[Budwinn42]

Hi all, I recently purchased a 1983 Tiara 3100 Continental and I'm wondering what (if any) actual differences there are between this boat and the Tiara Pursuit 31 open. A friend of mine has one and they're docked side by side and the only real difference I can find is the square portholes on his boat and the round on mine. My boat also has air conditioning, a factory skin top, and 270 Crusaders as opposed to 350 Crusaders but as far as I can tell those are just options that were added when the boat was ordered. Just trying to see if there are any real differences or just the ones I've noted. Thanks in advance, Bud.

[hiccup]

The Tiara 3100's from the '80's were sometimes outfitted with extra fishing equipment and referred to as Tiara Pursuits. The only difference between a Tiara and a Tiara Pursuit was a couple fishing options and a couple brand badges. Towards the end of the '80's/beginning of the '90's S2 decided to try to differentiate the brands a little more and started making a few dedicated Pursuit models (1990 Pursuit 3250 Express may have been the first). They redesigned the Tiara 3100 in '92 and then a year later they decided to keep making the old version and call it the Pursuit 3100. They changed a few things including the portlights as you mentioned, but it was the same boat. So a '93+ Pursuit 3100 was essentially a pre '92 Tiara 3100. Then for a year in 1994 they decided to call the Pursuit 3250 Express the Tiara 3300 Offshore but only made it for a year. Point in mentioning that is that S2 was pretty confused about how to handle the Pursuit vs Tiara branding throughout the '90's and went back and forth and did things that didn't really make sense.

They didn't really get it straight until about 2006 when they finally decided all Pursuits would be outboards and would be made in Florida and all Tiaras would be inboards and would be made in Michigan (up until that point nearly all inboard Pursuits were still made in MI). But then, of course, recently they started making some outboard Tiaras which again blurred the lines between the brands and that is likely what led them to sell off Pursuit.

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I didn't get into the 'Continental' name at all. The Continental name was used in various ways over the years (more branding confusion). I know that the 2700 was made as an Open and a Continental with the Continental being a cruising oriented boat with a midcabin and the Open being a more standard fish/cruise mix that Tiara is known for. I thought they used the Continental name w/the 3100 for the Flybridge version for a year or two but that doesn't line up w/the picture you posted which looks like a 3100 Open. So I'm confused on that one.

[Budwinn42]

Thanks for the info hiccup! When I first saw the listing for my boat I wasn't interested due to having seen 27 continentals and how they weren't set up for fishing at all but fortunately I clicked on it anyways and I'm glad I did. Low hours and very clean for its age. Hopefully it fishes and serves me well for many years.

[hiccup]

I certainly don't know anything definitive but I think the picture is a 3100 Open, not Continental.

[Budwinn42]

It's hard to figure out why they were calling some just 3100 open, some 3100 Continental Open, some 31 Open, my title says 3100 Continental Open, who knows haha the picture I posted is of my boat, the "3100 Continental Open"

[hiccup]

"Continental Open"...a new one for me!

S2...great company that has had some bizarre branding moves over the years!

[Budwinn42]

Agreed! Haha