southern cross 31 sailboat data

Southern cross 31

The southern cross 31 is a 34.5ft cutter designed by thomas gillmer and built in fiberglass by c. e. ryder since 1975., 150 units have been built..

The Southern cross 31 is a heavy sailboat which is under powered. It is reasonably stable / stiff and has an excellent righting capability if capsized. It is best suited as a bluewater cruising boat. The fuel capacity is originally small. There is a short water supply range.

Southern cross 31 for sale elsewhere on the web:

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• Southern Cross 31

The Southern Cross 31 Sailboat

The Southern Cross 31 is a classic cutter-rigged sailboat that was designed by Thomas Gillmer and built by C. E. Ryder between 1975 and 1987.

It is a sturdy and seaworthy vessel that draws inspiration from the traditional double-enders of Colin Archer, a Norwegian naval architect and shipbuilder. The boat has a full keel, a transom-hung rudder, and a small cockpit that offers protection in rough seas. It has a spacious interior with two layout options, one with a stand-up navigation station and one with a quarter-berth. The Southern Cross 31 is a popular choice for bluewater cruisers who value comfort, safety, and simplicity over speed and performance.

Published Specification for the Southern Cross 31

Underwater Profile:  Long keel with transom-hung rudder

Hull Material : GRP

Length Overall : 31'0" / 9.5m

Waterline Length : 25'0" / 7.6m

Beam : 9'6" / 2.9m

Draft : 4'6" / 1.4m

Rig Type : Cutter

Displacement : 13,600lb / 6,169kg

Designer : Thomas Gilmer

Builder : Clark Ryder (USA)

Year First Built : 1975

Owners Association :  Southern Cross Owners Association

Published Design Ratios for the Southern Cross 31

1. Sail Area/Displacement Ratio:  12.6

2. Ballast/Displacement Ratio:  32.4

3. Displacement/Length Ratio:  389

4. Comfort Ratio:  37.6

5. Capsize Screening Formula:   1.6

read more about these all-revealing numbers...

Summary Analysis of the Design Ratios for the  Southern Cross 31

1. A Sail Area/Displacement Ratio of just 12.6 suggests that the Southern Cross 31 will need a stiff breeze to get her going. In light conditions, unless you've got plenty of time on your hands, motor-sailing may be the way to go.

2. A Ballast/Displacement Ratio of 32.4 means that unless the bulk of the ballast is concentrated in a bulb at the foot of her keel, the Southern Cross 31 will have a tendency to heel excessively in a gust, and she'll need to be reefed early to keep her sailing upright in a moderate breeze. 

3. A Displacement/Length Ratio of 389, tells us the Southern Cross 31 is firmly in the ultra-heavy displacement category. Load her up as much as you like and her performance will be hardly affected, not that it was ever startling. Few if any sailboats are built to this displacement category these days - but they remain popular with some long-distance sailors.

4. Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio of 37.6 suggests that crew comfort of a Southern Cross 31 in a seaway is similar to what you would associate with the motion of a moderate bluewater cruising boat - a predictable and acceptable motion for most seasoned sailors.

5. The Capsize Screening Formula (CSF) of 1.6 tells us that a Southern Cross 31 would be a safer choice of sailboat for an ocean passage than one with a CSF of more than 2.0. 

Any Questions?

Is the Southern Cross 31 still in production and, if not, when did production end and how many of these sailboats were built?

No, the Southern Cross 31 is not in production anymore. The production ended in 1987, after 150 boats were built.

What is the history of the builders of the Southern Cross 31 and is the company still in business?

The Southern Cross 31 was built by C. E. Ryder, a company founded by Clint Ryder in 1968 in Bristol, Rhode Island. The company specialized in building high-quality fiberglass sailboats, such as the Sea Sprite, the Bristol Channel Cutter, and the Southern Cross series. The company ceased operations in 1990 and was sold to Bristol Yachts.

What sailplan and rig options, if any, are available for the Southern Cross 31?

The Southern Cross 31 has a cutter rig with a bowsprit, which allows for a variety of sail combinations depending on the wind conditions. The reported sail area is 46.1 m² (497 sq ft), which includes a mainsail, a staysail, and a yankee jib.

What keel options, if any, are available for the Southern Cross 31?

The Southern Cross 31 has only one keel option, which is a long keel with a cutaway forefoot. The keel has a draft of 1.4 m (4.6 ft) and a ballast of 1,995 kg (4,400 lbs), which gives the boat a ballast-to-displacement ratio of 32.3%. The long keel provides directional stability and protects the propeller and rudder from grounding.

What is the Southern Cross 31 like to sail?

The Southern Cross 31 is a heavy displacement boat that sails well in moderate to strong winds, but struggles in light airs. It is not very fast or agile, but it is stable and comfortable in rough seas. It has a well-balanced helm and responds well to the tiller. It can handle most weather conditions and has a reputation for being seaworthy and reliable.

What is the average cost of a secondhand Southern Cross 31?

The average cost of a secondhand Southern Cross 31 varies depending on the condition, equipment, and location of the boat. According to YachtWorld.com , the asking prices for Southern Cross 31 boats for sale range from US$10,900 to US$59,000 as of April 2023.

What other sailboats have been created by the designer of the Southern Cross 31?

Thomas Gillmer was a professor of naval architecture at the US Naval Academy and an accomplished designer of sailboats. Some of his other designs include the Allied Seawind, the Aries 32, the Blue Moon , the Offshore 33, and the Pride of Baltimore.

The above answers were drafted by sailboat-cruising.com using GPT-4 (OpenAI’s large-scale language-generation model) as a research assistant to develop source material; to the best of our knowledge,  we believe them to be accurate.

