Designer Germán Frers and builder Hallberg-Rassy teamed up once again to deliver another fantastic cruiser in the HR 342. Based on the success of the Hallberg-Rassy 34 (over 500 hulls built), the new Frers design features a more modern underbody with long waterline and wider aft sections for better performance. Her Selden fractional rig with aft swept spreaders is robustly constructed and allows for a large mainsail and only slightly overlapping jib that is easier to tack than a large overlapping genoa. All major control lines are led aft behind the windscreen to SHEARWATER’s comfortable cockpit where the traveler and mainsheet are right at the skipper’s fingertips. Below decks, her precisely fitted mahogany interior is beautifully finished in satin varnish. Her two stateroom layout is very spacious for her 34 feet, providing a well configured salon and galley that will comfortably accommodate two couples. Storage is abundant and designed to meet the needs of long term cruising, with finely finished drawers and lockers and numerous large storage spaces below berths. Well maintained and lightly used, SHEARWATER is in excellent condition and nicely equipped for Pacific Northwest cruising.
The Hallberg-Rassy 342 is CE certified by Germanischer Lloyd and delivered with a CE certificate and plaquette for Category A (unlimited ocean voyages).
Name of vessel | Shearwater |
Model | Hallberg-Rassy 342 |
Year | 2008 |
Builder | Hallberg-Rassy |
Designer | German Frers |
Price | $155,000 USD |
Location | Seattle, WA |
Length (feet) | 34 |
Beam (feet) | 11' 3" |
Draft (feet) | 6 |
Displacement (pounds) | 11684 lbs |
Ballast (pounds) | 4300 lbs |
Engine model | Volvo D1-30 |
Engine horsepower | 30 |
Engine hours | 1052 |
Fuel tank capacity (gallons) | 44 |
Water tank capacity (gallons) | 71 |
Holding tank capacity (gallons) | 13 |
Interior Accommodations
SHEARWATER’s interior is finished in satin varnished mahogany joinery in the traditional Hallberg Rassy style with generous use of solid wood. Cabin ceilings are trimmed with mahogany staves and the headliner is white with mahogany trim. The cabin sole is teak and holly with snap down carpets in the salon and staterooms. Storage is abundant, and all lockers and drawers are beautifully finished with no fiberglass visible. The interior lighting is well conceived, with ample overhead lights, reading lamps and red “night lighting” at the nav station and galley. Numerous opening ports and hatches provide a bright and airy feel and good ventilation.
The master stateroom with V-berth is forward. Above the berth along the hull side there are lockers and bookshelves. Aft of the berth to port is a locker with a small shelf and locker above and outboard. To starboard is a tall hanging locker. There are reading lamps and overhead lights. A hatch and two opening ports provide light and ventilation. A huge amount of additional storage space is available below the V-berth.
The salon is aft of the master stateroom. To port is an L-shaped settee and there is a straight settee to starboard. Settee seatbacks hinge upwards to provide a larger berth or additional storage space. Above and outboard to port and starboard are two lockers separated by a bookshelf. A fixed drop leaf table is mounted on centerline and has storage below for wine bottles. Hand rails run along the cabin top to port and starboard. A large hatch and four opening ports makes her salon feel much brighter than most vessels.
Aft and to starboard is the forward facing nav station. The nav table features a hinged top with storage below. Three drawers and a locker below the forward end of the table provide additional organization for small items. Outboard is another small locker as well as the electrical panel, a reading lamp, GPS and VHF radio. There is additional storage space below the hinged seat.
The galley is opposite the nav station to port. An L-shaped configuration provides an efficient arrangement. At the forward inboard end is the stainless steel two bin sink which has inserts to provide additional counter space. There is a faucet for pressure cold water and foot pumps for fresh and raw water. There is a large locker below the sink. Outboard of the sink is the top loading fridge compartment. Just aft is a bank of three drawers, a locker and cutting board and a propane two burner stove/oven with a locker below. A stainless crash bar runs along the front of the stove. Outboard above the counter there is a large sliding door locker with shelves.
The aft stateroom is located aft of the galley. There is a large quarter berth with shelves and lockers above along the port hull side. Forward is an additional large hanging locker. Two opening ports provide ventilation and light.
The head is located adjacent to the companionway to starboard. Finished in white laminate and molded fiberglass surfaces, the compartment is very easy to maintain. A shower is integral to the space and a teak grate covers the sump. The manual head faces forward at the aft end of the space. Outboard, there is a tall wet locker. Forward of the wet locker is a Corian counter with sink, pressure water faucet and manual foot pump. There is a sliding door locker outboard of the sink and a large locker below the sink. Two opening ports provide ventilation.
