The PDQ 34 is about as good as it gets, IMO. At only 34 feet, it is so well designed. As you can see by my Avatar, I ended up with a bulbous KK Manatee, but the decision to do so came only after my Admiral and I spend the previous night aboard a PDQ 34 in Stuart. The owner was a pretty small guy and only needed a very thin foam mattress. I loved the boat, even though this big and stiff ole frame couldn't access the hulls very well. To make matters worse, the water supply was putrid. In the morning, the Admiral said "No".
The boat handles and performs like a sports car. The twin 75 or 100 Yanmars push the thing effortlessly through the water, nearly as good on one engine as it is two. Visibility and helm position superb. Flybridge is great, especially on 2005 and newer. Machinery space is tight, but well thought out. One has to lay across the engines to change impellers or pull the bunk hatches, but otherwise simple systems and great electrical.
I got a chance to go side by side with a PDQ 34 in a rough SW Florida inlet. Confused, wash-tub seas and opposing winds & current had my Manatee changing course 30 degrees back and forth on every wave. The PDQ looked like it was on a plumb line, totally unfettered. True, I had the drier ride and probably a bit less hobby horsing, but I was also doing maybe 6 knots while the PDQ was doing twice that. He got through across that inlet a lot faster and with a lot less fighting than I did.
Fuel economy on both our boats is about the same up to 7 knots. From that point on, the PDQ wins big, all the way to its 19 or 20 knot top speed. I have a hard time even getting to 8.8 knots in ideal water and clean bottom. In noise level, my boat wins but I also have a single engine. PDQ 34 owners say that switching to four blade props really helped noise and vibration, ....you may want to check that on the boat you're looking at.
Its a tie in ease of getting around both boats. PDQ wins outside and my trawler wins inside. In weight carrying, the trawler always wins. Cats don't do well with weight, and if you load them like we do trawlers, they loose all their economy and stability advantages. Lowering the bridge deck clearance is not a good idea on a cat. She'll sneeze (throw water out the front) in head seas and add a lot of drag when she's deep in the water.
Maintenance spaces, trawler wins again. Those narrow cells are hell to get things off the side or front of the average diesel. Inside cubic space for living, trawler wins but the PDQ takes advantage of every possible space. As a long distance cruiser, if you're 6'2 and 250, get the trawler. If you're 5'8 and 145, the PDQ is the boat for you. PDQ's do really well in resale and have a great owners association website (the last time I checked). Owners are scrappy individuals who get these vessels figured out. Wish I could have fit in one more comfortably.
So that's my comparison with my fat trawler. You may want to check out the only two other boats that can be compared with some exceptions, those being the Fontaine Pajot 35 Highland and 37 Maryland. I wouldn't think the 35 compares as well as the 37, but both tend to be cheaper. The 37 might be a bit better offshore than the PDQ 34, but it bends and creeks a bit.
Good luck with your selection.
