2009 Beneteau 31

Spirited wind gods had whipped San Francisco Bay to a 30-knot frenzy during the final days of the Strictly Sail Pacific boat show last April, but they finally took a break in time for us to test-sail the new Beneteau 31, the entry-level offering in a now robust line of 30- and 40-footers that includes two CW Boat of the Year winners, the 40 and the 49.

With the wind in the low teens, we left the docks at Passage Yacht Sales, pushed along by a 20-horsepower Yanmar and conventional drive. The boat maneuvered well backing out of tight quarters and accelerated smoothly through the chop as we raised sails.

In-mast furling is an option on the 31, but the boat we sailed had a full-batten main that stows in a boom-mounted pouch. Both the main and the 105-percent genoa on a Profurl furler are easy to handle but powerful enough to move the boat in lighter winds. When sailing the boat off the wind, I’d take advantage of the open bow pulpit and choose the optional asymmetric cruising chute to keep things lively.

A fold-up transom seat gives the helmsman a place to sit and allows easy access to the swim platform, a dinghy, or the dock. The relatively broad aft end provides ample room going forward in the cockpit, past the standard 36-inch wheel. On the 31, a fold-up hatch in the port quarter provides space for a life raft; by adding a container, it could be used to store gear. A conventional locker is to starboard.

Cockpit seats are long enough for a nap and close enough to provide bracing when heeled. Coamings, though, end at the binnacle, so while the person steering has a flat deck on which to sit, there’s little to brace one’s back against, and I found the pushpit too far away to provide a comfortable support when sitting to leeward.

From the helm, the skipper has good access to the boat’s primary winches, a pair of Lewmar 30s, but reaching the mainsheet, which leads to a third winch on the cabin top, requires leaving the wheel.

Under sail, the spade rudder and Goiot steering give the boat a lively and responsive feel. Our speed sailing closehauled over the ground averaged a little better than 5 knots in 12 knots true; when we were cracked off to a beam reach, the readout on the G.P.S. increased to about 6.3 knots. With its small headsail, the boat tacked with ease through only 70 degrees or so, promising an efficient ride upwind.

A low coachroof and genoa tracks along the cabin leave the decks clear for movement fore and aft. Teak handholds on the cabin top are stylish, but like others on this new breed of Beneteaus, they’re open only on one side, and I found it hard to get my fingers around them. A good-size anchor locker on the bow has a mounting space designed for an optional windlass.

Groupe Finot created a hull with a fine entry and beam carried well aft; its larger siblings have all been enjoyable sailers, and the 31 didn’t disappoint. The interior, meanwhile, benefits from the straight-lined and elegant thinking of Nauta Design. There are no curved settees and whimsical doodads on this cruiser. Instead, purposeful and comfortable seats on either side of a drop-leaf table can, with the addition of lee cloths, double as sea berths or places to stash little crewmembers once the spacious athwartships aft-cabin berth and V-berth have been filled.

At the foot of the companionway, a head and shower sit to starboard. To port, the L-shaped galley is equipped with a two-burner propane stove and oven, and there’s an icebox with 12-volt refrigeration outboard of the double sinks, which are positioned on the L, closer to the centerline where they belong. Storage space is behind and under the countertop. Forward of the head, the nav station faces aft and uses the end of the settee for a bench. The electrical panel mounted above the desk opens with the push of a latch to reveal neatly organized wiring and automotive-style fuses that can be reset. Both the desk and the galley counters opposite have solid fiddles that also serve as good handholds.

The placement of the forward bulkhead maximizes space in the saloon for entertaining a couple or the family. The trade-off: a V-berth that’s functional for sleeping but not overly roomy, especially with the filler section in place for the berth. That said, there’s 6-foot headroom, a hanging locker for clothes, storage below the mattress, and shelving to either side. The saloon and V-berth both have opening hatches, and with five opening ports, ventilation should be good.

The hand-laid solid-fiberglass hull derives stiffness from a grid that’s bonded and glassed into place while still in the mold. An injected, cored F.R.P. sandwich forms the deck, which sits on the hull’s turned-in flange and is glued and screwed in place. Bulkheads are bonded 360 degrees to the hull and deck using a polyurethane adhesive. While sailing, I found that this construction meant no squeaks or groans below. You can choose between a 6-foot-1-inch standard cast-iron keel or a 4-foot-5-inch shoal-draft version.

