Colvic UFo 31

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sailtones

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After years of extended time at sea in a professional capacity, I find myself shore bound running a marina but without a boat of my own.

My current location has a very active regatta calendar and I am looking for an inexpensive racer/cruiser which I can both enjoy the regatta's on, but still be able to make a cup of tea down below while underway, and potentially do some limited cruising on.

There is a Colvic UFo 31 for sale in the local for a very reasonable price, but I don't really have any experience with this particular make or model and can find very little on the internet about them.

I found an old thread on here which got a bit carried away with comparing the 31 to the 34; I am not really interested in comparisons, merely experienced opinions on this vessel in general. Most importantly, my region suffers from very light wind, so I am curios about the light wind capabilities of these boats.

Any comments welcome.
 
try an old half tonner

I have a an old half tonner, even less well known than the UFO's, however at at an even better price and a dare i say a little better on the racecourse. Mine is a Golden Shamrock (ron holland) and there are many many other small production run half tonners around. I have spent a lot on mine but i intend to keep her for quite a while and i got her as a wreck very cheap

http://www.networkyachtbrokers.co.uk/boatinfo/072376/Golden+Shamrock+30+yacht+for+sale/

Is an example and does not look like it needs to much work although i have not seen it

http://marinedirectory.ybw.com/boat/new/boat_results.jsp?tem=ybw&status=2&keyword=shamrock&Submit=Go

I saw this one a few years ago and again she looked in good nick although, everything was original but it good nick and not really raced from what i could see.

There are many other old half tonners around, MGRS, Hunter HB, Dunfour DB's etc that are invariably better priced than the more known models, if you are after a bit of fun you can't beat them for value. If you want to know more then give us a shout, i am not sure where you are located but if you are anywhere near chichester you are more than welcome to come and try mine

http://www.i-yacht.com/dir/sales-ne...hotproperty&task=view&id=7804&Itemid=99999999
 
Many thanks ShaunG.

I appreciate your comments and will look around.

The issue I have is that I am located in Montenegro and have a fairly limited number of boats in the region to choose from, but I will keep my eyes open.

Unfortunately all the bargains in the UK don't seem like such bargains when I have ship them down here!

Cheers.
 
UFOs were quite the thing as cruiser/racers in their day. I have no personal experience of them, but they sounded good in a recent article in PBO. Cup of tea should be a doddle!

Rob.
 
I'd back that up. Nothing to say against the UFO31, but the half-tonners make good inexpensive racers. The half-ton class Europe are a friendly bunch and if you attend their half-ton cups you'll get good competitive racing. There are strong Belgian & French fleets.

There's also a bit of a quarter-tonner revival in the UK, which might catch on in the rest of Europe.
 
sailtones said:
After years of extended time at sea in a professional capacity, I find myself shore bound running a marina but without a boat of my own.

My current location has a very active regatta calendar and I am looking for an inexpensive racer/cruiser which I can both enjoy the regatta's on, but still be able to make a cup of tea down below while underway, and potentially do some limited cruising on.

There is a Colvic UFo 31 for sale in the local for a very reasonable price, but I don't really have any experience with this particular make or model and can find very little on the internet about them.

I found an old thread on here which got a bit carried away with comparing the 31 to the 34; I am not really interested in comparisons, merely experienced opinions on this vessel in general. Most importantly, my region suffers from very light wind, so I am curios about the light wind capabilities of these boats.

Any comments welcome.
Click to expand...

Hi
Welcome to the forum.
I've received your PM and tried to reply but something is not working, I'll try again later.
Very briefly, UFOs are fairly heavy and enjoy a good breeze best, but will still ghost happily in very light airs. We often cruise with 6 up [grannie, grandpa [me] daughter, son in law & 2 granddaughters, for a week or more, so making a cup of tea for two won't be a problem.
I agree about the Shamrocks, another excellent boat. We sometimes race against one on an equal footing and honours are about even.

Dan
 
Thanks everyone for the comments so far.

Just to restate, I know there are better (and worse) boats out there, and I do appreciate everyone's comparisons/recommendations for other boats...

But the point of this thread is not to recommend other boats, it is provide an insight as to how these boats perform.

Anyone with experience on these particular boats, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks
 
sailtones said:
Thanks everyone for the comments so far.

Just to restate, I know there are better (and worse) boats out there, and I do appreciate everyone's comparisons/recommendations for other boats...

