Nicholson 31 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · full

Rig

Masthead Sloop

LOA

30.54' · 9.31 m

Displ.

13,005 lbs · 5,899 kg

First year

1976

The Nicholson 31 represents a pivotal evolution in the lineage of Camper & Nicholsons, arriving in 1976 as the modernized successor to the venerable Nicholson 32. Designed by Raymond Wall, the firm’s chief designer at the time, the 31 was tasked with retaining the legendary seaworthiness of its predecessor while providing a more voluminous interior and improved handling characteristics. Built during an era when fiberglass construction was reaching its peak of overengineered durability, the Nicholson 31 is often described by maritime historians as a "pocket bluewater cruiser." Unlike many of its contemporaries that transitioned toward lighter finkeel designs, the 31 maintained a traditional long keel with a transomhung rudder, a configuration favored by longdistance voyagers for its directional stability and structural integrity. Approximately 160 hulls were produced before the model was phased out in the early 1980s, and it remains a benchmark for small, serious offshore yachts.