Parker 31 vs ......?

[All_at_Sea]

A friend of mine wants to buy a Parker 31, but hasn't looked at anything else yet. Can anyone come up with a few alternatives with no more than 3 foot draft. Budget seems to be £40k. I wondered about the smaller Southerlys. He wants creature comforts like heating and hot water so what else would fit the bill for that budget?

 

[Plevier]

I was interested in a Parker 31 or pref 325 but can you find one! There is a 31 for sale in Greece on a quick search.
I settled for a swing keel Sun Odyssey 32, 0.8m draft keel up. http://anciensbateaux.jeanneau.fr/2007/?r=yacht&p=boat&n=225&nl=2 http://yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/sun-odyssey-32/sun-odyssey-32.htm
Got the heating and hot water and lots of space but won't sail like the Parker! You can't have everything. Comfortable cruiser.
Probably around £40k now in the present market for a 2002/3.
Of course there is a Bene as well but I didn't like it.
£40k would be quite an old Southerly wouldn't it, which by repute (no personal experience) would not sail at all well.

 

[photodog]

I would say right off a Bene 311 lift keel from circa 2000.

I spent a week or so with one in the west country and was surprised... Sales quite well, off the wind better still.

She has that Group Finot hull so a decent pedigree underneath...

the fore cabin is small, and the keel clunked around a bit.... But I found her a competent and entertaining boat.... Did some good size WOT off start point and felt fine...

They will run I suspect bang on 40k around that age...

If I was choosing between the two it would come down to the individual boats condition...

 

[Plevier]

311 is the model I was thinking of.
I liked the SO32 interior better and a vgc one just happened to come up at a good price so I went for that.
Bene keel is better hydrodynamically I should think but more complex and more open to stone jamming etc.
Both sit on twin rudders (actually a common component to the two.)

 

[tyce]

There are two Parker 31's for sale at present on the Parker owners site, I race against a 325 and they sail like nothing else, I also had a 27 and that was also a dream to sail. Don't think you will go far wrong with one.

 

[Oscarpop]

My friend is just about to put his up for sale in Kent.

It is a lovely boat inside and out. Sails like a dream.

 

[mainsail1]

I have owned a Parker 275 and a Parker 31. The Parker 31 is an excellent yacht. The Parker 325 is just the newer version of the 31. The wing keel allows you to dry out without worry. The 275 does not have a wing keel and drying out was always a worry.

 

[Daydream believer]

Hanse did a lifting keel 31

 

[daibachsail]

I have owned a Parker 275 and a Parker 31. The Parker 31 is an excellent yacht. The Parker 325 is just the newer version of the 31. The wing keel allows you to dry out without worry. The 275 does not have a wing keel and drying out was always a worry.

As you have owned both how would you compare the sailing abilities of the two? The 31 seems quite light and to have a lot of sail area for its weight. Any comments much appreciated.

 

[Twister_Ken]

Something from Feeling? Don't know them personally, but they have lift keels, and are available in a variety of sizes.

 

[leoniesails]

Hi - Just saw your post. Do you know if your friend still has his boat for sale ? Am interested. I've got a Seal 26 and would like to upsize.

Regards Leonie

 

[leoniesails]

Hi do you know if it is still available - I would be interested. Posting for first time and I hope this appears - did try a before but nothing happened !!

 

[paul-essex]

Hi do you know if it is still available - I would be interested. Posting for first time and I hope this appears - did try a before but nothing happened !!

You can try sending a private message to the person who posted click on their user name and the the option pops up

 

[jwilson]

Parkers definitely the nicest to sail, especially to windward. Big dinghy really in terms of handling, which for me is really nice but may not be to everyone's taste.

Lift keel twin rudder Beneteau and Jeanneau ( eg http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/beneteau-oceanis-311/oceanis-clipper-311.htm ) also nice handling but not as good to windward as a Parker, also the twin rudders are potentially vulnerable if drying out with any sort of swell/surge or wash from a big mobo just as they ground. They do however have good civilised interior layouts - no big drop keel case going up to the deckhead midships as in all the Parkers.

Older shallow-rudder Southerlies ( http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/southerly-100/southerly100.htm etc ) great design for comfort, but not in the same league for sailing performance.

Look also at some of the older Feelings...... the Feeling 326 ( http://www.yachtsnet.co.uk/archives/feeling-326/feeling-326.htm ) was sold with a centreboard.

 

[Bobc]

I was going to suggest a Feeling 326 too.

 

[Concerto]

Another contender is a lift keel Westerly Fulmar - but only 6 were built.

 

[seumask]

I think you'll find the lift keel Fulmar draws 3'6" with the keel up, not bad but more than the OP's 3'.
The Bilge keel one draws 4' and I can recomend one unreservedly.

 

[mainsail1]

As you have owned both how would you compare the sailing abilities of the two? The 31 seems quite light and to have a lot of sail area for its weight. Any comments much appreciated.

Sorry I did not reply as I missed your comment. The Parker 31 is absolutely fine because the weight is in the wing keel and it has no problems standing up to it's sail area. The Parker 275 is a different matter. It has little weight in the keel and I found it too tippy for the family which is why we moved on to the Parker 31. The Parker 275 could best be described as a big dinghy with good accommodation.

 

[thalassa]

Sorry I did not reply as I missed your comment. The Parker 31 is absolutely fine because the weight is in the wing keel and it has no problems standing up to it's sail area.

+1. Very dry sailing, light on the helm if the sail area is well balanced. I usually reef from 20 knots apparent.

 

[seumask]

Sorry I did not reply as I missed your comment. The Parker 31 is absolutely fine because the weight is in the wing keel and it has no problems standing up to it's sail area. The Parker 275 is a different matter. It has little weight in the keel and I found it too tippy for the family which is why we moved on to the Parker 31. The Parker 275 could best be described as a big dinghy with good accommodation.

I understood that for many of the origional Seals and early Parkers the "Ballast" was in the ballast plate in the bottom of the hull, and the keel / dagger boards were relativly light made of Fiberglass and raised with a pulley system. For the bigger ones such as the 31 there is still a significant amount of ballast in the hull, however the keel's have been made much heavier but not the same as more conventional yachts that have all the ballast in the keel. I stand to be corrected!