Design and Construction
The 31's hull configuration, rig, and underbody are very similar to her two forebears, yet she boasts a proportionately broader beam and a longer waterline, a combination the builder credited with delivering outstanding speed, comfortable motion, and superb ease of handling. The hull begins with a relatively fine, high bow and deep forefoot that extends aft accompanied by a subtly concave sheerline, and beneath the 24-foot 2-inch waterline she sports a modified fin keel and a skeg-hung rudder. A shoal-draft version drawing 4 feet is offered alongside the standard 4-foot 11-inch fin. The stern section breaks from Crealock's norm: instead of the rounded, double-ended configuration seen on the 34, the 31 has a broad, flat transom that enables easier stern boarding and allows for a sizeable quarterberth. Her uncompromised construction inspires the confidence that can make dreams come true, and the builder intended the vessel to have all the essential elements to qualify as a world-voyaging yacht aimed at cruising couples.
Rig and Handling
Aloft, the boat features a single-spreader, extruded aluminum mast supporting a cutter rig with 600 square feet of sail area, though a sloop rig option with 485 square feet is also available. The primary winches sit close enough to the helm to be tended from there, which is ideal for solo sailing. Test sailors found her relatively tight turning radius and acceptable headway loss during tacks for a cruising boat despite the lengthy fin keel. In 18.7 knots of wind and a 1-foot chop she tacked from 45 degrees to 115 degrees, coming out with about 3.8 knots of speed, and downwind under partially reefed main and full genoa she moved at 6.7 knots. Lighter going was less generous: testers were disappointed by limited upwind speed in lighter wind ranges, recording 3.6 knots close-hauled in 10 to 14 knots and 4.2 once wind steadied at 15. Under power, the 30-horsepower Yanmar diesel at 2,400 to 2,600 rpm produced an acceptable 90 decibels in the cabin and a 5.3-knot cruise in flat water against a slight headwind, with owners reporting typical fuel use of a half-gallon per hour.
Accommodations
The interior is the work of Joseph Artese Design, a specialist in innovative yacht interiors who earned acclaim for the 72-foot ketch Victoria and the 90-foot sloop Whitefin, and it marks an entirely new and refreshing departure from earlier cruising interiors. Rather than segmented cabins, the layout is open, augmented by off-white gelcoat and teak trim, with standing headroom of 6 feet 1 inch. Both the quarterberth and V-berth offer 6 feet 6 inches of length with at least 5 feet of breadth, and the settees extend under the V-berth to yield a full 7 feet when the forward cushion is removed; each settee takes lee cloths as a functional seaberth. A unique centerline saloon table slides from beneath the V-berth, and a 5-cubic-foot icebox lid doubles as the chart table. The galley holds a gimbaled two-burner stove and double-well stainless sink with week-long storage, while the head has a wet locker behind louvered teak doors and a commode with bronze through-hull valves. Ventilation comes from seven 10-inch opening ports and a 20-inch hatch. It would be challenging to accommodate a second couple overnight without privacy issues.
Known Issues
The optional bimini that covers the cockpit obscures the view of the mainsail from the helm. Owners report that an inch or two of standing water can accumulate in the forward part of the cockpit footwell under power at full throttle, a drainage limitation in the aft-corner 2-inch scuppers' ability to keep pace. Access to the transmission fluid dipstick is more challenging than the otherwise excellent engine reach, where removing the companionway ladder and tilting the insulated teak box yields nearly 270 degrees of access. The outboard placement of the primary winches means rotation of the winch handle is obstructed by the lower lifeline, a problem testers said needs to be addressed.
The Verdict
The Pacific Seacraft 31 distills Crealock's offshore wisdom into a beamy, quick, and seakindly 11,000-pound cruiser with an Artese interior that feels contemporary decades on. She is a capable offshore vessel with no other pretensions, though her light-air upwind pace and a few cockpit ergonomics warrant a buyer's attention.
Pros
- Broad beam and long waterline deliver outstanding speed and comfortable motion
- Open, versatile Artese interior with 6'1" headroom and clever dual-purpose furniture
- Near-270-degree engine access and a skeg-hung rudder underbody suited to cruising
- Cutter rig with helm-tended primaries ideal for short-handed sailing
Cons
- Limited upwind speed in lighter wind ranges
- Bimini blocks mainsail view from the helm; winch handles foul the lower lifeline
- Cockpit footwell can hold standing water at full-throttle power
- Transmission dipstick access is difficult
