Design and Construction
The She 31's hull shape is optimized for racing under the IOR handicap system, with pinched bow and tail sections and a tumblehome amidships that give her a lean, race-bred silhouette capped by a sharp bow profile anchor. The fiberglass hull carries an iron fin keel carefully faired into the body, with that ballast quoted at 1,542 kg (3,400 lbs) and a swept-back fin keel paired to a skeg-hung rudder that affords good directional control and protection from grounding or collision damage. The deck is fiberglass as well, with a molded nonskid surface suited to wet-footed crew. Period build practice at South Hants used hand-laid laminates to Lloyds 100 A1 standards and a proprietary 'Shedeck' resin finish over the deck, though the authority review itself describes only the molded nonskid. At 7,800 lbs displacement on a 22-foot waterline, with a 43.6 percent ballast-displacement ratio, she is firmly in the dense, seakindly end of the 31-foot spectrum.
Rig and Handling
She carries a masthead sloop rig on an aluminum mast deck-stepped on a tabernacle, a detail that lets the stick be lowered for canal or bridge passages — a genuine cruising convenience inherited from her cross-Channel context. The mast has two sets of spreaders, and the standing rigging is stainless steel wire with swaged terminals and turnbuckles. Sail area is 410 sq ft; the mainsail uses slab reefing with two reef points while the genoa has roller furling for easy handling. On the water the review credits her as fast, close-winded and stable in nearly all sea conditions, and the skeg-hung rudder connects to a tiller that gives good feedback to the helmsman. The cockpit is spacious and well-protected by high coamings, with seats long enough to sleep on and lockers underneath, steered by that same tiller. Deck hardware is simple but functional: two primary winches, two halyard winches, two genoa tracks, two spinnaker poles and an anchor locker.
Accommodations
The earliest She 31 presented a limited interior with very little headroom, especially in the forecabin — a reflection of her initial racing orientation. The builder answered public demand with the 9.5 Traveller, a cruising version of the same hull with a redesigned deck, taller topsides and more living space. That Traveller layout is traditional: a V-berth forward, a saloon with two settee berths and folding pilot berths above, a starboard galley, a port navigation station and a quarter berth aft, plus a separate head compartment with marine toilet and washbasin. The veneers are varnished mahogany and the saloon stands 1.78 m (5 ft 11 in) tall. The base review still notes the She 31 proper as having a spacious and comfortable interior with plenty of headroom and stowage, suggesting later or revised fit-out brought the boat to that standard.
The Verdict
The She 31 is a Sparkman & Stephens design that wears its IOR pedigree with grace: a quick, close-winded sloop with a well-faired iron fin keel and a protective skeg rudder, wrapped in a fiberglass hull. Her deck-stepped tabernacle mast and roller-furling genoa speak to practical cruising, while the Traveller evolution shows a builder listening to owners who wanted headroom and a proper cabin. She is a compact, capable boat with a warm nickname and a serious bloodline.
Pros
- Fast, close-winded and stable across most sea states
- Skeg-hung rudder protects against grounding and collision damage
- Tabernacle mast can be lowered for inland waterways
- Iron fin keel carefully faired into the hull
- Spacious, well-coamed cockpit with stowage seats
Cons
- Original interior limited with poor forecabin headroom
- Simple deck hardware assumes owner-handled sail changes
