Tanzer 31 Sailboat Review, Specs, and Listings

Design and Construction

The hull is hand-laid fiberglass with a solid layup, while the deck and cockpit are cored only where reinforcement is needed. Standard keel material is cast iron, though a lead version of the fin keel could be ordered. A spade rudder carries the helm loads aft. With roughly 39 percent ballast-to-displacement and a PHRF average of 168 (ranging 159 to 182), the platform sits firmly in the cruiser-racer band rather than the featherweight racer camp. Cuthbertson’s intent was passage-making speed with club-race competitiveness, not surfboard behavior.

Rig and Handling

Her generous masthead sail plan provides plenty of horsepower, and the spar is deck-stepped with a somewhat bulky but effective tabernacle for easy lowering. All halyards are led aft on the cabintop to winches, and Tanzer supplied two cars on both genoa tracks for clean leads to the cockpit-coaming winches, with self-tailers as standard. The mainsheet traveler sits on the bridge deck aft of the companionway, and the tackle can be shifted further aft to a padeye on the cockpit floor just ahead of the binnacle. Test sailors found the boat accelerates well in light air as breezes built from five to ten knots, and the helm stayed well-balanced and comfortable. One owner, Bob de Athe, reported that even in heavy weather the helm remains very well-balanced and the boat stands up to its canvas with a good, dry ride. Under power the Yanmar two-cylinder 15-horsepower diesel maneuvered well in forward gear, though testers noted the shift to reverse was very sluggish — the builder’s Eric Spencer said the company was considering a larger standard propeller.

Accommodations

Below, testers called the cabin the most spacious and inviting of any yacht they’d seen in its size range. The layout places a double quarter-berth to port with a modest chart table at its head and the galley to starboard; the main cabin has an L-shaped settee to port and a short loveseat-sized settee to starboard, with a floor-mounted table in furniture-grade wood-grain arborite. The quarter-berth assembles quickly without acrobatics and avoids the low-ceiling trap because it doesn’t extend under the cockpit sole, though it is a little narrow for two large adults. Forward, the V-berth is small — not comfortable for two adults. A well-produced head compartment lies to port forward of the saloon, with doors giving privacy from both the main cabin and the forward berth at once. The galley holds a two-burner alcohol stove, a deep sink, and two moderate iceboxes flanking the stove. Six berths are listed, with 6-foot-4-inch headroom throughout.

Cockpit and Storage

The T-shaped cockpit impressed testers with its size and comfort, and Cuthbertson noted he took extra care with the height, angles, and levels of the seats and backrests. Under the starboard seat is a huge locker with a plywood floor and further stowage beneath; the helmsman’s seat hides a large lazarette, and small cubbyholes in each cockpit coaming hold sunglasses or gloves.

Known Issues

The foot of the L-shaped settee extends athwartships just ahead of the chart table, partially blocking the companionway ladder. Reverse-gear response was very sluggish under power, a trait the builder acknowledged by considering a propeller enlargement.

The Verdict

The Tanzer 31 is a thoughtfully laid-out Cuthbertson cruiser-racer with a roomy cabin for its length, a balanced helm across a wide wind range, and a practical deck-stepped rig. The companionway blockage and sluggish reverse are real but minor; the boat’s short production run limits fleet size.

Pros