MOODY 31 MkII – ‘SPANGLES’

Year: 1987Price: £22,500VAT Status: VAT PaidLocation: ChichesterKeel: Fin KeelEngine: Volvo Penta D1-30, 29hp dieselDrive: Shaft drive

BROKER'S INTRODUCTION

Key Points

Spangles is a particularly appealing example of the Moody 31 MkII and benefits from a strong programme of meaningful upgrades.

Of particular note is the Volvo Penta D1-30 diesel engine installed in 2018, giving the yacht a considerably more modern propulsion installation than many comparable Moody 31s still operating with their original machinery. Further recent improvements include new AGM domestic batteries, shore power and battery charging equipment fitted in September 2025, together with a Raymarine ST2000+ tiller pilot and AIS transponder installed in 2024.

She is presented as a well-equipped and practical cruising yacht, with accommodation for up to six, diesel heating, pressurised water, a good sail wardrobe and the straightforward sailing characteristics for which the Moody 31 has become so well known.

The current owner is selling only because of a wish to move up to a larger yacht.

For anyone seeking a proven British cruising yacht of manageable size, with significant expenditure already made on many of the important mechanical and cruising systems, Spangles merits serious consideration and an early viewing.

THE MOODY 31 MkII – A PROVEN BRITISH CRUISING YACHT

The Moody 31 MkII is one of the highly regarded family cruising yachts to emerge from the long and successful collaboration between Moody Yachts, Marine Projects of Plymouth and naval architect Bill Dixon. Introduced in 1985, the MkII remained in production until 1991, reflecting the appeal of a design that combined reassuring construction, comfortable accommodation and straightforward sailing characteristics in a yacht of just over 30 feet.

Bill Dixon was already closely associated with Moody by this period, having continued the design relationship following his earlier work with respected naval architect Angus Primrose. Dixon subsequently became responsible for a substantial number of Moody designs, and his name has remained closely connected with the marque for decades.

The Moody 31 MkII was built by Marine Projects (Plymouth) Ltd, the company responsible for the production of many Moody yachts of this era. The relationship between A.H. Moody & Son and Marine Projects was a significant one: the Moody Owners Association records that the partnership ultimately resulted in more than 4,500 Moody yachts being delivered in the UK and internationally over approximately three decades.

At 30ft 9in (9.37m) overall with a 10ft 6in (3.20m) beam, the Moody 31 manages to provide notably generous accommodation without becoming an unnecessarily large or demanding yacht to own. Published specifications give a displacement of approximately 4,521kg, with approximately 1,667kg of ballast, while the conventional masthead sloop rig and skeg-supported rudder arrangement reflect the straightforward cruising philosophy for which Moodys of this period became known.

The MkII developed the earlier Moody 31 concept with several practical changes, most visibly the sugar-scoop transom and revised interior arrangement incorporating a forward-facing chart table. These improvements helped make an already practical cruiser more convenient both alongside and under way.

The attraction of the Moody 31 MkII has always been its balance. It offers genuine cruising accommodation for a couple or family, sensible deck and cockpit arrangements and a manageable sail plan, while retaining the substantial feel traditionally associated with Moody yachts. Contemporary brokers continue to describe the model in terms of its comfortable family accommodation, proven sailing performance and practical cruising capability, demonstrating the reputation that the design continues to enjoy several decades after construction.

For many buyers, that continuing reputation is a significant part of the appeal. A well-maintained Moody 31 MkII remains recognisably a proper cruising yacht: conventional, robust in concept, spacious for her length and supported by an established owners' community and a considerable body of accumulated knowledge about the marque.

The result is a yacht which has aged particularly well as a concept. Rather than relying upon fashion or novelty, the Moody 31 MkII offers the qualities for which classic British cruising yachts remain sought after: a respected designer, established British builder, practical accommodation, manageable handling and a proven design with an enduring following.

PRINCIPAL PARTICULARS

Builder: Moody / Marine ProjectsModel: Moody 31 MkIIYear: 1987Designer: Bill DixonLocation: ChichesterPrice: £25,500VAT: Paid

Dimensions

Length: approximately 9.00m / 29ft 6in as recordedBeam: 3.20m / 10ft 6inDraft: approximately 1.52m / 5ft 0inKeel: Fin keel

Accommodation

Berths: Up to 6Cabins: 2Heads compartments: 1Shower facilities: 1

Tankage

Fuel: DieselFuel capacity: approximately 80 litresFresh water: approximately 136 litres

ACCOMMODATION

One of the enduring strengths of the Moody 31 is the amount of usable accommodation provided within a yacht of relatively modest overall length.

