| Main features | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Model | First 31.7 | First 31.7 |
Version | Deep draft | Shoal draft |
Hull type | Monohull | Monohull |
Category | Cruiser-racer sailboat | Cruiser-racer sailboat |
Sailboat builder | Bénéteau | Bénéteau |
Sailboat designer | ||
Sailboat range | ||
Country | France | France |
Construction | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): - Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester - Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester | GRP (glass reinforced polyester): - Hull: Single skin fiberglass polyester - Deck: Sandwich balsa fiberglass polyester |
Number of hulls built | About 1500 | About 1500 |
First built hull | 1997 | 1997 |
Last built hull | 2010 | 2010 |
Appendages | Keel : L-shaped keel (with bulb) | Keel : L-shaped keel (with bulb) |
Helm | Single tiller | Single tiller |
Rudder | Single spade rudder | Single spade rudder |
Unsinkable | No | No |
Trailerable | No | No |
EC design category iThe CE design category indicates the ability to cope with certain weather conditions (the sailboat is designed for these conditions)A: Wind < force 9, Waves < 10m B: Wind < force 8, Waves < 8m C: Wind < force 6, Waves < 4m D: Wind < force 4, Waves < 0,5m | A | B |
| Main dimensions | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Overall length | 31’ 6”9.61 m | 31’ 6”9.61 m |
Hull length | 31’ 2”9.5 m | 31’ 2”9.5 m |
Waterline length | 28’ 11”8.8 m | 28’ 11”8.8 m |
Beam (width) | 10’ 7”3.23 m | 10’ 7”3.23 m |
Draft | 6’ 2”1.9 m | 4’ 10”1.45 m |
Mast height from DWL | 45’ 7”13.9 m | 45’ 7”13.9 m |
Light displacement (MLC) | 8267 lb3750 kg | 8267 lb3750 kg |
Ballast weight | 2260 lb1025 kg | 2260 lb1025 kg |
Ballast type | Cast iron | Cast iron |
French customs tonnage | 9.36 Tx | 9.36 Tx |
| Rig and sails | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Upwind sail area | 565 ft²52.5 m² | 565 ft²52.5 m² |
Downwind sail area | 1011 ft²93.96 m² | 1011 ft²93.96 m² |
Mainsail area | 254 ft²23.6 m² | 254 ft²23.6 m² |
Genoa area | 311 ft²28.9 m² | 311 ft²28.9 m² |
Solent area | 226 ft²21 m² | 226 ft²21 m² |
Jib area | 205 ft²19 m² | 205 ft²19 m² |
Symmetric spinnaker area | 757 ft²70.36 m² | 757 ft²70.36 m² |
I iFore triangle height (from mast foot to fore stay top attachment) | 38’ 11”11.87 m | 38’ 11”11.87 m |
J iFore triangle base (from mast foot to bottom of forestay) | 11’ 4”3.44 m | 11’ 4”3.44 m |
P iMainsail hoist measurement (from tack to head) | 35’ 5”10.8 m | 35’ 5”10.8 m |
E iMainsail foot measurement (from tack to clew) | 12’ 10”3.9 m | 12’ 10”3.9 m |
Rigging type | Sloop Marconi 9/10 | Sloop Marconi 9/10 |
Mast configuration | Keel stepped mast | Keel stepped mast |
Rotating spars | No | No |
Number of levels of spreaders | 2 | 2 |
Spreaders angle | Swept-back | Swept-back |
Spars construction | Aluminum spars | Aluminum spars |
Standing rigging | 1x19 strand wire | 1x19 strand wire |
| Performances | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
HN (French rating) iHN or "Handicap Nationale" is an empirical rating system used in France allowing various monohulls, of different sizes and designs, to race each other fairly. It is particularly suitable for cruiser and cruiser-racer. Therefore, by comparing these values, we can have an indication of the relative speed of 2 boats. | 21.0 | 21.0 |
Upwind sail area to displacement iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size. Upwind: under 18 the ratio indicates a cruise oriented sailboat with limited performances especially in light wind, while over 25 it indicates a fast sailboat. | 234 ft²/T21.75 m²/T | 234 ft²/T21.75 m²/T |
Downwind sail area to displacement iThe ratio sail area to displacement is obtained by dividing the sail area by the boat's displaced volume to the power two-thirds.The ratio sail area to displacement can be used to compare the relative sail plan of different sailboats no matter what their size. | 419 ft²/T38.93 m²/T | 419 ft²/T38.93 m²/T |
Displacement-length ratio (DLR) iThe Displacement Length Ratio (DLR) is a figure that points out the boat's weight compared to its waterline length. The DLR is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement in tons by the cube of one one-hundredth of the waterline length (in feet).The DLR can be used to compare the relative mass of different sailboats no matter what their length: a DLR less than 180 is indicative of a really light sailboat (race boat made for planning), while a DLR greater than 300 is indicative of a heavy cruising sailboat. | 156 | 156 |
Ballast ratio iThe Ballast ratio is an indicator of stability; it is obtained by dividing the boat's displacement by the mass of the ballast. Since the stability depends also of the hull shapes and the position of the center of gravity, only the boats with similar ballast arrangements and hull shapes should be compared.The higher the ballast ratio is, the greater is the stability. | 27 % | 27 % |
Critical hull speed iAs a ship moves in the water, it creates standing waves that oppose its movement. This effect increases dramatically the resistance when the boat reaches a speed-length ratio (speed-length ratio is the ratio between the speed in knots and the square root of the waterline length in feet) of about 1.2 (corresponding to a Froude Number of 0.35) . This very sharp rise in resistance, between speed-length ratio of 1.2 to 1.5, is insurmountable for heavy sailboats and so becomes an apparent barrier. This leads to the concept of "hull speed".The hull speed is obtained by multiplying the square root of the waterline length (in feet) by 1.34. | 7.20 knots | 7.20 knots |
| Auxiliary engine | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Engine(s) | 1 inboard engine | 1 inboard engine |
Engine(s) power | 21 HP | 21 HP |
Fuel type | Diesel | Diesel |
Fuel tank capacity | 7.9 gal30 liters | 7.9 gal30 liters |
| Accommodations and layout | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Cockpit | Closed aft cockpit | Closed aft cockpit |
Cabin(s) | 2 | 2 |
Berth(s) | 6 | 6 |
Head(s) | 1 | 1 |
Freshwater tank capacity | 42.3 gal160 liters | 42.3 gal160 liters |
Holding tank capacity | 13.2 gal50 liters | 13.2 gal50 liters |
Fridge/ice-box capacity | 18.5 gal70 liters | 18.5 gal70 liters |
Boiler capacity | 5.8 gal22 liters | 5.8 gal22 liters |
Head headroom | 5’ 11”1.8 m | 5’ 11”1.8 m |
| Saloon | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Maximum headroom | 6’1.82 m | 6’1.82 m |
| Fore cabin | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Maximum headroom | 5’ 8”1.75 m | 5’ 8”1.75 m |
Berth length | 6’ 7”2 m | 6’ 7”2 m |
Berth width | 4’ 7”1.4 m | 4’ 7”1.4 m |
| Aft cabin | First 31.7 Deep draft | First 31.7 Shoal draft |
Maximum headroom | 5’ 11”1.8 m | 5’ 11”1.8 m |
Berth length | 6’ 7”2 m | 6’ 7”2 m |
Berth width | 4’ 11”1.5 m | 4’ 11”1.5 m |