Dolphin 31

[Phideaux]

Does anyone have any experience of the Dolphin 31'? All I can find out is that it built in the late '70s - early '80s to the design of John Sharp. She has a medium fin keel and a spade rudder.

Length Overall: 31ft
Waterline Length: 26ft 6ins
Beam: 10ft 4ins
Draft: 4ft 10ins
Displacement: 10,400lbs
Ballast: 3,808lbs

 

[OGITD]

Not what you are referring to but!

Dolphin 31:
The adverse weather is affecting us greatly; the movie projector has tipped over twice.

See:
http://www.combat.ws/S4/SAILOR/APNDX2.HTM

And while I am almost on the subject…..and for those taking their VHF course….here is the Sailors version of the Dolphin Code:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182254

 

[bobgoode]

Sailed one quite a bit in the 1980's...nice boats, seaworthy, at least it felt safe and easy to handle off Start point in some brisk stuff. Comfortable layout and solidy built. Not over fast in lighter winds but ok from what I recall. Fond memories!

 

[Phideaux]

Not what you are referring to but!

Dolphin 31:
The adverse weather is affecting us greatly; the movie projector has tipped over twice.

See:
http://www.combat.ws/S4/SAILOR/APNDX2.HTM

And while I am almost on the subject…..and for those taking their VHF course….here is the Sailors version of the Dolphin Code:
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182254

Excellent. I shall refer and use frequently

 

[kernowd]

I live on a 1977 Carlisle & Williams built Dolphin 31 and a friend lives on his 1979 Rank Marine built one in Mylor, Cornwall.
They have different interior layouts in the starboard aft area and one has a shaft driven engine, the other a saildrive.

We do coastal races in them successfully and cruise them a fair bit.
Solid boats I reckon.

As far as I know there are Dolphin 31s in the Med, Caribbean, Florida and Brisbane, so they must be pretty tough to have made it that distance.

Just spent this afternoon sailing up and down the Cornish coast against a friends Moody 31 and the Dolphin proved to be a fraction quicker.

 

[Phideaux]

I live on a 1977 Carlisle & Williams built Dolphin 31 and a friend lives on his 1979 Rank Marine built one in Mylor, Cornwall.
They have different interior layouts in the starboard aft area and one has a shaft driven engine, the other a saildrive.

We do coastal races in them successfully and cruise them a fair bit.
Solid boats I reckon.

As far as I know there are Dolphin 31s in the Med, Caribbean, Florida and Brisbane, so they must be pretty tough to have made it that distance.

Just spent this afternoon sailing up and down the Cornish coast against a friends Moody 31 and the Dolphin proved to be a fraction quicker.

Thanks for the reply. Have you tried sailing them single-handed? Also I've seen two cockpit layouts, one with the mainsheet traveller aft of the tiller and I don't know if this was a later refit.

How do the two aft interior layouts differ, as I've only seen photos showing a starboard quarter berth and outboard facing nav table?

I'm assuming the saildrive was a later refit.

 

[kernowd]

I sail mine single handed a lot. It is setup quite well with self tailing primary winches, halyards running aft to cabin top clutches and tiller pilot. The mainsheet traveller is in the usual place by the companionway. I have seen a Dolphin in a brokerage with the traveller spanning the cutout area for the boarding ladder...................seems a bit daft to have it there.

My boat is the 1977 version which has a Volvo MD11 saildrive and a two tier bunk arrangment instead of a chart table. There is a void of around a metre between the end of the bunks and the transom of the boat though. I'm planning to mount a diesel heater and calorifior in this space dreckly.............

Are you planning on buying a Dolphin then?

I have many pictures if you send me message me your email address.

 

[Phideaux]

I live on a 1977 Carlisle & Williams built Dolphin 31 and a friend lives on his 1979 Rank Marine built one in Mylor, Cornwall.
They have different interior layouts in the starboard aft area and one has a shaft driven engine, the other a saildrive.

We do coastal races in them successfully and cruise them a fair bit.
Solid boats I reckon.

As far as I know there are Dolphin 31s in the Med, Caribbean, Florida and Brisbane, so they must be pretty tough to have made it that distance.

