Golden Hind 31 Ketch

Description

The Golden Hind 31 Ketch, a rare variant of the iconic shoal-draft bluewater cruiser designed by British yachting editor Maurice Griffiths in 1965 and inspired by Colin Archer pilot cutters, was primarily built in fiberglass (with early plywood examples) by yards like Terry Erskine Yachts and Hartwells of Plymouth, with around 250 total hulls produced until the 1980s—though only 3-4 known as ketches for enhanced short-handed manageability on extended voyages. Measuring 31 feet 6 inches LOA with a 26-foot-9-inch LWL, 9-foot beam, 3-foot-7-inch draft on bilge keels for drying out in tidal harbors, and a displacement of 11,600 pounds including up to 4,100 pounds of iron ballast, this double-chine ketch rig offers a sail area of approximately 563 square feet across mainsail, mizzen, genoa, and staysail for steady 5-7 knot performance in 15-30 knot winds with balanced helm, augmented by a 15- to 20-horsepower diesel auxiliary like the Lister ST2 or Yanmar 3GM. Its seaworthy lines feature a clipper bow, moderate sheer, and encapsulated keels on a robust hand-laid GRP hull with teak accents, providing 6-foot headroom in a practical interior for 4-6 berths including V-berth forward, saloon settees, quarter berth aft, compact galley with gimbaled stove, enclosed heads with shower, and modest tankage of 40 gallons fuel and 60 gallons water for coastal-to-offshore autonomy. Proven in grueling conditions like the 1979 Fastnet Storm and multiple circumnavigations—as in ketch-rigged examples like Le Corbeau and Safrel crossing the Atlantic—the Golden Hind 31 Ketch remains a timeless choice for intrepid couples valuing stability, simplicity, and East Anglian gunkholing credentials in a compact, affordable package.