I agree Unomio, it'd be quite an extravagance to put a bow thruster on a 34 also. Personally, I wouldn't "compromise" the hull to do that given the low-value-add in the case. I'm having an argument with myself about a manual vs. electric windlass. I notice for example that Dave M. (
Voyage of the Swan - A Blue Water Cruising Yacht is Selected, Outfitted and Cruised Offshore ) is traveling the world with a manual windlass and some quite hefty anchoring gear. I wonder if he gets a little work out from time to time dealing with that, but there's some nice trade-offs in keeping it simple.
The 34 is extremely sea-kindly and reasonably fast (modified fin keel & skeg hung rudder = less wetted surface area = less drag, but the large bow overhang ='s shorter waterline length = lower hull speed, but sure looks pretty!).
She tracks well when motoring and docking. Having a Max-Prop makes handling in reverse much easier compared to a fixed prop, from what I gather reading many posts from other owners and my own experience with the Max-Prop.
Unlike many of the coastal cruiser boats I've seen, PSC has installed well powered engines on their boats proportionate to their displacements, which also helps with motoring and docking. With the wineglass hull shape and moderate freeboard, she doesn't get blown around easily in a cross-wind at slower speed like some of my flat-bottomed neighbors. The large rudder well aft gives great directional control, maybe not quite as much as a balanced spade, but close, and then this one's protected by the skeg in a grounding situation.
I've added an asym. spinnaker for use in lighter air, the boat's a little under canvassed (by design) for its weight otherwise. If taking offshore, I recommend having a removable inner forestay to give the option to sail as a Sloop or a Cutter.
The 34 is a little stingy on the storage space, but as a heavy displacement boat (for her waterline length, moderate for LOA), she can hold quite a bit of weight. I was definitely appreciating the roominess of the 40 at the Annapolis show this year though.
I really like the layout of the 31 as well per all the reasons cited in your original post and John's as well. I strongly considered two of them. My only (minor) reservation about the 31 is that I was used to being able to take a stand-up shower in my prior boat, and there wasn't the head-room to do that in the 31. Very nice boats, all. I get a lot of compliments on the boat's lines and the asthetic of the canoe stern.
When I had my boat trailored overland to its new home, the driver that was securing the boat to the trailer commented on how rare it is for boats to have such solid hulls these days. Many of the newer ones are more like Clorox jugs (his words). Dave M. also posted previously that he found the 34 to be very strong and stood up well to the rigors of blue water use better than a number of other boats he observed arriving in distant locations.
As John indicated, the character / intent of this line is different than your current boat and other modern coastal cruisers. Be sure you understand the differences going in so you're not disappointed at having given up some things in the transition. At the dock, you may miss a few of these things, in open water (especially when the wind / sea-state picks up), you'll appreciate the PSCs strengths.