Design and Construction
The Quest 31 measures 31 feet overall, with a 28.5-foot waterline and a 14.25-foot beam. She displaces 7,000 pounds and draws between 2.59 and 2.89 feet, depending on load.
Her hull is solid fiberglass, a material that requires minimal maintenance through a sailing season. The length-to-beam ratio of 2.18 is central to the boat’s volume. Among comparable sailing catamarans, that proportion makes her roomier than 99 percent of similar designs.
The combination of a 28.5-foot waterline and 7,000-pound displacement produces a displacement-length ratio of 135. This places the Quest 31 in the “light racer” band. A light displacement of this order requires less canvas to get moving and allows quicker acceleration than a heavier boat. A hull speed of 7.15 knots and a sail-area-to-displacement ratio of 19.37 fit those figures, describing a boat designed for easy motion rather than brute carrying power.
Rig, Power, and Handling
The Quest 31 carries 443 square feet of sail on a masthead sloop rig. Her light displacement, which places her among light racers, allows higher acceleration under this modest sail plan.
Her shallow draft of roughly 2.6 to 2.9 feet shapes both close-quarters handling and anchorage choice. It lets her slip into shallow marinas that deeper keelboats can’t reach.
A single 15-horsepower Yanmar diesel provides auxiliary power. That installation is proportionate to a 7,000-pound catamaran intended for coastal and relaxed cruising rather than long offshore passages under power.
Accommodations
The Quest 31’s standout feature below is the space created by her 2.18 length-to-beam ratio, which makes her more spacious than 99% of similar sail catamarans. Her 14.25-foot beam also provides more interior and cockpit width than nearly all rivals of her size. The catamaran platform offers accommodation in two hulls, along with a central saloon width that monohulls of the same length can’t match.
The boat supports a three-cabin owner layout or charter-style arrangement within its 31-foot length. Fresh-water capacity is listed as 227 liters—59 US gallons or 49 imperial gallons. The standard specification also records a 60-gallon water capacity, broadly aligning with that figure. This suits weekends and coastal cruising with a small crew more than extended self-sufficiency.
The Verdict
The Quest 31 is a small British catamaran from the beginning of the Quest line. Her solid-fiberglass construction and beam-driven layout make her more spacious than nearly every comparable boat. Shallow twin keels and light displacement make her easy to handle and berth, though the light-racer classification frames her primarily as a coastal cruiser.
Pros
- Shallow 2.59–2.89-foot draft allows access to marinas closed to deeper boats
- Length-to-beam ratio of 2.18 makes her roomier than 99% of comparable catamarans
- Solid-fiberglass hull requires minimal seasonal maintenance
- Light displacement provides quick acceleration under a modest rig
Cons
- Light displacement and modest fuel capacity suit coastal use better than offshore range
- Twin-keel attachment integrity should be confirmed
