Elan 31 (2001) Sailboats for Sale

Layouts on the Used Market

The 31's interior reads more traditional than later Elans of the same size, with mahogany joinery that looks built-in rather than modular and a moulded headliner overhead. The plan centers on a roomy double berth enclosed aft to port, with the head and wet locker to starboard, and V-berths forward that convert to a double with a filler. Headroom reaches a useful 6 feet at the aft end of the saloon, though the galley and forward saloon are limited to that same 6-foot mark. One layout consequence of the wide side decks and moderate beam is that the doors to the heads and aft cabin are on the narrow side — not a defect, but a feature to gauge against your own tolerance.

Equipment and Common Upgrades

On the used market, solar, spinnaker, and bimini are commonly fitted to Elan 31s, speaking to their cruising use. Power and energy are defined by the engine transition within the build: early boats carry a shaft-driving Yanmar, while later examples moved to a Volvo saildrive, and a race-pack option with bigger winches was available from new. Rig supply also shifted from Sparcraft to Seldén during production. Sail-handling context includes the original Lewmar windward-sheeting car, later often replaced by Harken. A lead keel was a paid upgrade over the standard iron fin, and the shallow fin of 4 feet 11 inches was an alternative to the standard 6-foot 1-inch draft.

What to Inspect

Early Elan 31s left the factory well over their designed weight anchor, which is worth confirming against any performance claims on an unrefitted boat. The original guardwires were 7x19 wire covered in plastic, a setup one owner removed as unacceptable for RORC racing, so check the standing rigging for replacement. Fuel-tank location changed during the build: early boats place it in the cockpit locker to starboard, later ones beneath the port aft berth — verify which your candidate has and whether the move affects trim. Below the sole, the keel-bolt load is spread by substantial steel plates and a fore-and-aft and athwartships grid, a structure to survey for corrosion or damage.

Availability and Buyer's Takeaway

Elan 31s typically appear in Denmark and Croatia. For a buyer, the short checklist is: confirm whether the hull is an early overweight example, inspect the rigging for plastic-covered guardwire replacement, note the engine type and fuel-tank position by build phase, and decide between standard iron and upgraded lead keel as well as draft choice. A well-kept later-build boat with the Volvo saildrive and forward fuel tank is the more evolved specimen of a pretty, well-mannered all-rounder.