New Beneteau 31

[DancingDays]

Are you still running the standard house batteries?

I'd be curious about your experience of you get a generator. I've considered a small generator to run our our shore power A/C at anchor (Texas summers and all). Unfortunately, the smaller units look borderline for the job, and the bigger ones are, well, big and heavy. I was hoping to stow something in the life boat locker, but it also looks like most of the small generator companies factor vertical designs with integrated handles that make them too tall.

 

[danb123]

i am - two house batteries and one starting battery...my starting battery seems to be prematurely dying though - barely holds 11.5v (yes i've checked the water levels). When running heater though I can't go more than a night without a lengthy recharge...I spoke to xantrex and i'm going to get a 1000watt Honda unit (20amp charger @ 12v).

 

[Ron20324]

...I spoke to xantrex and i'm going to get a 1000watt Honda unit (20amp charger @ 12v).

I assume you mean the Honda EU1000A2? That only puts out 8 amps at 12 volts according to the catalog. The 2000 puts out the same 8 amps. I suggest getting the 2000 with the 30-amp connector, and skip the 12-volt output. I'd rather run the Honda to connect to the shore power on the boat, then use the boa'ts 40-amp charger. I got mine thru Wise Sale, 800-916-9473. It was delivered to my door in three days for a total of 869$. I doubt you can beat that price.

 

[DancingDays]

Max Engine RPMs

Hi,

What do other Bene31 owners see as the maximum engine RPMs you get at wide open throttle, assuming the standard 3 blade fixed prop? What boat speed do you get in flat water and still air?

Thanks!

Ben.

 

[BoxedUp]

Seems like most of you B31 owners are happy with your purchase. What factors lead you to that decision over the other manufacturers that you considered?

 

[Jim21895]

We've had our 31 with non-furling main and deep keel for a few months now. When shopping, we were looking at the Catalina 309 and used Catalina 320s as well. There were no 320s in the configuration/condition that were acceptable to us, and we just did not like the 309's design and asthetics. The 31's lines appealed to me as I'm a sucker for a plumb bow, and the interior appealed to my wife. The main driven rig also appealed to me, having previously owned a race boat with large main/small jib rig. The only other real player in this area in the price range for inland lake sailing is Hunter, but that brand's new models simply don't appeal to me (I'm a former Hunter owner).

I like the way the boat handles. It seems a little sticky in light airs (folding prop would probably help), but comes to life when the wind picks up. Its very fun in 10 - 20+. Easily singlehanded with an auto-pilot. Silky smooth helm. Jib loads are easily handled. Main is easy to reef if you get to that point.

We're currently making some minor rigging changes to add a mast head assymetrical kite, so we'll see how that goes. I've also run the jib halyard and outhaul to clutches on the cabin top, and will add a cunningham this winter, in order to have all sail controls lead to the cockpit. Could use better halyards, but the OEM line is about what you would expect to get with this type of boat. The second reef is not needed inshore, so it's gone.

Not much cruising ground around here so we primarily day sail. The accomodations are very comfortable for two or a cozy four.

The boat does draw attention to itself.

 

[DancingDays]

We have the deep keel and furling main. Our decision was very similar to Jim's. We also looked closely at a new Hunter 34 that we could have gotten for close to the same price. We liked a lot of things about that boat (larger cabin, very nice livability touches), but the Beneteau looked (on paper) like a better performer, and we liked the larger cockpit.

I concur with Jim on handling. We are also considering a feathering prop, and possibly rigging for the assymetric. I'm still debating if I want to add the complexity, but it would be really nice for light wind days, which we get a fair number of around here.

We also primarily day sail. The accommodations are adequate, although the large saloon table can be hard to navigate around. I wish both sides folded. The galley storage space would be tight if we did much real cruising. The head and berths are very nice for a boat this size.

BTW, a clean bottom makes a bigger difference on this boat than any other I have spent time on. We had it cleaned by a diver a couple of months ago after a year in the (warm, fresh) water, and it was like getting a new boat.

 

[Jackdaw]

We also primarily day sail. The accommodations are adequate, although the large saloon table can be hard to navigate around. I wish both sides folded. The galley storage space would be tight if we did much real cruising. The head and berths are very nice for a boat this size.

Dancing,
You still on the water? We are keeping our new-to-us First 36.7 on the water at Lewisville for the winter before moving her up to Lake Superior in the spring. We'll be down at least once a month. Maybe we'll see you out. We're at 121.

