Tanzer 31 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Tanzer 31 means looking at a Cuthbertson-designed cruiser-racer built by Tanzer Industries from 1984 to 1986, with a 25-foot waterline, 8,300-pound displacement, and cast-iron fin keel. The boat’s two-year build window keeps the fleet small, so buyers should understand the layouts and the few documented weak points before committing.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin arrangements are the more common layout seen on the brokerage market, though both versions turn up, and ex-charter boats are common. Either way the cabin reads as the most spacious in its size bracket: a port double quarter-berth with a modest chart table, starboard galley, L-shaped settee to port, and a small forward V-berth. The head sits forward of the saloon with doors to both the main cabin and the bow. One quirk to check is the L-shaped settee foot extending athwartships just ahead of the chart table, which partially blocks the companionway ladder.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market these boats commonly carry a spinnaker or asymmetric spinnaker, bimini, dodger, and chartplotter — all worth having for cruising but not deal-breakers if missing. The standard rig already includes self-tailing winches and a deck-stepped mast with tabernacle, so most sailing hardware is sound from the factory. Buyers should focus less on stereos and more on whether the canvas and navigation tools match their intended use.
What to Inspect
The one handling trait to verify is reverse performance: testers found the shift to reverse very sluggish under power with the standard Yanmar 15-horsepower diesel, and the builder noted a possible larger propeller was under consideration. Confirm the propeller size and the condition of the drivetrain. Also inspect the companionway area for interference from the settee foot, and check the cored deck and cockpit reinforcement zones for any moisture where the core was used.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats typically appear in the United States. For a buyer, the checklist is short: confirm layout (three-cabin owner version or other), verify reverse-gear responsiveness and propeller sizing, check deck-core areas for moisture, and ensure spinnaker, bimini, dodger, and chartplotter meet your needs. The Tanzer 31 rewards a careful shopper with a roomy, balanced cruiser-racer from a brief but purposeful production run.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Tanzer 31. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
7 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau Oceanis 31 | 31.69' | $ 78,165 | 88 | 17 |
| Hunter Marine 31 | 31.33' | $ 22,500 | 71 | 12 |
| Jeanneau Sun Sun Odyssey 31 | 30.51' | $ 31,853 | 16 | 6 |
| CAL 31 | 31.5' | $ 10,500 | 16 | 4 |
| Elan Boats 31 | 30.84' | $ 48,658 | 15 | 4 |
| Westerly Tempest 31 | 30.58' | $ 20,296 | 15 | 1 |
| Tartan 31 | 31.33' | $ 34,000 | 14 | 2 |