Colvic Craft 31 Information, Review, Specs

History and Design

The Colvic Craft 31 began its production run in 1972, emerging from the prolific yards of Colvic Craft, originally known as Ardleigh Laminated Plastics, situated on the Blackwater Estuary in Essex, England. Colvic Craft quickly established itself as a leading early adopter of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) construction, providing durable and accessible vessels to a growing market. The company was renowned for its robust GRP work, often supplying bare hulls to various other boat manufacturers and amateur builders for completion, a practice that contributed to a wide array of interior layouts and fittings across their models.

Designed by John Bennett & Associates, the Colvic Craft 31 features a long keel and a masthead ketch rig, hallmarks of a vessel intended for stable and comfortable passage making rather than high-performance racing. While specific details on the designer's explicit philosophy for the Craft 31 are not widely documented, Colvic's overall ethos centered on practicality, durability, and seaworthiness. This approach made their boats highly appealing to sailors seeking reliable and forgiving yachts capable of extended cruising. The variations in the final fit-out, a direct result of Colvic's business model as a primary hull molder, mean that individual Colvic Craft 31s can present different interior finishes and configurations, reflecting the diverse preferences of their initial finishers.

Sailing Performance and Handling

The Colvic Craft 31's design characteristics strongly suggest a focus on stability and comfortable motion over speed. With a reported sail area to displacement ratio of approximately 7.53, she presents as a vessel with moderate sail power relative to her substantial displacement. This low ratio indicates that the Colvic Craft 31 is not intended to be a light-air performer but is likely to be stable and predictable, especially in stronger winds.

Further underscoring her heavy-duty cruising credentials is a high displacement-to-length ratio of around 319.52. This places her firmly in the category of heavy displacement cruisers, known for their ability to carry significant loads and provide a comfortable, albeit slower, ride through adverse conditions. Her long keel contributes significantly to her directional stability, making her track well and reducing leeway, particularly on long passages. The ketch rig offers flexibility in sail plan management, allowing for better comfort and stability when sailing downwind or on a broad reach by dividing the sail area into smaller, more easily handled components. While the exact ballast figure for the Craft 31 is not consistently specified in general databases, the heavy displacement and long keel inherently provide a high degree of form stability, consistent with Colvic's reputation for solidly built vessels that can stand up to a seaway.

Accommodations and Layout

Due to Colvic Craft's practice of supplying hulls for completion by various builders and private individuals, the interior layouts and finishes of Colvic Craft 31s can vary considerably. However, the general hull design, which has been noted for its "slightly more spacy" nature, typically allows for generous interior volume for a boat of its length.

Common interior arrangements for a 31-foot cruising sailboat of this era would generally include a forward V-berth cabin, a main salon with settees that often convert to berths, a galley area, a navigation station, and an enclosed head compartment. Given Colvic's emphasis on practicality, owners can generally expect a robust, functional interior, often featuring traditional wood trim and joinery. Storage is usually ample, catering to the needs of cruisers. Ventilation would typically be provided through deck hatches and portlights. Potential buyers are advised that the specific details of the interior, including the quality of finish and exact configuration of berths, will depend heavily on how each individual hull was completed.

Owner's Perspectives

Owners of Colvic Craft vessels, including the Craft 31, consistently praise their solid construction and robust build quality. Colvic boats are generally regarded as "sturdy" and "no-nonsense" cruising platforms, appreciated for their durability and generous interior volumes. The enduring appeal of these classic fiberglass yachts is evident in the active communities of enthusiasts who continue to own, maintain, and cruise them. Owners often highlight the comfort and secure motion of these heavy displacement boats in a seaway, making them popular choices for those prioritizing reliability and seaworthiness over light-air performance. While specific recurring issues for the Craft 31 are not widely documented, the general experience with Colvic boats points to their suitability for owners who are willing to undertake refits and upgrades to modernize these well-built hulls to contemporary standards.