Hi all, I have been to look at a Prout 31 located here in Western Australia and I don't know anything about them. I was wondering if someone could give me a bit of background concerning their history and qualities.
I am really interested in finding out whether it would be suitable for sailing around the coast here in WA.
Does it have any known vices or structural weaknesses?
Does it sail reasonably well to windward?
Any tendency to nose dive?
Load carrying capacity?
Has anyone had any experience with any long coastal or ocean passages?
Any help or comments would be gratefully received! Thanks, John.
G'day,
We have a Quest 31 and a very nice boat to have it is too! I don't think you would be disappointed. To answer your queries:
I don't know of any vices or structural weaknesses, but obviously check for cracking along the narcelle underneath, where it bonds to the two hulls. It's unlikely you will find them there, but you never know what rough handling past owners have subjected the boat to. Osmosis should not be a problem - they were well built, but again you never know. A lot of rubbish is talked about osmosis by the doom merchants - I just dig out the blisters, if dry just refill, if wet, dry out and refill. I used epoxy filler and 4 coats of epoxy primer - the last one different from the first three so as to act as a primer for the antifoul. See the Seajet product range.
Sails to windward reasonable well. In flat water at about 42 degree apparent, a bit more as it becomes rough. Often better to bear away a bit and increase the speed!
I've not known her nose dive. With the bouyancy tanks up forward the bows come up very quickly should she dig her nose in.
She can carry a good load, but there is always two sides to this. The more you load her the less speed you will get!
I haven't down any long passages in her, but the class has world circumnavigations to their credit, as have a lot of Prout classes, which says a bit. They were designed as cruising boats after all, not racers, hence the modest low aspect rig.