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Southern Cross 31, Originally reviewed October 1975

In the early 1970s, the world of offshore cruising boats was dominated by double-ended types reflecting the designs of William Atkin. Atkin's double-enders were Americanizations of the Scottish designer Colin Archer's work in offshore lifeboats in Europe. The most famous of these American varieties is of course the Westsail 32, based on an early Atkin design, Eric. The general agreement at the time was that the best bluewater boats were double-enders with full keels.

The Southern Cross 31 designed by Tom Gilmer is a good example of the type.

Gilmer was a great designer. He had the eye. In a nutshell that's why I chose this design. It's a very good-looking boat with shapely ends and a nicely balanced and springy sheer. Gilmer took the Colin Archer type and flattened the buttocks, firmed up the bilges to add initial stability and added volume in the ends. The idea was to improve boat speed and reduce the Archer/Atkin type's tendency to hobbyhorse. Gilmer kept the trademark outboard rudder, an essential part of this aesthetic. The full keel is pulled back from the bow slightly but it still is a true full keel with a hefty D/L of 388 and a L/B of 3.26.

Keep in mind when you look at a design like Southern Cross that this was a time when "speed" was not a word associated with offshore cruising boats. There was a huge performance gap between the offshore boat of the day and the latest IOR "freak." The IOR boats were fast but they were considered dangerous by cruisers and not fit for offshore work. Heck, the IOR boats had fin keels and spade or skeg-hung rudders. That would never do. Of course, my Valiant 40 design changed that. It was essentially a hybrid design that bridged the gap between racers and cruisers. Someone called it a "performance-cruiser" and the term stuck. I remember an angry John Neale coming to my office with a "how dare you" attitude. John sails a nice Halberg-Rassy today with a spade rudder and fin keel. Times change.

At the beginning of the 1970s the ketch rig was considered the ultimate for most bluewater boats. But the cutter rig soon replaced the ketch as the standard rig for offshore work. The Southern Cross shows a well-proportioned cutter rig with a short, plank type bowsprit and a boomkin off the stern to get the backstay clear of the outboard rudder. It's not a big rig. The SA/D is only 12.57, so it would be very slow going in light air. The interior layout is as simple as it could be and near perfect to my eye today. For pure functionality it's hard to beat these old orthogonal layouts.

They don't make them like this anymore but we sure made a lot of them like this back in the 1970s and 1980s.

Read the original review at: http://www.sailingmagazine.net/boats/3-perry-on-design/1096-southern-cross

LOA 31; LWL 25; Beam 9'6"; Draft 4'7"; Displacement 13,6000 lbs.; Ballast 4,100 lbs.; Sail area 496

Original sailaway price $54,900

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SOUTHERN CROSS 31 Detailed Review

If you are a boat enthusiast looking to get more information on specs, built, make, etc. of different boats, then here is a complete review of SOUTHERN CROSS 31. Built by C. E. Ryder and designed by Thomas Gillmer, the boat was first built in 1975. It has a hull type of Long keel w/trans. hung rudder and LOA is 10.52. Its sail area/displacement ratio 12.60. Its auxiliary power tank, manufactured by undefined, runs on Diesel.

SOUTHERN CROSS 31 has retained its value as a result of superior building, a solid reputation, and a devoted owner base. Read on to find out more about SOUTHERN CROSS 31 and decide if it is a fit for your boating needs.

Boat Information

Boat specifications, sail boat calculation, rig and sail specs, auxillary power tank, accomodations, contributions, who designed the southern cross 31.

SOUTHERN CROSS 31 was designed by Thomas Gillmer.

Who builds SOUTHERN CROSS 31?

SOUTHERN CROSS 31 is built by C. E. Ryder.

When was SOUTHERN CROSS 31 first built?

SOUTHERN CROSS 31 was first built in 1975.

How long is SOUTHERN CROSS 31?

SOUTHERN CROSS 31 is 7.62 m in length.

What is mast height on SOUTHERN CROSS 31?

SOUTHERN CROSS 31 has a mast height of 9.6 m.

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Southern Cross 31 - Sailboat Data, Parts & Rigging

Sailboat data, rig dimensions and recommended sail areas for Southern Cross 31 sailboat. Tech info about rigging, halyards, sheets, mainsail covers and more.

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Southern Cross 31?

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Im in the market for a 30 something, blue waterish boat and recently become enamored with the Southern Cross 31. I have been searching the net (and SailNet) consistently with not very much information found, even on the owners site Its numbers make it off shore worthy, but the sail area - displacement ratio of 12.55 makes me thinks its REALLY pokey, much like Westsail.. Thoughts? Is there a fin keel/skeg rudder boat that has better performance numbers but a capsize ratio well under 2? (Souther Cross is 1.55) or are the numbers diametrically opposed? We have considered a Bristol 29.9, and Bayfield 29 thanks in advance Dave in NC  

Dave, I'm surprised that the SA/D ratio is so low on the Southern Cross 31. That doesn't sound right to me, but I have no first hand knowledge. Might be worth a double check. Is this not the Gillmer 31, built by Ryder? If so, there should be some discussion in Ferenc Mate's "Best Boats to Build or Buy". You asked: <<Is there a fin keel/skeg rudder boat that has better performance numbers but a capsize ratio well under 2? (Souther Cross is 1.55) or are the numbers diametrically opposed?>> I will shamelessly put in a plug for our boat model, the Pacific Seacraft Crealock 31 (not to be confused with the PSC Mariah 31). It has the attributes you describe, in the size range you are looking at.  

