rustler 31 yacht for sale

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

USED BOAT: Rustler 31

• Chris Beeson
• May 20, 2016

Compact and superbly built, the Rustler 31 is ideal for a two-man crew, as Bob Aylott finds when he steps aboard a 1981 model

Product Overview

Manufacturer:.

Rustler 31 review

See the April 2016 issue of Yachting Monthly for the full test

What’s she like to sail?

With her sound design, substantial build quality, encapsulated long keel and high ballast ratio she is steadfast and sea-kindly. Her rig is strong and simple – a thick-section mast well supported with chunky fore and aft lower shrouds. The deep vee-sectioned, overhanging bow cuts through waves rather than slamming, and little water reaches her cockpit unless you push her too hard.

Though slower to react to the helm than a lightweight fin-keel yacht, she is thoroughly predictable and gets on with the job regardless of sea and weather. Her big genoa provides most of the power and should be reefed first, when her lee toerail is awash. She can be cutter-rigged if you need a more flexible sailplan.

Her shortish waterline and large surface area below it make her relatively slow downwind, but a spinnaker will speed her up considerably in light to medium airs. She tracks straight, with little or no assistance needed on the helm to keep her on course.

What’s she like in port and at anchor?

On many Rustler 31s, the anchor chain is fed down a pipe into a locker below the forward berths. This can be tedious, as often the chain piles up in a pyramid and blocks the pipe when recovering the anchor, so someone has to go below and tip the pile over. She has stout mooring cleats and fairleads, but none amidships. An extra turning block on the genoa track can help with solo docking.

Her long-keel hull is cumbersome when motoring astern. It takes a little practice and there are a few tricks to learn, but most owners soon learn how to manoeuvre in and out of marina berths. But that keel also provides a good, flat base for her to dry out on, and with a pair of legs fitted she’ll take the ground upright.

If she has a downside it’s her accommodation – somewhat cramped and a little gloomy. For a couple, it’s just a question of working around each other, but with guests you’d best hope for fine weather or invest in a cockpit tent. Her cockpit is long but narrow and if a wheel has been fitted it reduces the useable space quite a bit, whereas a tiller can be hinged up to free more space.

Would she suit you and your crew?

Whether or not you’d want to own a Rustler 31 depends on your outlook to sailing and what your priorities are. She is indeed pretty, sails to windward effortlessly and if you’re planning to do frequent long, open-ocean passages, she won’t let you down. But if you like having groups of friends on board for the week, then you’d better have some skinny mates!

The cabin layout is snug but straightforward and practical. The two 1.88m long (6ft 3in) settees make very good sea berths with the addition of leecloths. Even better if you can find the version with a quarterberth behind the chart table. However, the galley is basic and small, as is the heads. Also, few Rustler 31s have pressurised hot water and even if they did, there’s no room for a shower unless you have it in the cockpit.

To sum up, this is a boat for the traditionalist – someone who likes the look and feel of owning a classic yacht and is willing to overlook her shortfalls in the luxury department for her seaworthiness and beauty on the water. And unless you have deep pockets, it’s good to be handy at boat maintenance, too.

Facts and figures Guide price £18,000-£25,000

LOA 9.58m (31ft 5in) LWL 7.32m (24ft) Beam 2.74m (9ft) Draught 1.68m (5ft 6in) Displacement 5792kg (12,770 lb) Ballast 2,540kg (5,600 lb) Ballast ratio 43.9 (%) Sail area 51m2 (547sq ft) SA/D ratio 16.1 Diesel 68 litres (15gal) Water 50 litres (11gal) Engine 28hp Transmission Shaft drive Designer Holman & Pye Builder Various, including Maltings, Orion and Ansteys Owners Group Websites www.rustler31.org www.rustleryachts.com/owners

NEW LISTING – Rustler 31 ‘FREJA’

Saturday 21st August 2021

Mark Cameron Yachts are delighted to have been appointed to act in the sale of the 1966 Rustler 31 ‘FREJA’.

Designed by Kim Holman in the mid 1960’s the Rustler 31 was a development of his earlier and very successful Twister 28. Over the decades the design has built a reputation as a fast and safe offshore passage maker with examples scattered all over the globe.

FREJA has been with her current owners since 2005 and has enjoyed an extensive program of upgrading modernisation while safely carrying her crew many thousands of miles, including visits to France and Holland. During the current ownership she has been stored ashore each winter and under cover for the last 3 winters. Her inventory highlights include:

• Yanmar 3YM30 marine diesel engine, installed new in 2008
• Portholes and portlights all replaced in 2012
• Forward deck hatch replaced in 2014
• Raymarine navigation instrumentation
• Raymarine ST2000 tiller pilot fitted 2014
• Standard Horizon chart plotter
• AIS Reciever
• Standard Horizon DSCVHF
• Plannar diesel fired, blown air heating system
• All new upholstery in 2013
• Harken primary winches fitted new in 2012

Having enjoyed a summer cruising the coast and islands of Scotland FREJA is now reluctantly offered for sale. A very nicely presented modern classic she is available for immediate viewing.