But the point of this thread is not to recommend other boats, it is provide an insight as to how these boats perform.

Anyone with experience on these particular boats, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks
Click to expand...

the forum search facility came up with this

http://www.ybw.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1257154
 
UFO31

Hi, I have a UFO31 and cruised her from Newcastle upon Tyne to Maryport in Cumbria a trip of 500 miles. We had force 8 in the North Sea and heavy weather through the North Channel. After the trip we have so much confidence in our boat she really looked after us and sailed like a dream. She sails particularly well to windward and on a reach, but can roll a bit downwind when pressed.
We havn't regretted buying her.
Good luck
Andy
 
Pocket Rocket

The owner of sailingHolidays in Corfu has a striped out UFO31, and come regatta days, it thrashes everyone.
Especially in Light winds. OK so it's bare as the moon on the inside, but this boat has been THE boat to beat for years.
I think there's a few photos and stories on their website: www.sailingholidays.com

Check it out.
 
UFO 31

I cruised and raced a UFO 31 many years ago . Many were home completed so quality of fit out varies but colvic hull is quick and stable in big seas.Designed to race under IOR with long waterline/ LOA ratio. Mast head rig carries huge genoa and spinnaker so needs a strong crew to handle competively. Mine had a first class solid teak fit out and teak decks so carried a weight penaltyfor racing, but was a very comfortable boat for cruising. Everything about the boat was built strong and inspired great confidence. Good value in the UK today at about £12k for a welll sorted and maintained one.
 
Here is a Builder's catalogue from Oyster Marine in 1975 - a new UFO 31 then cost GBP 14,100 excluding VAT - and this also appears to not include any sails.

UFO31P1.jpg


UFO31P2.jpg


UFO31P3.jpg


UFO31P4.jpg


UFO31P5.jpg
 
2XUFO31

Hello, I bought a UFO31 on the Medway River 20 years ago called Humbug and promptly sailed it to Tayport (Fife) on the River Tay Scotland. That same UFO I sailed Tayport - Ijmuiden and all around the inland waterways before returning again, direct over the N. Sea to Tayport and, the following year across to Thybron Denmark and back, I had called it Scallywagger and owned it for 2 years.. I then sold it and sailed it back to of all places, the Medway River for the new owner and, he re-named it something like Dondra (he had it I understand for around 6-7 years). In September 2010 I bought another UFO31 called Zavana in Dartmouth and sailed it to my base in Fife some 893 miles distance in 9 days stopping over every night in doing so (Unfortunately blew the main sail out rounding Flambrough Head in a sudden gust & rain, if anyone has a spare to sell). The point is, I bought another UFO31 after so many years because they sail so well in light and strong winds.

I can give you much more information if you wish?

Yours W.P
 
UFO 31

Hi

This may be a bit late but having owned a UFO 31 since 1982 you may be interested in our views. We bought our boat Sambuca from her commissioning owner who sold due to ill health. She has a Seaglass hull (rather rare but considered at the time to be superior to the Colvic ones) and was fitted out by Oyster Marine.

As far as sailing is concerned she is a gem. In light airs we can outpace many 33 footers and im moderate to heavy weather we more than hold our own. Forget all that claptrap about being skittish anyone who thinks so either has never sailed one or otherwise can't sail. She is a beautifu lsea-boat and has never given us any worries in any conditions. We have sailed her in a genuine force 9 (we had to get home) running under storm jib and my daughter sat in the back yelling "Whee"!!

The only condition she doen't like is very close hauled in steep short seas.. Free her off a bit and away she goes. The other thing to watch is that with a folding prop she doesn't like motoring in reverse.

Racing: According to the previous owner she won her class in the Round the Island Race and I recently read an article by her designers when they took the first production model to Oz and wiped the floor with everything they had at the time.

Cruising: we have spent many years sailing the south coast, near Europe, and the Channel Islands. True family sailing with the youngest crew member (grandson) starting at the age of six months and progressing to be able to sail her by the age of eight.

As you can see we are great fans and think that the seventies was a golden age for true cruiser racers. She can't match modern out and out racers but they can't cruise. Particularly short handed. This year we have given in to older age,73, and have fitted a furling jib and a fully battened main with lazy jacks. Don't know yet how successful that will be but we are hoping.

If you are still looking we would be pleased to answer any questions you may have.

Regards, good sailing and fair winds.
 
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