Dave; We have a gentleman in our club marketing a well equipped Southern Cross 35 for about 78k if you are interested l can get more info, Dave  

I'm also looking at a SC 31. The biggest concern for me is the cored airex hull. It is a Gilmer designed hull - same as roughwater 33  

Windrose2 - $78k is out of my range Dave, but thanks. JohnR - got the figures from the Carls SailCalc.. in pics is sure does look like the main is small, but maybe they are not counting the headsail?? dontknow Gburton - I too heard of the cored hull.. but dont really know what to make of it. Anything designed with a 13000+ of displacement in 30 ft of boat has got to be solid, no? Is your concern about water penetration or strength if struck by something? Im not concerned about the ruggedness, but more about light air and pointing ability.. the figures I reference are really low.. The only owners site that Im aware of is www dot southerncross-boats dot org/ and it doesnt have specs  

Dave in NC, Carl's sail calculator is a neat tool, but I have seen errors there. Not output errors, but input errors. My understanding is that anyone can load up the specs to a boat model and run the numbers through the calculator. Sometimes the numbers come from dubious sources (like the specs listed in Yachtworld) and to the best of my knowledge there is no process in place to verify. Then again, maybe those numbers for the SC 31 are spot on. If you're truly interested in this model, it would be worth doing some homework to verify the specs.  

The Southern Cross 31 is a pretty solid boat, with circumnavigations to its credit. While it has a cored hull, the hull is very solid, provided it hasn't had any water penetrate the core. BTW, from my calculations, the SA/D should be more like 13.25 or so, rather than the 12.55. I am basing this on the following specifications: LOA 31', LWL 25', Beam 9.5', Displacement 13600, SA (Main + 100% Jib) 472 sq. ft. The main and 100% Jib areas were calculated based on the I, J, P, and E measurements of the boat, which are 36.5, 15.5, 31, and 12.2 respectively. Mainsail area is approximately (P*E)/2 or (31*12.2)/2 or 189.1 sq. ft. 100% Jib are is approximately (I * J)/2 or (36.5 * 15.5)/2 or 282.9 sq. ft. These numbers are probably a bit conservative, since they assume a mainsail with no roach area whatsoever, which is somewhat unusual today. BTW, the numbers for the SC31 are from the sail specifications section of the MauriProSailing website. The displacement, LOA, LWL and Beam are from several different sites, which all had them listed the same.  

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't many of the Southern Cross 31's owner-finished? That would be my biggest concern if I were looking at them as a bluewater yacht. Aesthetically and on paper, I really like the SC31. If I were shopping an SC31, I'd also consider some of the following vessels: Westsail 32, PSC 31, IP 31, Baba 30, Valiant 32, Willard 8 Ton  

Yes, many of the Southern Crosses were owner finished, being sold as bare hulls IIRC. Some of the ones I've seen were quite well done—better than the factory finished ones in some cases—others were miserable.  

<<If I were shopping an SC31, I'd also consider some of the following vessels: Westsail 32, PSC 31, IP 31, Baba 30, Valiant 32, Willard 8 Ton>> Don't forget the inscrutable Allajuela 33 !!  

Saildog - wow - Im impressed! - thats more information than Ive been able to find..Ive got emails out to every SCowner.org addr I can find! SA/Dsp ratio - wouldnt the calculation cover how much sail you can hang in the I,J,P & E triangles and hence a cutter rig would have advantages? Kwaltersmi - thanks for the other suggestions.. pricing wize, for some reason, the SC's Ive seen seem to fall below $40k, even $30k while the others you suggest, in decent shape generally start above $50k maybe the "owner finished" issue is why there is a strong following on the net..  

I don't know about how the SA/D is calculated for a Cutter-rigged boat, since I don't deal with them all that much. However, as I said, the numbers I gave you are probably a bit on the low side, since most mainsails are cut with some roach to them, especially if they have any battens in the sail. The PSC 31, HR Monsun and Mistral , Westsail 32, are other boats you could look at. The HR Mistral will probably perform much better than the PSC31 and WS32, since they're fin keeled IIRC. The Monsun is a full-keel design.  

Traditionally, for the purposes of calculating SA/D, cutters are calculated like sloops, in other words using 100% foretriangle. That said I have seen calcs that use 100% fore triangle plus 100% size of the staysail for the published sail area and I understand that Island Packets SA/D is calculated using the area of a genoa. For the purpose of SA/D and center of effort calcs, sails are always calculated as straight edged, ignoring roach or hollow. Jeff  

SailingDog said: <<The PSC 31, HR Monsun and Mistral, Westsail 32, are other boats you could look at. The HR Mistral will probably perform much better than the PSC31 and WS32, since they're fin keeled IIRC. >> It's not entirely clear, but I assume you meant that only the HR Mistral was fin keeled? As a point of clarification, the boat normally referred to as the "PSC 31" is fin keeled also. Confusion sometimes arises because PSC had an earlier model called the Mariah 31 (designed by Morschladt) that indeed was full-keeled and is very similar to the Westsail 32 in appearance. Probably in performance too. The PSC 31, designed by Crealock, has a 4'10" fin, or optional shoal draft with a 4' Scheel keel fin variant. This boat is distinguished from its otherwise very similar canoe-sterned stable mates by its traditional wine-glass transom. Edit: To further clarify, here are some photos of a PSC 31: http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...1177436514000&photo_name=Photo+1&photo=1&url= http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...o_revised_date=1177436680000&photo_name=Stern And here is a Mariah 31, also built by PSC: http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...ariah&photo_revised_date=1&photo_name=Photo+2 http://www.yachtworld.com/core/list...1168377472000&photo_name=Photo+1&photo=1&url= The Mariah is more in keeping with the SC31/Westsail 32, etc, but the OP did enquire about fin-keeled boats so I mentioned the PSC 31. Jeff is correct, the SA/D is supposed to be calculated without the staysail area for baseline apples-to-apples comparison (and I've heard that IPs numbers include the staysail too). Still, it doesn't hurt to also run the calculation with the staysail area included to better understand how the boat might perform under certain conditions. We mostly use our staysail when reaching in light air, when the extra area is most advantageous.  

