Windy 34 Khamsin, BABYLON

Broker’s Comments

BABYLON is beautifully presented, highly specified, and very clean Windy 34 Khamsin. She has always resided in Poole Harbour and was first launched in 2002. She is shortly undergoing a full service, polishing, antifouling, and anoding for the 2024 season, she is a joy to be on board. Khamsins are very rare to the market nowadays, and we note that her bathing platform and cockpit teak have been replaced and show little wear. She sports the varnished mahogany canopy cover, setting her apart from the run-of-the-mill dayboat, and she is trimmed in the classic Blue Sunbrella cockpit upholstery. Her condition is a testament to careful ownership and the first-class initial build of these modern classics from Windy.

The Windy 34 Khamsin was a maverick at her birth in 2002 and remains firmly on the wish list of many. Sleek lines envelop a full-beam cockpit within her broad 3.2-meter width hull, providing plenty of space for sunbathing and seating. Well-placed grab rails, three forward-facing bolstered helm seats, and a practical wet bar with two large lazarette lockers in the deck all offer excellent storage. Below deck, four berths, a proper galley, and a separate stand-in heads with a separate shower make her an utterly practical proposition. All of this is within a Hans J. Johnsen-designed, deep-V 34ft hull that is reassuringly sure-footed, effortlessly swift, and deeply exhilarating to drive.

As Motor Boat & Yachting commented, ‘Glamorous, fast, incredibly sporty, very quiet, and extremely well-built: it sounds like a wish-list for the ideal sports boat.’ So, if you were looking to buy the best 34-footer, why go for anything other than the Khamsin?

The cockpit layout may appear simple, but it is spacious and versatile. When it comes to handling and performance, other boats may come close, but I haven’t found one that surpasses it. That being said, the 34 Khamsin is now an older design. So, how does she fare? Well, in our opinion, the hull has never been bettered—it is lithe, sure-footed, deep V-shaped to cut through any chop, and capable of bursting through waves that would stop lesser vessels.

The boat drives as tightly as when she was first commissioned, with a pair of dependable, manually governed, under-stressed, and super-smooth KAD300s. They are straight-six, 3.6-litre volume, simple diesel engines (supercharged and turbocharged), each delivering 285HP—so she runs with 570 lusting stallions pulling her along. Built in Gothenburg, these engines are so well-suited to the Khamsin that they were the only engine option available.

Please also note that the Windys of this age were built in Arendal, Norway – not Sweden, not Poland. They were constructed by the best yard around, with craftsmen who knew their jobs inside out and lovingly built these sports-cruisers. The Norwegian spirit of Windy is alive and kicking in the Khamsin, and arguably, Windy has never pulled off this trick again.

The Windy 34 Khamsin became the 35 Khamsin with the advent of the Volvo Penta D4 and D6 block in late 2004/2005 – but what did they change about the boat? Nothing. Zero. Nada. Apart from a slightly larger scallop to the bathing platform due to the lengthened outdrives. These boats are indescribably special – as anyone who has ever been lucky enough to enjoy one will attest. There is nothing better to drive, especially through a whipped-up short Solent chop into a stiff Westerly, although she is equally adept at tearing up the archipelagos or gliding past the bleached beaches of Ibiza.

Often copied, but never, ever bettered.

Owner’s Comments

We have enjoyed seven wonderful seasons with BABYLON, largely cruising the Solent and the Jurassic Coast. We have found her stylish cockpit and well-appointed cabins a joy for both entertaining friends and comfortable nights onboard. Having owned several classic boats, including a Nelson and Fairey Spearfish, the solid, dependable Windy 34 Khamsin has surely joined that category.