 

[danb123]

i too was looking at similarly sized catalina models but the B31 is just beautiful inside and out to me. I too wish there was a better option for the saloon table (its always in the way). As someone in seawater in Southern California that has his hull cleaned once monthly I have to say wow - you cleaned it once after a year? I'm jealous

I spent 4 nights on the boat with my girlfriend recently and it made me thank the microwave I recently installed more every day!

I'm debating adding another smaller refrigerator under the chart table and another halyard...fun times

I had a chance recently to go on board every larger Beneteau model at a boat show to see if I regretted buying the smallest of the line from a size/value perspective and for me at least - I'm even more pleased with my purchase.

 

[DancingDays]

Dancing,
You still on the water? We are keeping our new-to-us First 36.7 on the water at Lewisville for the winter before moving her up to Lake Superior in the spring. We'll be down at least once a month. Maybe we'll see you out. We're at 121.

Yes, we are still there, also at 121. I haven't been out over the last few weeks due to travel, but hope to make up for that if the weather cooperates. Hopefully we will see you on the lake.

 

[DancingDays]

Danb, given the difference it made, I obviously waited too long. I'm now on the diver 's quarterly schedule, and may consider even more often.

 

[Caboteur]

How to choose?

Hello,
I concur with most of what was said so far... We were downsizing from our ocean-crossing C&C Landfall 38; we no longer wanted to sail to Europe or Bermuda & Azores. This boat was to be mostly daysailing & one, maybe two cruises to the Bahamas; from Canada that's a 10 month cruise. It was a compromise between a 27 footer with a stick & a 34 footer with wheel!
One of the deciding factors was the dealer Boulet Lemelin in Quebec, I had been dealing with them for the last 15 years & they took my old boat in trade.
I got the boat at the end of June 2008. It has shoal draft, standard main & a cruising spinnaker. It also has central heating (Canada).
We've now clocked 3,300NM on Caboteur & are very pleased; we are now three months into the first Bahama cruise & appreciate the easy handling along with the living amenities on the boat.
Pierre & Suzanne

 

[DancingDays]

Hello,

We've now clocked 3,300NM on Caboteur & are very pleased; we are now three months into the first Bahama cruise & appreciate the easy handling along with the living amenities on the boat.
Pierre & Suzanne

I'd love to read of any more detailed thoughts about the boat and life aboard that you come up with during a real cruise? Did you end up with the full load of granddaughters you mentioned before? How do you organize all the stuff on board for such a trip?

Any rough conditions? I'd really like to hear how it handles open water, gulf stream crossings, etc.

 

[Caboteur]

There is a lot in this question/comment.

There are only the two of us onboard. I put shelving in the two hanging lockers: I use the one in the rear cabin and Suzanne uses the one in front along with the spaces above the berth. The spare bedsheets are behind the rear bunk (way back there on portside). We don't have A/C so bottled water, juices & beer go there. Some long-term stuff goes in the locker under the forward bunk (we have the optional water tank). The refrigerator is huge and does a good job. All the little spaces behind the seatbacks are full. We took out the three-bottle holder and now can store 8 to 10 bottles in that space. Rum, Armagnac, Port & Sangria go in the recess under the table.

My diving equipment is in the life-raft area along with a spare 5gal. of fuel and a 2 gal. of dinghy gas. The cavernous locker is full: the boat lists a little to starboard with all the weight on that side... especially when the port water tank is empty and the septic is full!

We did only two rough-water stints: NY to Cape May; I should have put the dinghy up on the deck it banged around a lot from a 25-30Kt hindwind, the boat handled it perfectly. Chesapeake Bay again gusts to 30 but this time I had the dinghy on deck; when the wind pipid up I reduced sail & all was well. We had to motor into the wind for the last hour; plenty of power and good tracking. We have a 35# Delta & 125' of 5/16 chain plus rode, a 14# & 100' of 5/16 chain plus rode for a secondary, all in the anchor well plus the forward water tank; keeps the nose down and the boat tracking very well.

For moving around we have folding bikes in bags in the rear corner of the cockpit... we haven't used them much; I doubt that I would bring them again. The one on port has to be moved to access the life-raft locker.

We get about a month's use out of every 5# propane tank. I have one on the stove & one on the BBQ; when the stove runs out I switch and put on a little Coleman 1#, then refill only the empty bottle. the BBQ uses hardly any propane.

We have a good WiFi antenna; I'm writing from the boat in St-Augustine FL. We use Skype on the computer with the WiFi connections just about everywhere though the sound quality is less than perfect and the video is practically unusable.

We have a small inverter mostly for the coffee grinder. We don't have a Honda generator and wish there were a hunting season for their users! They sure can wreck a quiet anchorage...