I am currently considering SC31 but sail on Lake Ontario and we get a lot of light wind days under 10 knots in June-July. I will never at my age get to do true blue water sailing. Is this the right boat for me?  

SailingDog, Yes, it's a common mistake. That's what happens when a builder makes two completely different models of the same length, even if not at the same time. Perpetual mistaken identity. Yes, the rudder is skeg hung, with the propeller in an aperture -- not the best for backing down, but well protected from pot warps (we pay them little heed and often sail right over them). SC31, Sounds like you got a great deal on a solid boat, even if it needed some work. Enjoy the breeze!  

Dont count out the Allied Seawind II. A great sea boat with better stats than the SC31!  

southerncross - thanks for the post - maybe you (or anyone else) can answer my question #254: after length & draft, I had on my list: a keel stepped mast as a requirement for blue water capability.. then i stumbled over the SC31! What gives? Why wouldnt a CE Ryder build without? Seems like a no brainer btw, I just rec'd in the mail John Vigors "Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere" and it has a chapter on the SC31.. he comments about the cored hull (he summizes its not his 1st choice) and gives the boat the following ratings: Seaworthyness: 7 (out of 10) - surprising for a boat that gets a 1.55 capsize ratio! Speed rating: "No sluggard" Ocean Comfort level: 2 persons, maybe 3 max Overall, I think he likes the boat, but questions the lack of a keel stepped mast as well.. Dave in NC  

DB- There are many bluewater capable boats that have deck-stepped masts. The preference of a deck-stepped or keel-stepped mast is mostly personal at this point. What makes you think a deck-stepped mast is less seaworthy than a keel-stepped mast??  

Dave, One thing you need to realize is that the capsize screen ratio (or the motion comfort index) tells you absolutely nothing about how likely a boat is to capsize or how comfortable its motion is likely to be. I know that I have explained this on this forum before but here it is again, both of the c apsize screen formula and motion comfort index formulas were developed at a time when boats were a lot more similar to each other than they are today. These formulas have limited utility in comparing boats that are very similar but are totally useless and misleading in most cases. Neither formula contains almost any of the real factors that control motion comfort or stability. Neither formula contains such factors as the vertical center of gravity or buoyancy, neither contains weight or buoyancy distribution, and neither contains any data on dampening. In other words these formulas lack all of the major factors that actually control motion comfort or likelihood of capsize. Weight in and of itself has next to no bearing on motion comfort or stability; nor does max beam, which in this formula is measured at a single point on the deck. An example that illustrates this might be two boats of equal length, equal max beam, and displacement, but one had a longer waterline and a 1000 lbs of lead in a deep draft keel, while the other had a shallow draft keel with a 1000 lbs less ballast, a hard turn of the bilge, and a 1000 lb heavier interior and deck. Obviously the boat with the deeper draft, lower ballast and longer waterline would be the less likely to capsize and offer a slower motion through a smaller roll angle, yet their capsize ratio and motion comfort index would be identical. That is why I see these formulas as being worse than useless. Jeff  

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Our Thoughts after Looking at the Southern Cross 31

Jeff: Overall, I thought the boat was in great shape, though it was not without its issues, but no boat is. Before I met Margaret, when I was actively saving for a bluewater boat but had not yet started seriously looking for the boat, I thought the Southern Cross would be the perfect boat for me; it was small, stout and capable, and rather inexpensive. After looking at Attitude , the SC31 in Georgia, I came away thinking this just may have been the boat – not just the design, but the actual boat – I would have bought had Margaret not come into my life.

Attitude aft starboard side

Jeff’s four:

1. The head needed some work. The current owner was using an effective but improper method of flushing the head and had a jug attached to the bottom of the head sink to catch the water going down it. While we could continue to use the head in the fashion the previous owner was, it would definitely be high on our list of things to fix. However, the fix was probably not all that expensive, just time consuming and potentially really icky (welcome to the more unseemly side of life on a boat).

Under the sink in the head

2. The winches were a bit old and tired. The winch for the main needed immediate servicing as it hardly turned. Beyond that, we would want to eventually replace all of the winches, starting with the two primaries (for the jib sheets), which were not self-tailing (self-tailing winches allows one person to easily use the winch by themselves, which is especially important on passage so that the on-watch crew is not always waking up the off-watch person to help trim the sails). The other winches could have been replaced over time, but in total we were still looking at a decent investment of money.

3. The electrical panels probably needed upgrading. I am sure the panels worked fine and could continue to serve their function long into the future. However, I looked at the (I think) three panels of various ages and states of repair and immediately wanted to replace them with a single, new electrical panel. This is another not too expensive repair that would probably involve a lot of labor because it would also lead to us replacing some of the wiring (which would not be a bad thing if it was needed).

Nav station

4. The two manual bilge pumps looked tired. There was a Whale bilge pump at the aft of the cockpit that looked like it had seen better days and an even more sad looking manual bilge pump near the mast step. Replacing them would have been relatively easy and inexpensive, but needed to be done for piece of mind.

I did not really see any other issues that needed to be immediately addressed. Of course, I am sure the survey would have turned up other concerns. All in all, I was very happy with her condition and thought she even showed a little better than the Yachtworld listing. In most cases, the various hoses, clamps, fittings, and wiring looked to be relatively new and well maintained. The bilge was clean. And the boat was stocked with replacement parts, had a very thorough maintenance log, and had obviously been well-cared for by the previous owner. If you are in the market for a Southern Cross, Attitude should be at the top of your list.

