 | 7.39 | 8.38 |
| 135° | 4.49 | 6.44 | 7.25 | 8.36 |
| 150° | 3.80 | 5.85 | 6.95 | 7.95 |
| Run VMG | 3.29 | 5.07 | 6.34 | 7.36 |
How they are set up
The range each sail spans across the fleet.
Roughly half carry a folding propeller. Crew weight is declared around 400 kg.
Rigging
Elan 34 rig and sail dimensions
A Elan 34 carries 11.45 m of mainsail hoist on a 4.06 m boom, a forestay 12.55 m above the deck. Typical figures across the 4 boats measured under the current VPP, with the range each one spans.
Rig
Sails
The spinnaker spreads widest of all — 62 to 85 m² depending on bowsprit and set-up. Before ordering a sail, read the figure on your own measurement record rather than the typical one for the design.