The following information and photographs are displayed as a service to anyone researching yacht types. HOWEVER THE PHOTOGRAPHS ARE COVERED BY COPYRIGHT, AND MAY NOT BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF YACHTSNET LTD. Details and photographs are normally based on one specific yacht, but could be a compilation. No reliance should be placed on other yachts of the same class being identical.  Where common variations exist, we have endeavoured to indicate this in these archive details.

Rustler 31

Price Guide

£20,000 to £26,000

various, including Ansteys, Maltings and Orion Marine

31' 5"

Sail area

557 sq ft main and genoa

Brief details

24' 0"

Rig

sloop

A long-keel classic, the Rustler 31 is sought after both as fast coastal cruier and as a long-distance passage-maker. Good examples command high prices

9' 0"

Cabins

2

5' 6"

Berths

4

12,770 lbs

Engine

various - often Bukh or Yanmar

5,600 lbs

BHP

typically 7 - 20

Long keel with encapsulated lead ballast

The Rustler 31 was designed by Kim Holman in around 1964/65, and is generally regarded as a bigger version of his famous earlier Twister design, itself a development of the Folkboat type. Later a larger version was built, the Rustler 36. There is a definite family resemblance between these yachts, and they all share an excellent reputation for seaworthiness and all-weather speed. Rustler 31s have been built by a number of builders, including Ansteys, Maltings and Orion Marine. Also, many bare hull mouldings have been sold over the years for home completion.

In 1990 "Yachting World" wrote: ".... the Rustler 31's seakeeping ability is legendary" and ".... delightfully sure-footed in that purposeful way that is the hallmark of well-bred, long-keeled yachts of moderate to heavy displacement".

The accommodation normally consists of vee-berths in the forecabin, a heads with sink and hanging locker space, and the saloon with two settee berths, galley to port aft, and a dedicated chart table and seat to starboard aft. Some yachts may also have additional pilot berths or pipe berths above the saloon settees. Saloon headroom is about 5' 11"

Above - two different saloon layouts and finishes on Rustler 31s

There is a vee-berth forecabin, here with a tube to feed the anchor chain down to the chain locker. The passageway to the forecabin has lockers to starboard, and the good sized heads (pictures below) to port

Some of the earliest yachts will have originally been fitted with petrol engines, but most will by now have had diesels fitted. The yacht illustrated here has had a 24 hp diesel fitted in the original engine space

Photographs Yachtsnet

A pilot berth fitted above the settee in a Rustler 31

Photographs of two different examples