FIND FULL DETAILS HERE

OWNERS COMMENT:

We bought a Rustler because we wanted a good-looking, strong, well-built boat which would take us further afield than our local sailing area in Suffolk. In the past 16 years Freja has taken us across the Channel and North Sea to France and Holland, the South Coast, Isles of Scilly, Ireland and now the West Coast of Scotland. We usually sail short-handed with just the two of us onboard for a month at a time, but four adults can sleep comfortably on her.

Freja is a great sea boat. She points and sails beautifully into the wind and her long keel gives you a great sense of security and a kindly action in a big sea. We’ve been through some big weather in her, particularly during a relentlessly stormy month on the West Coast of Ireland and always felt that she was up to the task.

Rustler 31 ‘FREJA’

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History of Rustler

Rustler Yachts is a distinguished British boat manufacturer, originally established in 1963 by Kim Holman, a highly esteemed naval architect. The company was chiefly known for producing the iconic Rustler 36, a high-quality, long-keel cruising yacht, which debuted on the market in 1980 and quickly became renowned for its durability and seaworthiness. Holman was a pioneer in his methods of construction and design, creating a legacy of high-performance, seaworthy boats with sleek, sophisticated lines. The first workshop was located in the old rust-proofing building at Robinson's Yard, Penpol, near Falmouth in Cornwall, which is why the company was aptly named Rustler.

In 1990, Rustler Yachts was acquired by new partners Nick Offord and Peter Thomas, and moved from its original location to Falmouth. The company transitioned to a new, spacious yard located at Falmouth Docks, and the product line expanded to include a wider range of premium yachts, from the Rustler 24 day sailer to the large Rustler 58.

Today, Rustler Yachts continues to produce world-renowned, bespoke blue water cruising yachts hand built by skilled craftsmen in their Falmouth, Cornwall premises. They proudly strive to uphold the cherished tradition of British yacht building, with an unwavering commitment to quality, safety, and beauty. Each handcrafted vessel is a testament to Rustler's enduring legacy and vision for the future, firmly establishing the company as one of the industry's leading players within the global yachting community.

What types of boats do Rustler build?

Rustler manufactures a range of different types of boats. The ones listed on TheYachtMarket include Sloop , Antique/classic , Racing boat , Day boat and Cruiser .

How much does a boat from Rustler cost?

Used boats from Rustler on TheYachtMarket.com range in price from £31,300 GBP to £330,000 GBP with an average price of £106,000 GBP . A wide range of factors can affect the price of used boats from Rustler, for example the model, age and condition.

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Rustler 31 Boat for Sale

• accommodation
• mechanical and rigging
• Manufacturer: Rustler
• Location: Gillingham
• LOA: 31'0" (9.45m)
• Beam: 9' 0'' (2.74m)
• Draft: 1.68
• Keel: Fin keel
• ID no.: 3871
• Heating: Yes
• Watertank Size: 70 Litres
• Engine Make: Perkins Perama M25
• Horsepower: 25hp
• Drive Type: Shaft drive
• Fuel Type: Diesel

Broker Remarks

The Rustler 31 is a traditional, classic long-keeled cruiser with pretty lines and excellent performance. The design is well proven, with many ocean crossings to its credit, a fast, close-winded, seaworthy and seakindly bluewater yacht, with the ability to keep going in the very worst weather. This excellent example was purchased by her current owner as an incomplete refit. She has now been fully refitted and carefully maintained, and is well presented, well prepared and ready to sail away. A fantastic go-anywhere yacht with beautiful lines that attracts attention wherever she goes, the complete antithesis of the modern wide-beamed marina caravan. If you love sailing, whether ocean crossing or backwaters pottering, the Rustler 31 will get you there quickly, enjoyably and comfortably.

Accommodation

The interior layout, with four berths in two cabins, whilst modest by modern standards,  is safe and secure at sea and offers plentiful stowage throughout. In the forecabin, V berth with infill and stowage under.  Opening hatch to foredeck.  Separate head to port with marine toilet and stainless steel washbasin.  Hanging locker opposite. 

In saloon, two settee berths in red coloured material.  Fold-down table with opening leaf.  Chart table to starboard with galley opposite.   There is good stowage for charts in the chart table with a handy bookshelf navigation books. Two burner Taylors gimballed paraffin cooker with oven.  Stainless steel sink.