Just spent this afternoon sailing up and down the Cornish coast against a friends Moody 31 and the Dolphin proved to be a fraction quicker.

I sail mine single handed a lot. It is setup quite well with self tailing primary winches, halyards running aft to cabin top clutches and tiller pilot. The mainsheet traveller is in the usual place by the companionway. I have seen a Dolphin in a brokerage with the traveller spanning the cutout area for the boarding ladder...................seems a bit daft to have it there.

My boat is the 1977 version which has a Volvo MD11 saildrive and a two tier bunk arrangment instead of a chart table. There is a void of around a metre between the end of the bunks and the transom of the boat though. I'm planning to mount a diesel heater and calorifior in this space dreckly.............

Are you planning on buying a Dolphin then?

I have many pictures if you send me message me your email address.

Cheers, I'll PM you.

 

[Bajansailor]

Here is a copy of a catalogue from 1977 :

I vaguely remember hearing about a Dolphin 31 which lost it's rudder while sailing transatlantic in one of the early ARC rallies from the Canaries to Barbados - but I seem to recall that she made it across successfully with a jury rudder.

 

[Phideaux]

Here is a copy of a catalogue from 1977 :

I vaguely remember hearing about a Dolphin 31 which lost it's rudder while sailing transatlantic in one of the early ARC rallies from the Canaries to Barbados - but I seem to recall that she made it across successfully with a jury rudder.

Thanks for this. I'm going to send you a PM.

 

[Michael T]

I purchased a Dolphin 31 No 22 in December 2009 as an upgrade from my Moody 27. She is currently ashore at Hythe Sailing Club, Southampton where I am carrying out a small refit including replacing the interior head linings resealing the windows, stack pack, lazy jacks, new running rigging etc.
I was initially going to replace the Moody 27 with a Moody 31 but the Dolphin has much more interior space when cruising. Although the Dolphin is an older boat I believe I have made the right choice especially as i paid £14,000 as opposed to £30,000 plus for a decent Moody 31
I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has raced a Dolphin 31, what handicap number you have been allocated, how the boat performs against others particularly the Albin Ballard and a fin keeled Moody 31 as i am a keen club racer although I do not expect the boat to perform particularly well in light winds.

I understand there were two rig versions a tall rig and a short rig although the only difference it appears is the boom height on the tall rig version. Can anyone enlighten me on this?

I am led to believe that about 55 were built. Mine is a Rank Marine boat but i understand the early ones were built primarily for the charter market.
If anyone has any photos I would appreciate some copies

Thanks Mike

 

[kernowd]

Michael

I have hull number 3 (1977) built by Carlisle & Williams which I coastal race (COGS series) down ere in Pastyland! A work collegue has a 1979 Rank Marine (Solent Dolphin).

We have been issued a PY of 1000 and it seems to work out quite fair amongst the other boats in the class.

As for the rig heights, all the other Dolphin's I have seen have the same size rig, which does look a little short. My boat has had a different rig put on it at some time in it's life which is just over a metre taller. In certain conditions my boat is quicker than Solent Dolphin, but generally they are evenly matched, and we do fly some stupid sized spinnakers and asymetrics when racing! I think some of the early hulls were laid up proper thick n heavy!

Some friends of mine bought a Moody 31 Fin keel version this winter and we sailed the boats up against eachother the other weekend in flat water and a force 4.
I had empty water tanks and 1 other crew, the Moody had water aboard and 4 crew aboard. In the light stuff we left em, but as with Solent Dolphin, we were pretty evenly matched when the breeze kicked up. Solent Dolphin hasn't sailed against the Moody yet.................

I have PM'd you so I can email you pictures.