I should also point out that I was wrong in my last post about the boat. It does not have a SSB, but it does have a newish liferaft that does not need to be serviced until 2016. It also had a wind generator, two solar panels, radar, a Rocna anchor, and various other equipment that I failed to mention when we were driving towards Savannah.

solar panels and life raft

It was the first time I have been on a Southern Cross 31, and the visit confirmed my view that the boat has the potential to be a very capable offshore vessel. It was quite small, but was intimate and cozy with enough space to make it work. I know Margaret is going to comment on the size, so I will leave it at that and maybe save my thoughts about boat size for a separate post.

Finally, glancing over my last post, I am also feeling guilty about how I thought the broker was not going to be a big help. In actuality, Ron Barnett of Dunbar Yachts was incredibly kind and helpful. He provided tons of additional information, backing it up with documentation, and thoroughly answered our questions. He was also a hell of a nice guy. I would feel completely comfortable working with him on the purchase of a boat. And if I happened to be selling a boat somewhere in the area, I would make sure that Ron was the listing broker on the yacht. Dunbar Yachts is also conveniently located off I-95, so – as Ron indicated in passing – they tend to get a lot of traffic from boat shoppers heading north and south along the East Coast, making it a good place to list, in my humble opinion.

I have to admit that I was pretty excited to look at the SC31. The Yachtworld.com listing described a nicely accessorized boat, at a very reasonable price, that we could buy now. A boat at this price point would allow us to own a boat and keep our house – allowing me to learn to sail and get comfortable with the idea of cruising before my sabbatical year. This would not be the case for some of the other boats on our list. With that in mind, I really hoped this would be “the boat”. But sadly, it was not.

1. Size – From the dock this boat looked lovely – nice lines and well maintained for a 30+ year old boat. The cockpit was small, with no table and a homemade hard dodger. I’m not complaining about the small cockpit – I know this is important for seaworthiness, but it was so small I wondered how comfortable it would be to have dinner with another set of cruising friends aboard. But this was not my main concern. As I descended the companionway steps I was shocked by how small this boat felt compared to the Island Packet 31 that we chartered last year. I knew that Attitude’ s beam (width) was 2′ smaller, but I was not prepared for the difference that those 2′ would make in the salon. While Jeff said he thought it felt cozy, I thought it felt cramped and claustrophobic in its narrow belly. As the broker mentioned, and I have read numerous times, a small boat is safer in that you have less distance to travel should you be thrown across the boat by a crashing wave. There is also less distance for projectile objects to traverse, hence less velocity books, computers, and other such equipment will have when careening toward your head!

Looking aft from salon

While the idea of living aboard a small boat with my husband sounds intimate and adventurous, the reality is that we both need personal space occasionally. We also both enjoy entertaining and the small space of the SC31 would not be conducive to this idea. While the two settees would serve as adequate sea berths for us while on passage, we would not be able to host any visitors comfortably below, for a multi-day passage or for dinner. The space simply is too small.

2. Head – This is also a size issue. The head was so small that Jeff could not stand in this space and I am not even certain he could sit on the head without his knees hitting the bulkhead! There was no medicine cabinet and the drain under the floor led straight to the bilge – so no showering! This obviously could be fixed but I cannot imagine showering in a space this small – there would be nowhere to keep a dry towel!!!

3. Table – When it comes down to it, this is also a size issue. In a boat this narrow a fixed table means that one settee is useless unless the leaf of the table is up. If the leaf is not up there is not enough space for your knees to fit between the settee and the table. Essentially, with this table, you have a walkway of about 15 inches from the galley to halfway up the salon. I see this as uncomfortably cramped.

4. Storage – Ok, yes, you got me. This is about size too! To be fair, it was difficult to judge the full capacity of Attitude because many of her lockers and cubbies were full of spares. A good problem to have, but I could not picture where I would store my clothes, foulies (there was no hanging locker), photographic equipment, books, etc.. Jeff suggested we could store our clothes in the v-berth cabinets, but I don’t even think one sweater would fit in these small spaces. I also could not imagine where we would store enough food for a long passage – crossing an ocean requires a lot of canned goods – and therefore – a lot of space.

So, as I said before, this is not the boat that we will be buying. However, we both learned a lot from this experience, including the importance of beam size. The Island Packet 31 had a spacious salon with a table mounted to the bulkhead. This created much more sole and usable settee space. It also had far more storage behind and under the settee cushions, in two hanging lockers, and in the head and galley cabinets.

I am looking forward to getting on more boats and narrowing down the list of potential yachts we keep in a shared google doc. There are about a dozen yachts in Florida that we hope to check out. Stay tuned for additional posts about our adventures viewing these boats.

Below are additional images from our viewing – you may click on any photograph to get a larger size file:

Windvane mount

Propane storage on deck

Jeff opening salon hatch

Crazing topsides

6 Responses to Our Thoughts after Looking at the Southern Cross 31

I know Attitude very well. The previous owner, I believe his name is “Ray”, was quite the character and a bit of a fixture at the Town Docks in Manteo, NC where he lived aboard the boat. He seemed to take quite good care of her and I often saw him working on various projects. He said he was heading south for the winter and it was a bit of a surprise to see “Attitude” for sale on YW. I wonder what happened to ol’ Ray???? The boat has now disappeared from YW so I assume it must now be sold. Good luck with your search. I have a Cabo Rico 38. Great boat….

It is interesting to hear some of the back story on the previous owner. The broker had mentioned that the guy was headed south but stopped in and said he was done with the boat. Then he vacillated for a couple days before really putting it on the market. It sounded odd at the time, but now it seems even more curious. I would love to know more. We also noticed the boat had sold; it went sale pending about a week after we looked at it, which meant it had been on the market for 2-3 weeks. If you hear anything else about Ray or Attitude, please let us know!

