Bristol 31 XL Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Masthead Sloop

LOA

31.83' · 9.7 m

Displ.

10,600 lbs · 4,808 kg

First year

1968

The Bristol 31 XL, often referred to interchangeably in brokerage circles and owner circles as the Bristol 31.1, represents a significant pivot in the design evolution of Bristol Yachts. Entering production in the early 1980s, this model marked a departure from the narrow, traditional fullkeeled shapes of the Carl Alberg era toward the contemporary, performanceoriented philosophies of Ted Hood and Dieter Empacher. The "XL" designation was a marketing nod to the vessel's substantial interior volume—a direct result of a nearly 11foot beam and a highaspect rig—which made it feel significantly larger than the aging Bristol 30 and 32 models it replaced. Built in Rhode Island with the company’s hallmark "overbuilt" fiberglass schedule, the 31 XL was intended to provide a coastal cruiser that could handle offshore conditions with the poise of a much larger yacht.