The interior of Spangles is arranged around a comfortable main saloon, separate sleeping cabins forward and aft, galley facilities and a dedicated heads compartment.

Saloon

The main saloon provides a comfortable communal area for cruising and relaxing aboard.

Features include:

The arrangement makes the saloon equally practical for meals aboard, passage-making or simply relaxing at anchor.

Forward Cabin

The forward cabin provides a conventional V-berth arrangement with an infill section allowing the berths to be converted into a larger sleeping area.

Additional features include:

Aft Cabin

A particularly useful feature for a yacht of this size is the separate aft sleeping cabin.

This provides:

The separate aft cabin significantly improves the Moody 31's usefulness for family cruising or for accommodating guests.

Heads

The separate heads compartment is fitted with:

ENGINE AND MECHANICAL EQUIPMENT

A major attraction of Spangles is her comparatively recent engine installation.

She is powered by a:

Volvo Penta D1-3029hp three-cylinder dieselShaft drive

The engine was installed new in 2018 and had recorded approximately 470 hours at the time the information for these particulars was compiled.

It was most recently serviced in December 2025.

The replacement engine represents a significant advantage over many yachts of a similar age which may still retain substantially older original machinery.

Further mechanical and onboard systems include:

These improvements considerably strengthen the yacht's cruising specification and reduce the number of major age-related systems likely to demand immediate attention from a new owner.

RIG, SAILS AND DECK EQUIPMENT

Spangles is rigged as a conventional cruising sloop with a sail plan intended to be manageable by a couple or short-handed crew.

The standing rigging was renewed in 2018.

Her sails are reported to remain in good serviceable condition.

Sail Inventory

The combination provides a useful cruising wardrobe while retaining the option of additional downwind performance in lighter conditions.

Rigging and Sail Handling

NAVIGATION AND ELECTRONICS

The yacht carries a useful selection of navigation and sailing instruments.

Equipment includes:

The Raymarine tiller pilot is particularly useful for short-handed sailing and longer passages, while the addition of AIS enhances situational awareness in busy coastal waters.

COCKPIT, DECK AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT

The Moody 31's cockpit and deck arrangement remains conventional and practical, with equipment geared towards coastal and offshore cruising.

Spangles is equipped with:

The generous cockpit locker provides valuable stowage for cruising equipment, ropes, fenders and other deck gear.

ANCHORING, MOORING AND SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Included equipment comprises:

HEATING AND CRUISING COMFORT

For year-round and shoulder-season use, Spangles is fitted with an Autotherm diesel-fired cabin heating system.

This considerably extends the practical cruising season and is especially valuable for UK sailing, where effective cabin heating can make a considerable difference to comfort aboard during spring, autumn and cooler summer evenings.

Together with shore power, battery charging and pressurised water, it gives the yacht a notably useful cruising specification.

SIGNIFICANT UPGRADES

A major strength of Spangles is that a number of expensive or important items have already been renewed.

Particularly noteworthy work includes:

This is important when comparing Spangles with apparently cheaper examples of the same model. On yachts approaching forty years of age, the condition and age of major systems can be considerably more important than the age of the hull itself.

The replacement engine, rigging, electrical equipment, batteries, navigation equipment and seacocks represent substantial investment which a purchaser of a less comprehensively updated yacht could otherwise find themselves having to undertake.

BROKER'S VIEW

The enduring popularity of the Moody 31 MkII is not difficult to understand.

At around 31 feet she remains easily manageable in a marina, economical compared with significantly larger cruising yachts and suitable for short-handed ownership, yet she provides a genuine cruising interior with separate fore and aft sleeping accommodation.

Spangles adds to those inherent qualities with a particularly useful package of improvements.

The 2018 Volvo Penta D1-30, renewed standing rigging, upgraded electrical system, diesel heating, relatively recent genoa, 2024 autopilot and AIS installation make her a markedly different proposition from an untouched yacht of the same age.

For buyers looking for a traditional British cruising yacht rather than a lightweight modern weekender, the Moody 31 MkII remains a compelling design.

Spangles combines that established Moody pedigree with significant modernisation in many of the areas which matter most to a cruising owner.

Volvo Penta D1-30 installed in Spangles in 2018

The above are the specifications available openly online.

The Company offers the details of this vessel in good faith but cannot guarantee or warrant the accuracy of this information nor warrant the condition of the vessel. A buyer should instruct his agents, or his surveyors, to investigate such details as the buyer desires validated. This vessel is offered subject to prior sale, price change, or withdrawal without notice.