Seafarer 31 (Fastnet Sloop)
Description
The Seafarer 31 (also marketed as the Fastnet Sloop in some regions) is a compact fiberglass cruising sloop designed by McCurdy & Rhodes and built by Seafarer Yachts (USA) from 1968 to 1974, with approximately ~200 units produced as an affordable, seaworthy entry into offshore sailing. Measuring 31 feet LOA with a 9-foot-10-inch beam, 4-foot-6-inch draft, and 8,500-pound displacement (3,500-pound ballast), it features a fin keel with skeg-hung rudder, masthead sloop rig (450 ft² sail area), and moderate SA/D of ~16.5 for balanced performance—cruising at 5.5–6.5 knots with excellent stability (ballast ratio 41%, comfort ratio ~25). Hand-laid GRP construction, balsa-cored deck, and teak interior provide durability and warmth, with a practical layout including V-berth, saloon settees (convert to doubles), galley, head, and quarter berth for 4–5 crew. Known for dry ride, forgiving helm, and value, it competed in club races (PHRF ~200–220) and coastal passages, remaining a Great Lakes favorite in 2025.
Construction Details
| Designer | McCurdy and Rhodes |
|---|---|
| Builder | Seafarer Yachts |
| Length | 31.000 ft |
| LOA | 33.460 ft |
| LWL | 24.600 ft |
| Beam | 11.190 ft |
| Max Draft | 5.580 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 33.58 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 11.58 ft |
| p | 28 ft |
| e | 12 ft |
| p2 | 39 ft |
| e2 | 12.50 ft |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 33.58 ft | 11.58 ft | 28 ft | 12 ft | 39 ft | 12.50 ft | - | - |
Sails
| Sail Type | MAINSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 28 ft - (8534 mm) |
| Foot | * 12 ft - (3658 mm) |
| Leech | * 29.83 ft - (9092 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 30.08 ft - (9168 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 173.28 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 28.42 ft - (8662 mm) |
| Foot | * 15.54 ft - (4737 mm) |
| Leech | * 24.38 ft - (7431 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.32 ft - (4060 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.96 ° |
| Area | * 189.3 ft² |
| Sail Type | JIBSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | 26 ft - (7925 mm) |
| Foot | 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Leech | 22 ft - (6706 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 71.42 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 8.27 ft - (2521 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 15.14 ° |
| Area | * 107.57 ft² |
| Sail Type | GENOA |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 33.74 ft - (10284 mm) |
| Foot | * 18.87 ft - (5752 mm) |
| Leech | * 31.57 ft - (9623 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.37 ft - (5294 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 293 ft² |
| Sail Type | DRIFTER |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 33.74 ft - (10284 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.68 ft - (5998 mm) |
| Leech | * 30.02 ft - (9150 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perp | * 17.37 ft - (5294 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 9.02 ° |
| Area | * 293 ft² |
| Sail Type | ASYMMETRICAL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 33.74 ft - (10284 mm) |
| Foot | * 19.11 ft - (5825 mm) |
| Leech | * 31.04 ft - (9461 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 165 % |
| Area | 483.58 ft² |
| Sail Type | SPINNAKER |
|---|---|
| Stays | * 33.74 ft - (10284 mm) |
| MidGirth | * 20.84 ft - (6352 mm) |
| Foot | * 20.84 ft - (6352 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 598 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | 26 ft - (7925 mm) |
| Foot | 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Leech | 22 ft - (6706 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 71.42 % |
| Length Perp | * 8.27 ft - (2521 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 15.14 ° |
| Area | * 107.57 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMJIB |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 19.54 ft - (5956 mm) |
| Foot | * 8.81 ft - (2685 mm) |
| Leech | * 14.76 ft - (4499 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 54.23 % |
| Length Perp | * 6.28 ft - (1914 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 25.53 ° |
| Area | * 61.33 ft² |
| Sail Type | STORMTRYSAIL |
|---|---|
| Luff | * 11.86 ft - (3615 mm) |
| Foot | * 10.9 ft - (3322 mm) |
| Leech | * 9.88 ft - (3011 mm) |
| Length Perp | * 9.88 ft - (3011 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * -25 ° |
| Area | * 50 ft² |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.