Galley and Interior
Isotherm 12v cold plate refrigeration with small freezer compartment
Eno propane 2 burner stove/oven
(2) aluminum propane tanks with pressure gauge
Pressure cold water
Fresh and raw water foot pumps at galley
Fresh water foot pump at head
2 bin stainless steel sink with cover
Removable carpet with snaps
Electronics and Navigation
Raymarine C120 Radar and GPS chartplotter display with AIS
Raymarine 2kw 18″ radome
Raymarine AIS500 class “B” transceiver (4/2011)
Navionics electronic charts for Washington and British Columbia (10/2009)
NEMA output to a laptop computer from AIS 500 internal Multiplexer
Raymarine 54E DSC class D VHF radio
Raymarine ST60+ wind and multi displays at companionway
Raymarine ST6002 autopilot control head
Raymarine S1GP tillerpilot – currently non-functioning
Furuno Navtex Receiver
Red night lights over galley and nav station
Lopolight LED masthead tricolor/anchor light
Running lights, steaming light and foredeck light
Electrical Systems
12 VDC and 110 VAC electrical systems
117 volt 30 amp shore power with Marinco inlet
Marinco 50’ 30 amp shore power cord
Mastervolt 12v/50amp smart battery charger
12v and 110v outlets throughout interior
(2) 44 watt solar panels
(2) Trojan L16 6 volt batteries, 435 Ah (2012) reconfigured from factory arrangement
Engine start battery (2012)
Xantrex battery monitor
Mechanical Systems
Volvo D1-30 29hp diesel engine (1052 hours as of November 2017)
Racor primary fuel filter
Webasto Airtop 3500 forced air diesel heater
Johnson Pump 4000 gph electric bilge pump (2009)
Isotherm 12v cold plate refrigeration with small freezer compartment
Ino propane 2 burner stove/oven
(2) aluminum propane tanks with pressure gauge
Pressure fresh water (cold only)
Jabsco manual head with Y valve
Deck and Hull
The Hallberg Rassy 342 is CE certified by Germanischer Lloyd and delivered with a CE certificate and plaquette for category A (unlimited ocean voyages). The German Frers designed hull features a fin keel and spade rudder underbody configuration. She has moderate rocker and a long waterline with fine entry and relatively wide aft sections. The hull is constructed of hand laid fiberglass in isophtalic polyester resin with a strong system of floors and stringers. The hull is insulated with foam above the waterline. The hull exterior is coated with white gelcoat with blue boot stripes and a thick blue sheer stripe. Two layers of epoxy barrier coat are applied to the hull below the waterline. Her ballast is lead and bolted to a deep keel sump with twelve stainless keel bolts. The deck is constructed of foam cored fiberglass and is laminated to the hull to form a solid one piece construction that is leak free.
SHEARWATER’s decks are surrounded by a short bulwark and teak cap rail. Stainless stanchions with double stainless wire lifelines are mounted to the cap rail in a very robust manner. There are stainless mooring cleats with bronze rub strips on the cap rail at the bow, stern and midships. Nonskid on her side decks is teak overlay. The cabin is white gelcoat with molded nonskid on top. Teak handrails run the length of the cabin top. Side decks are wide and easily navigated. Her swept back spreader configuration with only slightly overlapping headsail allows the upper shrouds to be mounted further outboard, increasing the amount of space for movement around the shrouds. Forward is a large flush foredeck with deep anchor locker at the bow. The HR 342’s aft cockpit is protected by the legendary Hallberg Rassy “windscreen” which keeps the cockpit dry and provides better visibility in poor conditions than a standard soft dodger window. The large center window of the windscreen opens to provide ventilation. A soft dodger with window attaches to the aft end of the windscreen and is easily stowed away forward or removed when not in use. The cockpit is laid out with benches to port and starboard and a long bench across the aft end of the cockpit. A tall coaming with teak cap surrounds the cockpit. The tiller is connected to the rudder post where it exits the coaming aft of the cockpit. The mainsheet traveler and tackle is located at the center of the cockpit and is perfectly oriented to be controlled by the helmsman. There is a large deck locker below the starboard side cockpit seat and an additional locker aft and to starboard.
SHEARWATER’s rig is an aluminum Selden mast with double aft swept spreaders. The boom is aluminum and rigged for conventional “slab” reefing with two reefs. As a result of her high aspect fractional rig and swept back spreaders, SHEARWATER’s upper shrouds extend nearly all the way outboard to the rail and her headsail is only slightly overlapping – making it very easy to handle with a short crew. All halyards and major control lines are led aft to line stoppers and two Lewmar 16 self tailing winches behind the dodger. Lewmar 40 self tailing primary winches are located on the coaming.
Double stainless steel anchor rollers
Lofrans Royal manual anchor windlass with chain and rope capstan
45lb Bruce style anchor with 100′ of 5/16ths chain and 300′ of 5/8ths 8 plait nylon rode
22lb Bruce style stern anchor with chain and rode
(2) Quickline 150m nylon flat rope webbing anchor reels mounted on stern pulpit with canvas covers
Spinlock tiller extension
Winch handle pocket
(2) safety harness pad eyes in cockpit
Integrated rubstrake with brass strip
Fresh water stern shower/washdown
Stainless steel stern ladder
(6) stainless steel mooring cleats with rub strips on rail
Hydrovane self steering vane
Sails and Rigging
Selden fractional rig with double aft swept spreaders
Stainless steel wire standing rigging
Selden aluminum boom
Selden rodkicker rigid boom vang
High tech lazy jack system by Brion Toss
Aluminum telescoping whisker pole mounted on mast track
Lewmar backstay adjuster
Furlex 200S headsail furler
(2) Lewmar 16 ST halyard winches on cabin top
(2) Lewmar 40 ST primary winches
Lewmar mainsheet traveler
Lewmar 6:1 mainsheet tackle
Lewmar adjustable genoa cars
Elvstrom Offshore spec dacron mainsail with three reefs, converted to full battens with Selden MDS batten cars
Elvstrom Offshore spec Dacron 100% genoa with UV cover and foam luff
Elvstrom “code 0” asymmetric cruising spinnaker with furler
Removable stainless bowsprit for cruising spinnaker
Doyle Offshore Stack Pack mainsail cover/cradle with lazy jacks
Miscellaneous and Safety
8’8″ 2008 Achilles LSI 88 hypalon high-pressure inflatable floor dinghy
Hallberg Rassy signature “windscreen” with opening window
Canvas dodger with window
Full canvas cockpit enclosure
Plastimo MOB pole, strobe and life ring with built-in stainless mounts on stern pulpit
Boat hook
Fenders and dock lines
Teak flag staff and American flag