BoatsPearson Yachts 33

Pearson Yachts 33

Masthead Sloop · Keel/centreboard · 1969–1975

A keel-centerboard masthead sloop with a 2.31-metre maximum draft, designed for versatile performance in varied depths

Designed by William H. Shaw.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.

See her sail

The Pearson Yachts 33, on the water

The fleet's own footage — the truest look at how she really moves.

Footage from Practical Sailor

Is it for you?

Character

Where this design lands on the numbers a shopper trusts — read straight from her own ratios.

LivelySea-kindly

Her heavy displacement on a moderate beam gives 28 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 28
CoastalBluewater

1.81 — just under the 2.0 offshore line; her beam is modest for her weight.

Capsize screening 1.81
LightHeavy

284 — heavy for her waterline, built to carry stores and ride steadily.

Displacement / length 284
EasygoingPowered-up

16.1 — moderate power for her weight; steady, all-round performance.

Sail area / displacement 16.1
TenderStiff

38% of her weight is ballast — moderately stiff, a middle-of-the-road stability.

Ballast 38%

A capable cruiser that sits just inside the offshore line — coastal work with real passages in her.

  • Draws more than ~81% of boats her size on file

Compared with 365 boats of the same type within a quarter of her length.

What the fleet has seen

The Pearson Yachts 33, as the fleet has seen it

Derived from the videos the fleet has analysed of this model. ▶ marks open the moment aboard.

The Pearson Yachts 33 is a Masthead Sloop designed by William H. Shaw and built by Pearson Yachts between 1969 and 1975. It features a Keel/Cbrd. hull, measures 10.0 meters LOA with a 3.0 meter beam, and has a 2.3 meter draft.4:09 The boat displaces 4957 kg.4:06 The Pearson 37, a later design by Bill Shaw, transitioned from full-keel CCA-era boats to IOR-influenced racer-cruisers, featuring a balsa-cored hull and a deep fin keel.1:58 While the Pearson 37 performs well upwind, it can experience rudder stall in heavy puffs and loses efficiency when heeled beyond 15 degrees.11:03 Owners of the Pearson 37 report that interior wood adhesives can loosen over time, and common maintenance issues include hull blistering and leaks from aging portlight seals.8:47

The living fleet

Sailed by the fleet

Where the fleet has filmed this boat.

Basemap © Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0

The record

Full specifications

The complete reference set — tap any figure to switch between metric and imperial.

Dimensions
Weights
Ballast / displacement
38.4%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
16.1
Displacement / length
284.1
Comfort ratio
28.1
Capsize screening
1.81
Hull speed
6.8 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
922
Hull
Hull type
Keel/Cbrd.
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1969–1975
Designer
William H. Shaw
Builder
Pearson Yachts

Boats like this, on the water

More boats like her, on the water

Comparable boats the fleet has on camera: same type, within a quarter of her length. Open the boat, or watch the video — a timestamp means she only appears in passing.

Tartan Marine 34 C10.49 mSame hull family0.5 m longerA Sparkman & Stephens masthead sloop featuring a keel-centerboard hull designed for shoal water and IOR competition
Sailing life: Its time to haul out.from Sailing Adventure Can't Wait
O'day 329.63 mSame hull family0.4 m shorterA 9.6-metre masthead sloop with a deep-draft keel-centerboard configuration designed for versatile coastal cruising
Walking the Boat Yard With a Pro Sailor11:00from The Mariner
Morgan Yachts 309.12 mSame hull family0.9 m shorterA masthead sloop featuring a keel-centerboard configuration, designed by Charles Morgan Jr. for versatile shoal-draft sailing
Salt & Tar: Episode 93 - In-Water Rudder Repair9:44from Salt & Tar
Southerly 329.97 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Stephen Jones-designed fractional sloop with a swing keel, built for versatile shoal-draft access since 2007
[OFF MARKET] Southerly 32 (ROSHANAK) - Yacht for Sale - Berthon International6:29from Berthon International
Pearson Yachts 3510.67 mSame hull family0.6 m longerBoasting the longest production run of any Pearson model, this keel/centerboard sloop remained largely unchanged for 14 years
The ONE Thing We Disagreed on This Entire Refit | Step 494from Sailing Uma
Southerly 11511.23 mSame hull family1.2 m longerA versatile swing-keel cruiser evolving from Dick Carter's original design to the twin-rudder Humphreys MIII version
Southerly 115 - Yacht Review0:14from Halcyon Yachts - International Yacht Delivery

The family

Related models

The designs closest to hers — usually the rest of the builder's range, sometimes the same hull sold under another name.

Pearson Yachts 33-2A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for a decade, balancing a fin keel with spade rudder for responsive handlingPearson Yachts 40A 12-meter masthead sloop with a deep 2.87-meter draft and high ballast ratio, built for stability and speedPearson Yachts 323A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability with a skeg-mounted rudder and shoal-draft keelPearson Yachts 37-2A wing-keel masthead sloop with a shallow 1.42-meter draft, designed by William Shaw for shoal-water cruisingPearson Yachts 27A shallow-draft wing-keel masthead sloop designed by William Shaw for accessible cruising in shoal watersPearson Yachts 32A masthead sloop with a modified stern, offering a 1.68-metre draft and a 40% ballast ratio for stiff performance

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