Production continued until June 1991. Across the Mk I and Mk II, 305 hulls were completed. A sugar-scoop transom and forward-facing chart table distinguish the Mk II from its predecessor. Both changes reflect the boat’s intended role: a weekend and holiday cruiser with a genuinely useful interior, rather than a stripped-out racer-cruiser.
Design and Construction
The Moody 31 Mk II is 9.37 m overall, with a 7.75 m waterline, 3.2 m beam, and documented displacement of 9,966 lb. The hull is solid fibreglass, with 3,675 lb of lead ballast. The fin-keel version has a skeg-hung rudder and draws 1.52 m.
A bilge-keel version draws just 1.12 m, opening up more shallow harbours. It also brings a different grounding and handling character, so the choice between fin and bilge keels is significant.
By its displacement-length ratio of about 271, the Mk II falls into the “heavy cruiser” category. A ballast ratio of 37 percent and length-to-beam ratio of 2.93 give it a settled, purposeful profile. Its wetted surface is roughly 27 m², while an immersion rate near 930 lb per inch describes a hull that responds to loading but holds its lines.
The capsize screening value is 1.95, and the motion comfort ratio is 24.7. These figures place the boat among the conventionally stable small cruisers of its day.
Rig, Performance, and Handling
The Mk II carries a masthead sloop rig with a modest but effective sail plan: a 193 sq ft mainsail, a 310 sq ft working jib, and a 365 sq ft No. 1 genoa. Its sail-area-to-displacement ratio is 15.0 with the ISO reference sail, rising to 17.9 with a 135 percent genoa. The design carries more rig than 66 percent of comparable sailboats.
By the numbers, then, it’s slightly overrigged, which helps explain the lively feel owners describe. Test sailors found the boat easily driven, a cinch to tweak, and manoeuvrable in close quarters. They also found that it could sail like a dinghy, if with a slightly skittish feel.
Owner reports put the first reef in at 18 knots of wind, after some thrilling sailing on her ear, and the second reef at 25 knots. The theoretical displacement-hull speed is 6.8 knots, with a calculated maximum near 6.3.
Wheel steering was an optional factory extra, so some boats have tiller-only control while others carry wheel steering. An aluminium tiller extension is also a noted fitting.
Accommodation
Below deck, the Mk II earns its reputation as a proper small cruiser. Writing in Yachting Monthly, reviewers observed that few 30-footers provide standing headroom, a fully appointed galley, a proper chart table, and double berths in two separate, decent-sized cabins. The Mk II does.
The forecabin contains two single berths. In the saloon, two bench settees provide another pair of berths. Immediately behind the starboard galley, the aft cabin has two single berths arranged in a V, with a double conversion. In all, the boat offers six berths across three cabins.
To port, the navigation area includes a forward-facing chart table, stowage, and a navigator’s stool. The toilet compartment is also to port, just aft of the navigation area, and contains a marine WC. An oilskin locker completes the practical storage arrangement.
Variants and Known Issues
The Mk II shows no structural or systemic defects as a class. Its sugar-scoop transom and forward-facing chart table are the defining revisions from the Mk I.
The main variables between individual boats are keel type and steering arrangement. Bilge-keel variants trade draft for a different grounding and handling character, while the optional wheel steering means some boats retain tiller-only control with an aluminium extension. Prospective owners should confirm the configuration of a particular hull, since these choices define the boat’s behaviour more than any latent defect.
The Verdict
The Moody 31 Mk II is a thoughtfully laid-out Dixon design that offers more living space than its length might suggest. Its slightly overrigged masthead sail plan keeps it spirited yet manageable, while its heavy-cruiser displacement and 37 percent ballast ratio provide steadiness. The three-cabin, six-berth interior remains genuinely usable for a 30-footer.
The main caveats are its sometimes skittish, dinghy-like feel at the helm and the variation in factory options, which buyers need to verify on each boat.
Pros
- Standing headroom and a fully appointed galley in a 30-foot cruiser
- Six berths across three separate cabins
- Proper forward-facing chart table
- Slightly overrigged masthead sloop that is easily driven and manoeuvrable
- Solid fibreglass hull with a 37 percent ballast ratio and stable motion metrics
Cons
- A slightly skittish, dinghy-like feel at the helm may not suit every sailor
- Factory options, including wheel steering and keel type, vary between hulls and must be confirmed