I purchased Attitude from Ron and have done numerous repairs and upgrades on her. It was great seeing your write up. I have put her back on the market as I have a 5 month old that just takes up enough time that it’s not working for me. Attached is her link on a friend of mines website. http://atomvoyages.com/cys/355-for-sale-1979-southern-cross-31-cutter.html

So great to hear what happened to Attitude. It is a bummer that you have to sell her, but I am sure she will make somebody happy. Best of luck!

Attitude is up for sale again in Kemah Texas, I just seen it on YW, it doesn’t look as good I feel from the pictures on YW but some time has passed.

Thanks for the heads up. Seems like the previous owners made a few upgrades. But it is hard to be too sure because the listing is a little sparse. Regardless, that boat will certainly take someone anywhere. I think it was listed at 22k when we looked at her.

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Southern Cross 31

General Data

See also: boats for sale.

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Overall length:

Waterline length:, maximum beam:, straightening:, sail details mq.

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• Sailboat Guide

Southern Cross 31

• Description

Seller's Description

Selling my dream boat due to my partners untimely death. Close to if not ready to sail. Currently on the hard. Pictures are cluttered because that is the way he left things, and all the clutter is extra boat parts and all kinds of extras. We never got a chance to sail her and were in the process of going through all the equipment to see what we had. I am in Florida until Feb 16th, so if you have any interest in seeing her, please contact me ASAP.

Equipment: Yanmar 2, Sails, looks like good condition., brand new Dodger, no pics yet, alcohol stove, fridge, sink. Marine toilet. Small solar panel, iinverter. 2 anchors. Just tons of other equipment, spare parts etc.

Rig and Sails

Auxilary power, accomodations, calculations.

The theoretical maximum speed that a displacement hull can move efficiently through the water is determined by it's waterline length and displacement. It may be unable to reach this speed if the boat is underpowered or heavily loaded, though it may exceed this speed given enough power. Read more.

Classic hull speed formula:

Hull Speed = 1.34 x √LWL

Max Speed/Length ratio = 8.26 ÷ Displacement/Length ratio .311 Hull Speed = Max Speed/Length ratio x √LWL

Sail Area / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the power of the sails relative to the weight of the boat. The higher the number, the higher the performance, but the harder the boat will be to handle. This ratio is a "non-dimensional" value that facilitates comparisons between boats of different types and sizes. Read more.

SA/D = SA ÷ (D ÷ 64) 2/3

• SA : Sail area in square feet, derived by adding the mainsail area to 100% of the foretriangle area (the lateral area above the deck between the mast and the forestay).
• D : Displacement in pounds.

Ballast / Displacement Ratio

A measure of the stability of a boat's hull that suggests how well a monohull will stand up to its sails. The ballast displacement ratio indicates how much of the weight of a boat is placed for maximum stability against capsizing and is an indicator of stiffness and resistance to capsize.

Ballast / Displacement * 100

Displacement / Length Ratio

A measure of the weight of the boat relative to it's length at the waterline. The higher a boat’s D/L ratio, the more easily it will carry a load and the more comfortable its motion will be. The lower a boat's ratio is, the less power it takes to drive the boat to its nominal hull speed or beyond. Read more.

D/L = (D ÷ 2240) ÷ (0.01 x LWL)³

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds.
• LWL: Waterline length in feet

Comfort Ratio

This ratio assess how quickly and abruptly a boat’s hull reacts to waves in a significant seaway, these being the elements of a boat’s motion most likely to cause seasickness. Read more.

Comfort ratio = D ÷ (.65 x (.7 LWL + .3 LOA) x Beam 1.33 )

• D: Displacement of the boat in pounds
• LOA: Length overall in feet
• Beam: Width of boat at the widest point in feet

Capsize Screening Formula

This formula attempts to indicate whether a given boat might be too wide and light to readily right itself after being overturned in extreme conditions. Read more.

CSV = Beam ÷ ³√(D / 64)

From BlueWaterBoats.org :

The Southern Cross 31 is a no nonsense double-ender designed by Tom Gillmer, a professor of naval architecture at the US Naval Academy. The design takes influence from shapes dating back to Colin Archer’s work nearly a century earlier, and the hull in many respects is similar the straight transomed Allied Seawind 30, an earlier Gillmer creation notable for being the first fiberglass boat to circumnavigate the globe. (The Allied Seawind 30 was successful enough to be updated to the Allied Seawind II)

She’s a full keeled sailboat with an outboard rudder and tiller combo, a configuration often praised for its simplicity and the cockpit is quite small, suitable for ocean passages. The cutter rig with bowsprit has 447 sq. ft. of canvas, plenty for its displacement, but being a heavy displacement boat performance is hampered in light airs. Looking on the bright side, the weight gains dividends with a comfortable motion while underway.

Two interior layouts were offered, one with a stand up navigation station over a large locker and one with quarter-berth. The overall construction quality was of a good standard, suitably strong for offshore work. The hulls were built in fiberglass with the topsides cored in Airex foam, while the deck and cabin house was cored in balsa.

In total 130 boats were built between 1976 and 1987, of which a number were sold as hull and deck kits. A slightly larger and similar Gillmer design is the Aries 32 (around 20 of these were built).

Links, References and Further Reading

» Southern Cross Owners Association » Twenty Small Sailboats to Take You Anywhere by John Vigor , (Ch19, p117-123) an in depth look at the Southern Cross 31. ISBN:978-0939837328 » Ryder Yachts

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Bluewater Sailboat – Southern Cross 35

Also called: gillmer 35.