One of my favorite details on the 31 is the weatherboard and the companionway hatch, a design used on both the 31 and the 37. Once the Lexan hatch has been pushed forward into its seahood, the weatherboard, also clear Lexan, lifts out and slides into place under the hatch and out of the way, solving the problem of where to store the panel below.

The new 31 is entry level in terms of size and price only--with its teak toerails, stylishly arched cabin top, and good performance under sail, delivers a lot of boat for the dollar and, in this regard, fits in well with the rest of the Beneteau family.

Mark Pillsbury, Cruising World, October 14, 2008

I’m always impressed when a boat design shows you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thirty-one-foot coastal-cruising designs have been around since builders started using fiberglass to build hulls, so it’s easy to think that it’s all been done before. But the new Beneteau 31 has innovative solutions and incremental changes that have a positive effect on comfort, functionality, aesthetics, and I'm always impressed when a boat design shows you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thirty-one-foot coastal-cruising designs have been around since builders started using fiberglass to build hulls, so it’s easy to think that it’s all been done before. But the new Beneteau 31 has innovative solutions and incremental changes that have a positive effect on comfort, functionality, aesthetics, and sailing performance. I took one out for a spin off Padanaram, Massachusetts, in flat water and a perfect 12-knot sea breeze, and here's what I found. 

The hull is built of solid hand-laid fiberglass with a solid-fiberglass structural grid bonded in place. Vinylester resin is used as a barrier coat to combat osmotic blistering. High-load areas are solid fiberglass reinforced with stitchmat, and the deck is also reinforced with solid-fiberglass deck beams. The main bulkheads are bonded to both the hull and the deck.

Simple, good ideas abound on deck. First, the companionway: Instead of the cumbersome hatchboards that most boats seem to have, this boat’s companionway “door” can be opened and closed easily and slides out of the way (thanks to a clever hinge system) just under the sliding companionway hatch. In bad weather the door can stay in place and open like conventional companionway doors. This feature may well make conventional hatchboards obsolete. Next, the helm seat not only opens to provide easy walk-through access to the swim area at the stern, but has a gas strut to hold it open—a welcome substitute for removable helm seats that need to be stowed. Other deck features—comfortable cockpit, well-equipped steering pod, decent anchor locker—are well executed and, all told, result in an excellent setup.

A 31-footer necessarily has limited interior space; it’s a question of trade-offs. On this boat maximum space is devoted to the main living space, so the saloon is spacious and comfortable. The galley is equipped with excellent stowage and counter space, and there’s even a sit-down nav station with a small table. The saloon’s large fixed windows and hatches make it bright and airy feeling, though ventilation is limited to two small opening ports and one small opening hatch. The aft cabin has a large berth and a hanging locker, though not much headroom. The V-berth forward is more suited for kids than adults, but it does have a hanging locker. In all, the accommodation plan is well suited to coastal cruising.

I wish all my test-sailing days were like the one we had on Buzzards Bay. Under full main (cross-cut Dacron, with conventional battens) and 105 percent roller-furling jib, we soon had the boat power-reaching at over 6 knots in 12 knots of breeze. Speeds stayed in the 5s when we hardened up on the breeze. The boat tacked effortlessly through 85 to 90 degrees and tracked like the proverbial freight train. The boat was beautifully balanced and returned just the right amount of weather helm. It responded sweetly to puffs and the mainsail-dominated sailplan was well suited to the conditions.

Maneuvering under power in the marina was a no-surprises affair. We goosed the throttle to get the boat backing straight, had the water flowing over the rudder in no time, and had no trouble bucking a bit of crosswind to get into the slip. The engine at (2,700 RPM) pushed the boat through the water at over 5 knots and could easily hit 6 knots at full throttle. Excellent sound insulation lining the engine box helped create a quiet ride both on deck and below.

Conclusion: The new Beneteau 31 offers a collection of good ideas and incremental improvements that have a real impact. It’s well worth a look for anyone in the market for a new coastal cruiser.

Sail Magazine, Bill Springer, November 3, 2008

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.