Alright, to answer your implied question, I have lived aboard Carina since 1992 and cruised her for about 17 years. She is a great sailing vessel, but a bit small for
living aboard. It really depends on what you want: some people think anything less than 50' is too cramped while others prefer 30' or less.
There were about thirty 31's built, and most were owner completed (and all had layouts specific to the owner). The few that were finished by the yard are very desirable. The owner-completed ones vary a lot in both quality and layout; the best rival Cecil's
boats but most are less polished, utilitarian boats. If not cared for they can deteriorate badly, although I don't know any of the 31's in that situation. Several 36's were allowed to
rot before being completed. I know of a 40' currently
for sale that was cruised for 20 years but was then allowed to
rot and is now essentially worthless, beyond scrap value. So a good
survey is imperative. And if you buy one you will need to keep up on the painting and caulking or risk a loss.
I don't mean to sound negative - these really are great boats. If you can find one with a layout you like and in good condition then it will be well worth considering. Just remember that any
boat with a wooden
deck and house is going to require a bit more
maintenance than one with a molded
deck and house, and failure to do so can result in expensive repairs/loss of value.
I'm happy to help if you want to continue here, PM, or
phone call. Do you have a specific 31' in mind? The 31's don't come on the market very often.
Greg