Pacific Seacraft Mariah 31 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

Crealock gave the 31 a relatively fine, high bow and a deep forefoot that runs aft beneath a subtly concave sheerline, but broke from his own norm at the stern: instead of the rounded, double-ended profile of the Crealock 34, the 31 carries a broad, flat transom. That flat stern is no styling exercise — it eases stern boarding and frees room for a sizeable quarterberth. Below the waterline the boat sports a modified fin keel and skeg-hung rudder, offered in a standard 4-foot-11-inch draft or a 4-foot shoal Scheel version; the shoal keel’s smaller bilge trims fuel capacity by five gallons versus the deeper hull. Structurally, the chainplates are quarter-inch-by-1.5-inch-by-12-inch stainless tangs bolted outboard through half-inch stainless bolts and a full backing plate inside the hull, a layout that keeps the shrouds clear of fore-and-aft movement along the just-over-12-inch sidedecks. A stainless compression post anchors into the keel sump under the sole, and the hull-and-deck union follows Pacific Seacraft practice for the era.

Rig and Handling

Aloft, the standard rig is a single-spreader extruded aluminum mast carrying a cutter configuration with 600 square feet of sail, though a sloop option at 485 square feet was also available. The test boat wore running backstays, which the tester judged overkill, yet the owner values them in strong blows and at anchor to still mast pumping. Primary winches sit close enough to the helm for solo tending, but their outboard placement lets the lower lifeline foul the handle arc — a problem Practical Sailor's survey found needed correction. Under sail, the 31 slid at 3.6 knots close-hauled in 10–14 knots, rose to 4.2 knots at a steady 15, and broad-reaching under partial main and full genoa made 6.7 knots. Testers noted a tight turning radius and acceptable headway loss through tacks despite the lengthy fin, though lighter-air upwind speed disappointed. Under the 30-horsepower Yanmar, the cabin measured 90 decibels at 2,400–2,600 rpm and the boat cruised 5.3 knots in flat water against a slight headwind; owners report roughly a half-gallon-per-hour burn.

Accommodations

Joseph Artese laid out an open interior rather than segmented cabins, using off-white gelcoat with teak faces to heighten the sense of space. Standing headroom is 6 feet 1 inch; the V-berth and quarterberth each run 6 feet 6 inches long with at least 5 feet of breadth, and the settees extend under the V-berth to a full 7 feet when the forward cushion is lifted, each convertible to a seaberth with lee cloths. A centerline table slides from beneath the V-berth, while a 5-cubic-foot icebox lid doubles as the chart table. The galley holds a gimbaled two-burner stove and double stainless sink with week-long storage; the head has a wet locker behind louvered teak and bronze through-hulls. With seven 10-inch opening ports and a 20-inch forward hatch, ventilation is ample, but the open plan means a second couple would face privacy challenges overnight.

Cockpit and Deck

Nearly a third of the deck is cockpit, with 6-foot-2-inch seats that pinch to 8 inches at the pedestal and a 30-inch Edson wheel. A 36-inch Garhauer traveler on 4:1 purchase sits amid raised-diamond nonskid, and Harken hardware was standard on new boats. Coaming cubbies, a rear lazarette under the helm seat, and locking port and starboard seat lockers add stowage. The optional bimini lifts headroom to 6 feet 4 inches but cuts the helmsman’s view of the mainsail. Two-inch scuppers sit in the footwell’s aft corners, with further scuppers draining overboard through deck and hull; still, an inch or two of water can pool forward under full-throttle power.

Known Issues and Access

Access to the transmission dipstick is awkward, and reaching the stuffing box means lifting a quarterberth cushion and a small panel beneath it. The shoal keel’s reduced tankage is inherent to the hull, not a defect. The winch-handle fouling by the lifeline is the one rigging point the survey said must be addressed, and the bimini’s sail-occlusion is a trade-off buyers should weigh.

The Verdict

The Pacific Seacraft 31 is a purpose-built small cruiser with Crealock pedigree and a real offshore brief. Its open, airy interior and clever stowage suit a couple, and the helm-forward winches make short-handed sailing practical, but the narrow pedestal seats, privacy-limited layout, and minor access quirks temper the picture.

Pros