The Southern Cross 35 is a toughly built, double-ended cutter designed for safe, comfortable, and fast passage-making in blue water. She was created by Thomas Gillmer, a naval architecture professor at the Naval Academy in Annapolis who also developed the Allied Seawind 30 Ketch, the first fibreglass yacht to cross the globe. The Southern Cross 35 has a wide beam and a sweeping sheerline, which keeps her remarkably dry in a rough sea. Simultaneously, a relatively high-aspect rig, a fin keel, and a skeg-mounted rudder enable her to combine excellent seaworthiness with surprisingly lively performance.

• LOA: 35′ 3″
• LWL: 28′ 0″
• Beam: 11′ 5″
• Draft: 4′ 11″
• Displacement: 17,710 lbs.
• Ballast: 5,750 lbs.
• Sail Area: 632 sq.ft.
• Bridge Clearance: 49′ 0″
• Headroom: 6′ 4″
• Engine: Universal 30
• Fuel: 35 US Gal.
• Water: 90 US Gal.
• Designer: Thomas Gillmer
• Builder: C. E. Ryder, Bristol, Rhode Island
• Year Introduced: 1978
• Year Ended: 1990
• Total Built: 95
• Also Known As: Gillmer 35

Thomas Gillmer’s profession reflected a lifelong fascination in traditional boats. He created the topsail schooner Pride of Baltimore, and after her sad sinking in a microburst squall in 1986, he designed her replacement, Pride of Baltimore II. He helped to recreate the 17th-century Dutch commerce ship Kalmar Nyckel, which is currently the tall-ship ambassador for the state of Delaware. The restoration of the USS Constitution was carried out in accordance with Gillmer’s research. His early Privateer series and the Colin Archer-inspired Southern Cross 31, with its full keel, tiller-steered outboard rudder, and bowsprit, reflected that conventional approach.

Gillmer, on the other hand, combined a classic sheer, canoe stern, and cutter rig with a modern fin keel and skeg-hung rudder for the Southern Cross 35 and 39. As a result, a pair of actual sea-going vessels with much better speed and handling were created.

The Southern Cross boats were built by the C. E. Ryder Company of Bristol, Rhode Island, a company known for its durable, high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail. Ryder also created the Sea Sprite range, which included the 23, 28, and 34. The first Southern Cross 35 was introduced in 1978, and the last in 1990, when the manufacturer went out of business. According to sailboatdata.com, a total of 95 hulls were manufactured throughout that 13-year period. Some of them were finished by the owner and sold as Gillmer 35s. The hull number was inscribed on a circular bronze plaque on the factory-built boats.

The Southern Cross 35’s hull is made of Airex foam core layered between substantial layers of handlaid fibreglass, providing overall structural integrity, thermal and acoustic insulation, and an extra measure of security in the event of a collision with a floating item at sea. Decks are fibreglass with moulded nonskid regions and end-grained balsa cores. The keel is entirely enclosed lead and has a relatively shallow draught of 4′ 11″. The hull-to-deck interface is sturdy and dry, with double ninety-degree joints and a tough teak caprail. The strong and long-lasting Navtec rod rigging is securely attached into unique aluminum drums glassed into the hull. A 35 gallon fibreglass fuel tank is positioned beneath the cabin sole midships, while twin 45 gallon plastic water tanks are located beneath each of the main cabin settees. There were two cabin interiors available: one in white wood with teak trim and another in teak with teak veneer. The joinery work in the main cabin is superb, with great care taken to minimize hard edges and sharp corners.

Above and Below Deck

The Southern Cross 35 has an aperture-enclosed, skeg-mounted propeller with a fin keel beneath the waterline for speed and maneuverability. For stability in a seaway, Gillmer expanded the beam fore and aft. Other features above decks outfit the boat adequately for off-shore sailing. Even in rough seas, her rising sheer, large bulwarks, and wrap-around cockpit with broad combing keep her dry. At the same time, her low freeboard, along with a cut-away of the bulwarks on either side of the cockpit, provides the crew with a thrilling proximity to the passing water. The wide beam and shrouds situated well inboard allow for good fore and aft passage. A specially built, ventilated locker in the crotch of the canoe stern neatly stores twin propane tanks.

The mast is keel-stepped and rigged with a club-footed staysail, which is held in place by permanently dedicated supplemental shrouds. Factory-built boats were available in two configurations: one with a portside quarterberth and the other with an aft-facing navigation station flanked by a large wetlocker. Standard features were a U-shaped starboard aft galley and twin facing main cabin setees with a large foldable table installed on the mast trunk. The Southern Cross 35 is well ventilated thanks to three cabintop hatches (one in the main cabin, one in the head, and one in the forward V-berth) and eight opening ports. A huge main cabin closet, a V-berth closet and drawers, plus stowage outboard of the port and starboard main cabin setees provide plenty of interior storage space. The initial engine was a 30 hp Universal diesel, which may have been a little underpowered for the Southern Cross 35’s 18,000 lb. capacity.

Performance

The Southern Cross 35’s rather high aspect rig allows her to point quite effectively, tacking within 75 degrees, and gives the boat unexpectedly respectable light air performance. Her PHRF New England rating is 174. The sail area to displacement ratio of her sail is 14.83. The cutter rig and mast installation almost midships allow the Southern Cross 35 to sail well balanced at all times. As a result, even in bad weather, self-steering gear, whether electric or wind-powered, readily manages the rudder with optimum sail trim. Simultaneously, the hull design provides forgiving motion in a seaway. As Gillmer himself proudly recalled, “One of the owners said it was the smoothest yacht he’d ever sailed in the ocean. That’s a lot to say about a 35-foot sailboat.”

