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Ericson 31 Independence Cutter
Designer: Bruce King  ·  Builder: Ericson Yachts (Usa)  ·  First built: 1977
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About the Ericson 31 Independence Cutter

Designed by renowned naval architect Bruce King and built by Ericson Yachts from 1977 to 1981, this 33-foot cutter represents a thoughtful approach to coastal cruising and light offshore sailing. The Independence Cutter's moderate displacement of 11,400 pounds and substantial ballast ratio provide reassuring stability, while the fin keel configuration with transom-hung rudder delivers responsive handling characteristics that make her enjoyable to sail in varied conditions. The cutter rig configuration sets this boat apart from many production sailboats of her era, offering exceptional versatility in sail handling and the ability to maintain balanced sail plans across a wide range of wind conditions. With 479 square feet of sail area driving her 23.92-foot waterline, she achieves a good balance between performance and manageable sail handling for small crews. Her comfort ratio of 29.15 suggests a motion that favors seaworthiness over speed, making longer passages more comfortable, while the capsize screening value of 1.86 indicates good stability for coastal and offshore work. The fiberglass construction has proven durable over the decades, and these boats have earned a reputation among cruising sailors for their solid build quality and sea-kindly behavior in challenging conditions.

Core Dimensions
LOA (Length Overall) 33.00 ft / 10.06 m
LWL (Waterline Length) 23.92 ft / 7.29 m
Beam 10.42 ft / 3.18 m
Max Draft 4.92 ft / 1.50 m
Displacement 11,400.00 lb / 5,171 kg
Ballast 4,500.00 lb / 2,041 kg
Sail Area (Reported) 479.00 ft² / 44.50 m²
Headroom 6.08 ft / 1.85 m
Design & Construction
Hull Type Fin w/transom hung rudder
Rigging Type Cutter
Construction FG
Designer Bruce King
Builder Ericson Yachts (USA)
First Built 1977
Last Built 1981
Associations Ericson Yachts Information
Related Sailboats ["Newport 33" · "C&C 33" · "Cal 33 Hunt" · "Irwin 33" · "Alajuela 33"]
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Performance Ratios
SA/Displacement Sail Area to Displacement ratio measures how much sail power a boat has relative to its weight. Higher values mean more performance and speed.
Under 14 — Heavy cruiser, slow14–18 — Cruising sailboat18–22 — Cruiser/racerOver 22 — Performance racer
 15.18
Ballast/Displacement Ballast to Displacement ratio shows what percentage of the boat's total weight is ballast. Higher values generally mean better initial stability and stiffer sail carrying.
30–35% — Typical cruiser35–45% — Stiff performance boatOver 45% — Racing oriented
 39.47
Displacement/Length Displacement to Length ratio measures how heavy a boat is relative to its waterline length. Lower values mean a lighter, faster boat.
Under 100 — Ultralight racer100–200 — Light cruiser/racer200–300 — Moderate cruiser300–400 — Heavy cruiserOver 400 — Very heavy
 371.85
Comfort Ratio Ted Brewer's Comfort Ratio predicts how comfortable a boat will feel in offshore conditions. Higher values mean a steadier, more comfortable motion in a seaway.
Under 20 — Uncomfortably rough20–30 — Acceptable coastal30–40 — Good offshore comfortOver 40 — Very comfortable offshore
 29.15
Capsize Screening Formula The USHS Capsize Screening Formula estimates offshore capsize risk. Lower is safer — values under 2.0 are considered acceptable for offshore sailing.
Under 2.0 — Safe for offshore2.0–2.2 — Borderline offshoreOver 2.2 — Coastal use recommended
 1.86
Hull Speed Hull Speed is the theoretical maximum speed of a displacement hull, calculated from waterline length. Most cruising sailboats reach this speed in moderate conditions. 6.55 kn
S# (Speed Number) The Speed Number (S#) is a quick performance index. Higher values indicate a faster, more powerful design relative to its size.
Under 3.0 — Slow cruiser3.0–5.0 — Average cruiser5.0–7.0 — Performance cruiserOver 7.0 — Racer
 1.21
Pounds/Inch Immersion Pounds per Inch Immersion (PPI) tells you how much weight is needed to sink the boat one inch. Useful for calculating how additional gear and stores affect waterline. 890.58 pounds/inch
SA/Displacement (Calc) Calculated Sail Area to Displacement ratio using actual measured sail dimensions rather than reported values. More precise than the reported SA/Disp figure. 15.77
Rig Dimensions
I (Foretriangle Height) 38.33 ft / 11.68 m
J (Foretriangle Base) 15.00 ft / 4.57 m
P (Mainsail Luff) 32.50 ft / 9.91 m
E (Mainsail Foot) 12.92 ft / 3.94 m
SA Fore 287.48 ft² / 26.71 m²
SA Main 209.95 ft² / 19.50 m²
SA Total (100%) 497.43 ft² / 46.21 m²
Est. Forestay Length 41.16 ft / 12.55 m
Engine & Accommodations
Engine Type Diesel
Fuel Capacity 35 gals / 132 L
Water Capacity 45 gals / 170 L
How It Compares

vs. C&C 33, Cal 33 Hunt, Irwin 33

This boat Similar boats
Dimensions
LOA
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
33.0 ft
C&C 33
33.0 ft
Cal 33 Hunt
33.0 ft
Irwin 33
33.0 ft
LWL
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
23.9 ft
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
27.5 ft
Irwin 33
27.5 ft
Beam
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
10.4 ft
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
11.3 ft
Irwin 33
11.2 ft
Displacement
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
11 lbs
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
10 lbs
Irwin 33
10 lbs
Ballast
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
4 lbs
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
4 lbs
Irwin 33
4 lbs
Sail Area
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
479 sq ft
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
514 sq ft
Performance
PHRF Rating (lower = faster)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
—
C&C 33
120 s/nm
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
159 s/nm
SA / Displacement (higher = more powerful)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
15.2
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
16.7
Ballast / Disp (higher = stiffer)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
39.5 %
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
41.4 %
Irwin 33
—
Comfort Ratio (higher = more comfortable offshore)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
29.2
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
23.3
Capsize Screening (lower = safer)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
1.86
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
2.02
Displacement / Length (lower = lighter)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
371
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
231
Irwin 33
—
Hull Speed
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
6.6 kts
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
7.0 kts
Speed Number (higher = faster)
Ericson 31 Independence Cutter ★
1.2
C&C 33
—
Cal 33 Hunt
—
Irwin 33
2.3
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