It was fairly cold on the trip from Montreal to Florida so we used the heating system extensively. It kept the humidity out of the boat.

I just put in a new anode; the original had melted away. They don't last very long in warm salt-water. When I leave the boat in the Bahamas to go home for Christmas I'll certainly get an exterior zinc to help that little one tacked onto the prop. For extensive motoring I appreciate that fixed three-blade; for light wind conditions while sailing it's not so good.

Even on a very long cruise you don't need enormous amounts of provisions; this is not a month-long sea passage. We are in the USA & then the Bahamas... we can get food just about everywhere we go. In the Bahamas we can fish and get veggies on any small island: do you really need more?

So far we've found this size boat & this one in particular to be the perfect compromise for us between ease of handling and living space.

 

[bfafard]

Hi All, We are taking delivery of our 2011 31 the end of march and had a question. The stern rail does not leave much room for an outboard motor mount and we are considering mounting the GPS antenna on the starboard side. Anyone have problems with both a GPS antenna and motor mount on the starboard side?

 

[DancingDays]

Stuff on the Stern Rail

Hi All, We are taking delivery of our 2011 31 the end of march and had a question. The stern rail does not leave much room for an outboard motor mount and we are considering mounting the GPS antenna on the starboard side. Anyone have problems with both a GPS antenna and motor mount on the starboard side?

We have a Raymarine GPS antenna mounted flush to the starboard side deck near the starboard backstay. I turns out that the Raymarine antenna had all the works in the top cap of the golf tee/ice-cream cone looking antenna. The lower part was just a mount, and can be removed for flush mounting.

The Bene 31 pics on the Beneteau USA site shows what I think is a motor mount on the starboard pushpit rail. I don't think my GPS antenna would interfere with that placement.

Along the same lines, I'm trying to find a good arrangement for a LifeSling on the pushpit. The spot that seems best is already taken by the throwable PFD bracket. I'm considering cutting that off--but I wouldn't mind having both the LifeSling and the normal throwable on the rail. Has anyone else put a LifeSling on the rail?

 

[Ron20324]

That horseshoe mounting bracket serves a purpose on my boat- it supports the BBQ that is clamped to the rail, so supports the outter end of the BBQ mount. I just don't trust that rail mount clamp when my good steaks are hanging out there cooking.

 

[bfafard]

I talked to the electronics tech today and the are going to install the GPS on the port side instead, which should solve the issue! Thanks.

 

[fat duck]

Hi

I am just getting a new OC31 delivered into Antibes in the south of france in a couple of weeks time. You mention you fitted a Webasto heater. I am familiar with the erbespacher as I have one on my first 27.7 here in Australia. How have you found the webasto and do you have any suggestion about which is better. do you know the model number of the webasto by the way.


Thanks

Denis OC31 FAT DUCK

I made a few other changes...
I put in a piece of teak about 3½" X 2' in the cockpit in front of the cockpit table to be used as a footrest for the "passenger" when we are heeled-over.
Put in two shelves in each of the hanging lockers... who has anything to hang onboard anyway. I sawed off the aluminum pole in the lockers, did the same to the pole in the galley cabinets.
I took out the piece of plywood at the back end inside the chart drawer: chartkits now fit nicely in there.
Put in an ICOM M-710 SSB below the chart table mounted sideways & vertically: the front of the radio is in the "hallway".
I have 4 X 6V-225 amp/hrs for house bank & the original starter battery, the boat is on a mooring & has no access to shore-power.
My wife wanted two hand-holds in the companionway: we had stainless ones made & installed.
My wife made form fit mattress covers and sheets for the V-berth; we use standard queen-size (terry-cloth sheets for stretch) for the aft-cabin.
I will be putting solar panels & a washdown pump in the spring... Any ideas & help on these two items would be appreciated.
Instead of AC we have a Webasto heating system & use it quite a bit.
Though the boat is recent & we live in the northern hinterlands we have racked-up 1,700Nm on it already.

 

[Caboteur]

Webasto heater

Hello Fat Duck,
All we have here are Espart and Webasto heaters so I cannot compare with any othe make. The Webasto has worked very well for me in weather as low as -5°C. It kept the boaty very comfortable. the model seems to be a 3500 Air-top.
We now have 4500Nm on the boat and 750 hours on the little Yanmar engine... this is a 2009 model!
Enjoy the boat; though small it is quite rewarding. We are presently in the Bahamas for the winter but will be returning to Québec for the summer.
Pierre
Le Caboteur