Beneteau 31 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The 31 measures 31 feet 8 inches overall, with an 11-foot-1-inch beam and a displacement of 8,933 pounds. Its standard 6-foot-1-inch keel carries 2,207 pounds of cast-iron ballast, yielding a ballast-to-displacement ratio of .25 and a displacement-length ratio of 172. A shoal-draft version reduces draft by one foot eight inches and adds 205 pounds of ballast.

The hand-laid, solid-fiberglass hull gains stiffness from an internal grid bonded and glassed into place while the hull is still in the mold. This allows the structure to carry loads without relying on a cored laminate below the waterline. Above, an injected, cored-fiberglass sandwich deck rests on the hull’s turned-in flange and is glued and screwed in place. The bulkheads are bonded through a full 360 degrees to the hull and deck with polyurethane adhesive.

A low coachroof and genoa tracks running along the cabin leave clear decks for moving fore and aft.

Rig and Handling

The fractional sloop has a 100-percent sail area of 463 square feet and a mast height of 46 feet 7 inches, giving it a moderate sail plan suited to short-handed cruising.

The test boat carried a full-batten mainsail that stowed in a boom-mounted pouch, paired with a 105-percent genoa on a Profurl furler. Cruising World’s tester described both sails as easy to handle. The spade rudder and Goiot steering give the boat a lively and responsive feel under sail.

Primary winches are a pair of Lewmar 30s. The mainsheet leads to a third winch on the cabin top, though the helmsman must leave the wheel to reach it. The coamings end at the binnacle, while the stylish teak handholds on the cabin top open on only one side—a detail the reviewer considered characteristic of this new breed of Beneteaus.

Cockpit and Deck Gear

The cockpit is generous. Its seats are long enough for a nap and close enough together to provide bracing when the boat is heeled. A standard 36-inch wheel still leaves ample room to pass forward.

A fold-up transom seat gives the helmsman somewhere to sit and makes it easier to reach the swim platform, a dinghy, or the dock. A fold-up hatch in the port quarter provides space for a life raft, while a conventional locker sits to starboard. On the bow, a good-size anchor locker includes mounting space for an optional windlass.

Both the companionway weatherboard and hatch are clear Lexan. The hatch slides forward into its seahood; the weatherboard then lifts out and slides into place.

Accommodations

Below, the layout centers on a drop-leaf table flanked by purposeful, comfortable seating. The spacious aft cabin has an athwartships berth. Forward, the V-berth offers 6-foot headroom and a hanging locker for clothes, making the bow practical for real sleep. Opening hatches serve both the saloon and V-berth, and five opening ports provide good ventilation.

At the foot of the companionway, the head and shower are to starboard. Just forward, an aft-facing nav station uses the end of the settee as its bench. Solid fiddles around the desk provide useful handholds. Above the nav desk, the electrical panel opens to reveal neatly organized wiring and automotive-style fuses that can be reset.

To port, the L-shaped galley has a two-burner propane stove and oven. An icebox with 12-volt refrigeration sits outboard of the double sinks. As at the nav station, solid fiddles around the counters double as good handholds.

Verdict

The Beneteau 31 is a thoughtfully packaged entry into modern cruising. Its Finot hull and Nauta interior make effective use of a modest footprint. The construction approach—solid fiberglass below the waterline, a cored deck, and fully bonded bulkheads—is straightforward, while the cockpit and companionway details show attention to liveaboard comfort.

The single notable ergonomic compromise is the cabin-top mainsheet, which requires the helmsman to leave the wheel. The one-sided cabin-top handholds favor style over security.

Pros