Tiara 3100 Open, the Classic Among Tiara Used Boats for Sale

Why the 3100 Open shows up in so many Tiara used boats for sale searches

Anyone browsing Tiara used boats for sale runs into the 3100 Open quickly, and for a good reason: it was in production for about a quarter of a century. Tiara introduced it in 1979, and Power and Motoryacht later reported that it sold about 800 units in its first decade, making the 3100 series the most successful line in the company's history. It was substantially redesigned in 1992 and remained in the range until January 2004, when the 3200 Open replaced it.

That long run means the name covers two quite different boats. Leon Slikkers himself told Power and Motoryacht that the later 3100 was considerably changed from the original: "You really can't say it's the same boat." When you compare a 31 Tiara open for sale from 1985 with one from 2001, you are comparing different hulls, tankage and engine options, so read this guide by generation.

A Holland, Michigan family boat from the Slikkers lineage

Leon Slikkers started at Chris-Craft in Holland, Michigan, in 1946 building cabin tops. He founded SlickCraft in 1955, sold it to AMF in 1969 and, under a noncompete, set up S2 Yachts to build sailboats before adding the Tiara powerboat line. The 3100 Open, designed by Slikkers with Ed Wennersten, was the boat that turned Tiara into a major express builder, and its reputation for quality joinery and conservative engineering set the tone for every Tiara since.

The family still owns and runs the company. Slikkers retired in 2021 at 93, after 75 years in the industry, and Tiara today builds much larger boats such as the 43 LE and the EX 60, while the 3100 survives as one of the most recognizable older express boats on the East Coast and the Great Lakes.

The 1979 hull and the 1992 redesign

The original 3100 had a sharp, well-raked entry that flattened gradually along a shallow keel to about two-thirds aft, finishing with 14 degrees of transom deadrise. Two pairs of lifting strakes and a pair of chines helped lift a hull of about 13,000 lb. Its 12 ft beam was generous for a 31 footer at the time, which is why the side decks are walkable and the cockpit is so large.

The early-1990s redesign brought a sharper entry, more bow flare, prop pockets to reduce shaft angles and 18 degrees of transom deadrise. Fuel capacity rose from 196 gallons on the original to 246 gallons on the updated boat. For offshore fishing in the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic, the later hull is the one to buy: it is drier, softer in a head sea and carries more fuel.

• 1979 to early 1990s: 14 degree transom deadrise, 196 gallons of fuel
• 1992 onward: 18 degree deadrise, prop pockets, more flare, 246 gallons of fuel
• Both: 12 ft beam, about 13,000 lb, a boat Soundings described as a 34 footer overall

A big open cockpit with real side decks

The 3100 Open is laid out the old-fashioned way, which is exactly why fishermen like it. A tall, aft-raked windshield protects the helm and gives a clear view forward even when seated, and an electrically operated centerline window opens for ventilation. Aft of the helm is a huge open cockpit, and a radar arch with canvas can enclose the whole area for cooler climates.

Walkable side decks with tall rails make line handling and anchoring safe, something many modern express boats with bulky superstructures cannot claim. The 3200 Open that replaced it added a reverse transom, composite windshield frame, a fold-away transom seat and faster-draining scuppers, which tells you what owners of later 3100s most often wanted: better drainage and a more modern windshield.

The teak cabin below

Four steps down a centerline companionway lead to an open-plan cabin finished in teak. The enclosed head and the galley are to port, with the galley running forward to the bulkhead. To starboard is the electrical panel on the aft bulkhead and a U-shaped convertible dinette for four. The forward cabin has a large double berth and a hanging locker. Headroom on late boats is about 6 ft 2 in.

It is a weekend layout for a couple or a small family rather than a cruiser for long trips, but it is honest, durable and easy to keep up. Later 3100s had a two-level galley counter and a forward double with a filler cushion; the dinette table had to be dismantled to make up the berth, a chore the 3200 eliminated with a hi-lo table.

Gas or diesel, and what performance to expect

Standard power was twin 350 hp Crusader 454 gasoline inboards, with twin 410 hp MerCruiser 8.2L engines as an option. With 700 hp, owners reported top speeds just above 30 knots and a cruise near 20 knots. Later in the run Tiara offered diesels from Volvo Penta, Caterpillar and Cummins.

One owner of a 1997 boat told Power and Motoryacht he repowered with 370 hp Cummins diesels in place of the original 330s and reached 38 mph wide open, burning 9 gph at 2,000 rpm while running at 23 mph. That is a single owner's figure rather than an instrumented test, but it shows why diesel 3100s command a premium: better economy, longer engine life and more resale appeal. We have not found a published instrumented test of the 3100 Open, so treat speed claims in listings as approximate.

Tiara 3100 Open for sale, values and running costs

Because so many were built, there is nearly always a Tiara 3100 open for sale somewhere, and prices cover a wide range. We estimate early gas boats from about $25,000 to $55,000, mid-1990s boats around $48,000 to $98,000, and late diesel boats with hardtops up to about $145,000. Engine hours and condition drive the price far more than year; a fresh repower can be worth more than a decade of age.

Annual running costs for a 31 foot express on a typical slip, excluding depreciation, run about $12,000 to $28,000 including insurance, storage, routine engine service and bottom paint. Gas boats burn more fuel than diesels at cruise but cost less to service; diesels are cheaper to run if you put on real hours.