BoatsPearson Yachts 30

Pearson Yachts 30

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1971–1981

A Bill Shaw-designed masthead sloop with over 1,000 hulls built, balancing a stiff 43% ballast ratio for coastal cruising

Designed by William H. Shaw.

LOA
Beam
Draft (max)
Displacement
Ballast
Hull type
Fin w/spade Rudder

See her sail

The Pearson Yachts 30, on the water

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

Footage from Lady K Sailing

Is it for you?

Character

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

LivelySea-kindly

Her moderate displacement on a moderate beam gives 24 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 24
CoastalBluewater

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

Capsize screening 1.88
LightHeavy

238 — moderately heavy for her waterline, a balanced cruising weight.

Displacement / length 238
EasygoingPowered-up

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

Sail area / displacement 17.4
TenderStiff

43% of her weight is ballast — stiff, standing up well to her sails.

Ballast 43%

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

What the fleet has seen

The Pearson Yachts 30, 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 30 is a 9.1-meter masthead sloop designed by William H. Shaw and built by Pearson Yachts from 1971 to 1981. Over 1,000 units were produced, making it one of Pearson's most successful models. The boat has a fin keel with a spade rudder, a beam of 2.9 meters, a draft of 1.5 meters, and a displacement of 3773 kg. Early models were equipped with Palmer inboards. The Pearson Yachts 30 is considered a structurally sound fiberglass hull from the 1970s and 1980s production boom, with common issues relating to bolted-on components like sails, rigging, and engines rather than the hull itself.

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
42.8%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
17.4
Displacement / length
237.7
Comfort ratio
24.3
Capsize screening
1.88
Hull speed
6.7 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
849
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1971–1981
Units built
1000
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.

Seafarer Yachts 309.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA masthead sloop available with a tall rig and keel centerboard, distinct from the earlier Tripp-designed model
Sailboats at Every Budget: What You Get for $10K, $100K, $500K & $1M3:57from The Sailing Doodles Podcast
C&C Yachts 30-29.12 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA performance-oriented masthead sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, designed by C&C for balanced club racing
Ep. 33 Interview with Richard1:11from Sailing Into Oblivion
Granada Yachts 309.18 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA 30-foot fractional sloop with a 1.65-meter draft, designed for balanced, performance-oriented cruising
Capsized in 20-meter waves: Are Wiig on the drama in the Southern Ocean | Bearing on Sailing2:53from SEILmagasinet
Cal 2-298.84 mSame hull family0.2 m shorterAn upgraded cruising variant of the standard 29, featuring enhanced equipment and a masthead rig
🛑 © 2025 BOAT AUCTION! BUY CHEAP SAILBOATS & POWER BOATS!1:03from Sailing Solé
Islander Yachts 309.02 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA raised-deck masthead sloop with a shallow 1.12-metre draft, produced briefly as a distinct variant of the Islander 29
FALL BOAT AUCTION 2023: Where to buy a SUPER CHEAP sailboat! - EP316:35from Sailing Solé
San Juan 288.74 mSame hull family0.3 m shorterA 1977 masthead sloop with a 50% ballast ratio and fin keel, designed for balanced performance in a compact 28-foot hull
A little bonus episode14:04from Sailing Magic Carpet

The family

Boats like this

Nearby designs by size, type, and era — worth a look alongside her.

Pearson Yachts 33A keel-centreboard masthead sloop with a 2.31-metre maximum draft, designed for versatile performance in varied depthsPearson Yachts 32A masthead sloop with a modified stern, offering a 1.68-metre draft and a 40% ballast ratio for stiff performancePearson Yachts 31A William Shaw-designed fractional sloop with a fin keel and spade rudder, built for performance between 1977 and 1981Pearson Yachts 27A shallow-draft wing-keel masthead sloop designed by William Shaw for accessible cruising in shoal watersPearson Yachts 300A William Shaw-designed pilothouse motorsailer sharing the same long-keel hull as the Wanderer 30Pearson Yachts 28 (1975-80)With a 45% ballast ratio, this masthead sloop offers a stiff, stable platform for coastal sailing.

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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