NORD STAR 31+

The Finns know a thing or two about building wheelhouse cruisers, and with the 31+ Nord Star is hoping to take the fight to its established rivals

- Jack Haines

Can you think of a boat with stiffer, more focussed competition than the Nord Star 31+? With homegrown rivals like the Sargo 31 and Botnia Targa 30.1 breathing down its neck and offering many of the same benefits, it’s logical to conclude that anyone interested in one of these boats is probably considering all three. All hailing from the same area on Finland’s west coast, within about 160km of each other, these boats are as closely aligned geographically as they are spiritually, but what separates them? Stylistically the Botnia is out there on its own, in a trio of boxes it’s the most box-like and has the most traditional interior, though it’s beautifully assembled. It’s the only one to come with a flybridge (well, upper helm position) too but its accommodation is the most cramped.

SPLIT THE DIFFERENCE

There is even less separating the Sargo and Nord Star, which both have a slightly more contemporary look and more comfortable cockpits than the Targa thanks to their built-in dinettes. They both come with the option of an aft door, too, a seemingly small addition that makes a big difference to the way the boat flows and means you don’t have to solely rely on the sliding side doors on either side of the wheelhouse for access to the saloon.