Steiger Craft Marine has built a reputation around its fishing boats, and this year it launches the 31 DV Miami, a beamy deep-vee pilothouse model with more creature comforts for cruising.
“We built a 31 in the early ’90s but got away from that size until now,” says Connor Steiger, vice president and son of founder and president Al Steiger. “This new 31 was tooled by us based on our 26, which has been one of our best sellers since it was introduced 15 years ago.”
Although the 26 is a great offshore boat, it lacks the range that anglers require for running to the canyons, Steiger says. The 31 DV Miami holds 110 more gallons of fuel (300 gallons total) for a range of 400-plus miles. The hand-laid fiberglass hull is built around an “I-beam” grid system that reduces flex.
Standard features include a lounge with an integrated tackle center to port, opposite the starboard-side helm; an enclosed head below, where there’s 6 feet, 4 inches of headroom; a V-berth with cushions that sleeps two; a stainless sink with counter space; and plentiful storage. The helm features mounting space for large electronics displays, and abaft the deluxe chair is room for an optional refrigerator. Air conditioning/heat with an inverter/shore power is an option.
The open cockpit includes a 120-gallon in-deck fishbox and 100-gallon live well, overhead rocket launchers, recessed gunwale drawers and rod storage. Under-gunwale LED lighting illuminates the cockpit.
The 31 DV Miami, which was displayed this fall at boat shows in Newport, Rhode Island, and Norwalk, Connecticut, starts at $166,000 with twin Yamaha 300-hp 4-strokes. Steiger Craft Marine, Bellport, New York, (631) 286-2136. steigercraft.com
This article originally appeared in the December 2015 issue.
