Design and Construction
Scott's hull carries a beam of 11 feet on a 25.58-foot waterline, and that broad section is no styling accident — the boat was given a beamy hull for stability, paired with 3,400 pounds of ballast against a 10,000-pound displacement for a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 34. The hull is solid fiberglass with a fin keel and a rudder carried on a partial skeg, a configuration that lends directional steadiness without the drag of a full keel. The construction is solid build quality, and many are still sailing today. The design emerged during the 1970s boom in affordable coastal cruisers, emphasizing roomy accommodations, stability, and value over cutting-edge performance.
Rig and Sail Plan
The Clipper 31 is rigged as a masthead sloop with a reported sail area of 419 square feet and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 14.44, a moderate figure that favors comfort and control over sparkling acceleration. The I dimension runs 38 feet and the J 10.83 feet, with a P of 32.33 and E of 13, and the published sail dimensions for the mainsail, jib, and three genoa options were derived by computer algorithm from those rig numbers rather than measured off a cloth. The genoas range from a 130-percent overlap at 256 square feet up to a 150-percent deck-sweeper near 305 square feet, and an asymmetrical spinnaker of 526 square feet was also cataloged. Owners praise the Bombay Clipper 31 for its comfort, light-air performance, and coastal cruising ability in protected to semi-protected waters, with some longer passages.
Accommodations
Below, the boat is known for generous accommodations, often described as roomy for its size, with two cabins sleeping four to six comfortably and a headroom of just over six feet. That interior volume is the direct dividend of the beamy hull and the 1970s design brief that put living space ahead of race-course tweak. The 60-gallon water capacity and 30-gallon diesel tank support extended weekends and modest coastal hops without constant reprovisioning.
Ownership and Legacy
The Bombay Clipper 31 was produced by Bombay Yachts, a company founded by former Irwin Yachts executives who left to start their own line. The boat's straightforward fiberglass construction and conventional fin-and-skeg underwater profile make it a comprehensible platform for the amateur owner, and the fact that many remain afloat decades on is the clearest testament to the soundness of the original build.
The Verdict
The Bombay Clipper 31 is a sensible, well-built coastal cruiser from the pragmatic end of the 1970s market. It trades raw performance for volume, stability, and a forgiving nature that owners still value on protected and semi-protected water.
Pros
- Roomy two-cabin layout sleeping four to six with six-foot headroom
- Solid fiberglass hull with fin keel and skeg-hung rudder for steady handling
- Comfortable light-air coastal cruiser with documented longevity
Cons
- Moderate sail-area-to-displacement ratio limits outright pace
- Built for value and stability rather than cutting-edge performance