 

[Michael T]

Dolphin 31's

Brian/ Kernowd. Thanks for your input. The handicap number given on the Byron system for a Dolphin 31 is 1013 and that obviously is for a Spinnaker equipped boat with a fixed two blade prop. As I am sure you know this only relates to a 1.3 minute difference in time over a 100 minute race and I think a fin Moody 31 is quoted as 998 so in effect not a lot between them, more to be gained and lost in the way you sail them! I have a radial spinnaker but am considering buying an asymetric as it is easier to handle with a small crew.
Hope you received my e-mail address as i am new to this forum. If not please PM me again

Cheers Mike T

 

[Twister_Ken]

I recall seeing them coming out of the building shed at Port 'Amble back in the 70s. Rate of production seemed to be quite reasonable - one or two a month?

 

[Phideaux]

Dolphin 31 Owners Association

I see in this month's PBO that there's a letter asking for owners and those interested in this model, to form a users group. Details from Brian Steptoe kernowsailor@hotmail.co.uk

 

[johnhazelton]

I too have one of these machines. Built in 1978 by Rank marine International with Volvo MD11C and saildrive. Impeccable manners when under engine, forward or reverse. It still has the original engine fitted which works well and has not failed to start. Have run it on white diesel for lat 7 years and I am convinced it is cleaner, starts better, more economical and I have not had any recurrence of the bug experienced off the Needles at 0200 one dark night. (many thanks to the RNLI)

The boat is a dream to sail, never single handed though, the normal short rig, sluggish in light airs but get above F4 and she creams along.

I have a copy of both sets of plans for the rigs and sails.

I also did reply to the letter in PBO May 2010 but have not had a reply yet. I am fairly sure there were 40 boats built and as a previous correspondent said they are all over the world.

An owners group and possible meetings would go well I think.

 

[kernowd]

Many thanks to those of you who have come forward so far and shown interest in an owners group.

I now have contact details for 7 owners and know of the whereabouts of at least 10 other Dolphins.

How many do we need to make a pod.......................???

At the moment it will just be a case of swapping emails and everybody maybe keeping other owners updated on there plans, etc.

Kernow Dolphin and Solent Dolphin will be part of a flotilla heading to the Isles Of Scilly on June 12th for a week if anybody wants to join us.

How about a Dolphin gathering in September time, (or sooner)?

Bri - Kernow Dolphin

 

[Phideaux]

I purchased a Dolphin 31 No 22 in December 2009 as an upgrade from my Moody 27. She is currently ashore at Hythe Sailing Club

Mike, PM sent.

 

[{x}agroundagain{x}]

I too have one of these machines. Built in 1978 by Rank marine International with Volvo MD11C and saildrive. Impeccable manners when under engine, forward or reverse. It still has the original engine fitted which works well and has not failed to start. Have run it on white diesel for lat 7 years and I am convinced it is cleaner, starts better, more economical and I have not had any recurrence of the bug experienced off the Needles at 0200 one dark night. (many thanks to the RNLI)

The boat is a dream to sail, never single handed though, the normal short rig, sluggish in light airs but get above F4 and she creams along.

I have a copy of both sets of plans for the rigs and sails.

I also did reply to the letter in PBO May 2010 but have not had a reply yet. I am fairly sure there were 40 boats built and as a previous correspondent said they are all over the world.

An owners group and possible meetings would go well I think.

Yeah! would be really keen to have a copy of the sail and rigging plan if you wouldn't mind. May be aquiring a Dolphin 31 for our association from a very generous benefactor and want to know as much about the model before we agree. Would also be very interested in a owners assoociation should we go ahead with the donation.

Thanks
The Visually Impaired Sailing Association of GB

 

[Michael T]

I too have one of these machines. Built in 1978 by Rank marine International with Volvo MD11C and saildrive. Impeccable manners when under engine, forward or reverse. It still has the original engine fitted which works well and has not failed to start. Have run it on white diesel for lat 7 years and I am convinced it is cleaner, starts better, more economical and I have not had any recurrence of the bug experienced off the Needles at 0200 one dark night. (many thanks to the RNLI)

The boat is a dream to sail, never single handed though, the normal short rig, sluggish in light airs but get above F4 and she creams along.

I have a copy of both sets of plans for the rigs and sails.

I also did reply to the letter in PBO May 2010 but have not had a reply yet. I am fairly sure there were 40 boats built and as a previous correspondent said they are all over the world.

An owners group and possible meetings would go well I think.