The Mikuni MX40 heating system provides pressurised hot water system with hot water to the galley and heads, it also has a 12 volt blower for heating the cabin. 70 litres freshwater capacity. She has been in her current ownership for the last 9 years

Mechanical and Rigging

Located abaft the companionway in insulated space, Perkins Perama turbo M25 3 cylinder 25hp diesel engine.  Electric start.  Indirect cooled.  Shaft drive to three bladed fixed propeller.  Single lever control.  65 litres fuel capacity in stainless steel tank with 5 knots cruising speed. cutlass bearing was changed in 2011 and the engine was serviced by the owner in May 2017. Coppercoat was applied in 2012. The anodes were last changed in 2016

• Alternator charging (Lucas 55amp)
• 2 x 12 volt batteries 120 Ah engine start, 120Ah domestic.
• 240 volt shorepower
• Immersion heater
• Battery Charger

Masthead rigged Bermudan Sloop. Alloy mast and boom by Z spars. Stainless steel standing rigging (2012).  Terylene running rigging (2012). Deck stepped mast. Slab reefing mainsail. Barton Boomstrut. Furling headsail (Selden Furlex 200s) Lazy jacks.

• 4 x sheet winches 2 x Lewmar 2 X Harken all self tailing.
• 2 x non self tailing Halyard winches
• 1 x other winch.
• Mainsail  -  1992  Hood Easiston  Very good condition
• No 1 Genoa  -  2013  -Crusader  Very good condition
• Spinnaker  -  Hood Good condition
• 10kg Delta with 30m chain
• Electric anchor windlass (Lofrans Dorado 700)
• Mainsail cover
• Boom awning
• Halyard bags
• Boarding ladder
• 6 x Fenders
• Life-raft cradle
• Plastimo steering compass
• Navico Corus depth gauge
• Navico corus speed/log
• Icom M402 VHF Radio
• Standard Horizon GPS
• Standard Horizon SH-CP300 Chart Plotter
• AIS Recceiver
• Tiller Pilot
• Electronic chart  CMAP Megawide UK
• Masthead and Deck level Nav lights
• 2 x Fire extinguishers
• 1 x Fire blanket
• 1 x Smoke alarm
• 2 x Jackstays
• 2 x Cockpit harness points
• 1 x Horseshoe lifebuoy
• 1 x Jonbuoy
• Emergency tiller
• Manuel bilge pump
• Electric bilge pump
• Radar reflector
• Zodiac ORC 4 person liferaft. (2004) last serviced 2014

Contact NYB Kent

• Address: Network Yacht Brokers Kent Chatham Maritime Marina Leviathan Way, Chatham, Kent ME4 4LP
• Telephone: [+44] [0] 1634 571605 --> [+44] [0] 1634 571605
• Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer : Network Yacht Brokers Kent offers the details of this vessel for sale but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of the information contained in the specification or warrant the condition of the vessel or equipment. A buyer should instruct his agents, or surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered for sale subject to no prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.

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• Boat REF#  ·  313733
• Length  ·  9.57m
• Year  ·  1967
• Construction  ·  GRP
• Underwater profile  ·  Long Keel
• Sleeping berths  ·  5
• Engine  ·  1 x diesel 15hp, Volvo MD2 ()
• Lying  ·  Cardiff

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• Specification
• Additional Information

Extra Details

Sloop rigged Aluminium spars () with Stainless Steel standing rigging ()

Electrical Systems

12 volt battery, 1 batteries charged by: engine

Construction

Accommodation.

Gas supply not connected

2 burner propane Stove

2 halyard winches 2 sheet winches Manual windlass 2 anchors (CQR & Fishermans) 25.00m of chain

Nav Equipment

Safety equipment.

2 bilge pumps (2 manual / 0 electric)

Broker's Comments

The Rustler 31 is a classic, highly desired yacht, by a discerning yachtsman. She is a yacht which is more than able to deal with the most extreme weather conditions, a joy to sail and very responsive with a deep, safe cockpit. Below decks her forward cabin has 2 berths. The heads are to port with a hanging locker opposite. There are 2 settee berths in the saloon and also a quarterberth. The galley is to starboard with a chart table opposite. This yacht needs some refurbishing. A new main is required, the old one has blown out. The prop is bent and needs straightening and she needs a new rudder pintol. Cleaning and painting are also required. However, this yacht deserves to be restored to her former glory and she has been priced accordingly to allow for this consideration.

These boat details are subject to contract. Note: Offers on the asking price may be considered.

Please note this comments section is public . Please do not post your personal details here. To enquire about purchasing this boat, please contact the broker directly at [email protected] Please read our commenting guidelines before posting.

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