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Middle East latest: Rockets fired towards US military base in Syria

At least five rockets are launched from the Iraqi town of Zummar towards a US military base in northeastern Syria, security sources tell Reuters. The attack against American forces is the first since February, when Iranian-backed groups in Iraq stopped targeting US troops.

Monday 22 April 2024 01:54, UK

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• Iran 'displayed power' in attack on Israel, Supreme Leader insists - despite failure
• Rockets 'fired from Iraq towards US military base in Syria'
• Baby delivered in emergency C-section after mother killed in Rafah strike
• Netanyahu: Israel will increase pressure on Hamas 'in coming days' 
• Sean Bell: New details hint at impact of Israeli strike on Iran
• At least 14 Palestinians killed in West Bank raid, authorities say
• Analysis: Iran isn't biggest threat to the coalition right now

Earlier it was reported that at least five rockets were launched from the Iraqi town of Zummar towards a US military base in Syria.

Two security sources and a senior army officer said a rocket launcher fixed on the back of a small truck had been parked in the border town.

The military official said the truck caught fire with an explosion from unfired rockets as warplanes were in the sky.

The unnamed official said: "We can't confirm that the truck was bombed by US warplanes unless we investigate it."

Iraqi security forces are hunting for the perpetrators, who fled the area in another vehicle.

The truck has been seized and initial investigation has concluded it was destroyed by an air strike.

Before the Hamas attack inside Israel on 7 October, the Lebanon border area was judged to have enjoyed a relative period of calm and stability.

But that all changed with the events across the border.

Since then Hezbollah fighters and Israeli troops have been exchanging more and more serious fire, violating the terms of an earlier agreement contained in the UN Resolution 1701.

Here, our special correspondent Alex Crawford reports from the "Blue Line" in southern Lebanon...

At least five rockets have been fired from Iraq's town of Zummar towards a US military base in northeastern Syria, two Iraqi security sources have told Reuters.

The security sources and a senior army officer said a rocket launcher fixed on the back of a small truck had been parked in Zummar border town with Syria.

The military official said the truck caught fire with an explosion from unfired rockets at the same time as warplanes were in the sky.

The attack against US forces is the first since early February when Iranian-backed groups in Iraq stopped their attacks against US troops.

It comes a day after Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani returned from a visit to the US and met with President Joe Biden at the White House.

Hezbollah has claimed it downed an Israeli drone that was on a combat mission in southern Lebanon.

The drone that was brought down above the Al Aishiyeh area in southern Lebanon was "waging its attacks on our steadfast people," a statement by the group said, according to Reuters.

Hezbollah is an Iranian proxy operating from Lebanon and it frequently trades rocket and drone attacks with Israel across the Lebanese-Israeli border. 

Earlier today, Iran's supreme leader dismissed any discussion of whether Tehran's unprecedented drone-and-missile attack on Israel hit anything there.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's comments to senior military leaders did not not touch on the apparent Israeli retaliatory strike on the central city of Isfahan on Friday, even though air defences opened fire and Iran grounded commercial flights across much of the country.

The 85-year-old made the comments in a meeting attended by the top ranks of Iran's regular military, police and paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, a powerful force within its Shiite theocracy.

We have been reporting this weekend on the Israeli raid at Nur Shams, in the occupied West Bank.

The raid began in the early hours of Friday and troops were still exchanging fire with armed fighters into Saturday.

Here are some of the images that have emerged from the region...

By Alex Crawford , special correspondent

The UN Special Coordinator for Lebanon has told Sky News the dangers in the region have not gone away and called for calm, wisdom and de-escalation as a matter of urgency.

Joanna Wronecka spoke from her office in Beirut about her worries and appealed for restraint from all those involved.

"I'm very concerned," she said. "Because we need just a small miscalculation and the situation can escalate even more."

She was referring to the spike in cross-border firing between the Israeli military and the Lebanese Hezbollah fighters who've been trading attacks with growing intensity since 7 October.

You can read Crawford's full piece here...

The campaigner who was called "openly Jewish" by a police officer last weekend, has been offered a meeting with a senior Metropolitan Police officer.

In a statement, the force said assistant commissioner Matt Twist had written to Gideon Falter, chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, to offer a private meeting.

The meeting is "to both apologise to him personally and discuss what more the Met can do to ensure Jewish Londoners feel safe", the police said.

We reported this morning the Board of Deputies of British Jews will meet Met Police chief Sir Mark Rowley this week, along with the Jewish Leadership Council and antisemitism charity CST regarding the incident (see post at 2.05pm).

 A baby girl was delivered in an emergency caesarean section after her Palestinian mother was killed along with her husband and daughter by an Israeli attack in the Gaza city of Rafah, Palestinian health officials have said.

The baby is stable and improving gradually, Mohammed Salama, a doctor caring for her, said.

Her mother, Sabreen Al-Sakani, had been 30 weeks pregnant.

The baby will stay in hospital for three to four weeks, Dr Salama said.

"After that we will see about her leaving, and where this child will go, to the family, to the aunt or uncle or grandparents. Here is the biggest tragedy. Even if this child survives, she was born an orphan," he said.

Israel has carried out near-daily air raids on Rafah, where more than half of Gaza's population of 2.3 million have sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

It has also vowed to expand its ground offensive to the city on the border with Egypt despite international calls for restraint.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz had a telephone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today and discussed the state of the region, a spokesperson for the German government has said.

"The chancellor emphasised that it was essential to avoid a regional escalation," the spokesperson said.

It comes as Iran and Israel, who have been locked in a shadow war for years, try to dial back tensions following a series of escalatory attacks between them as the Israel-Hamas war inflames the wider region.

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