BoatsPearson Yachts 37

Pearson Yachts 37

Masthead Sloop · Fin keel, spade rudder · 1982–1986

A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for performance with a high sail-area-to-displacement ratio

Designed by William H. Shaw.

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

See her sail

The Pearson Yachts 37, on the water

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

Footage from 59° North 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 22 — a moderate, middle-of-the-road motion.

Comfort ratio 22
CoastalBluewater

2.04 — right around the 2.0 line, the edge between coastal and offshore.

Capsize screening 2.04
LightHeavy

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

Displacement / length 205
EasygoingPowered-up

19.1 — plenty of sail for her weight; lively and quick to respond.

Sail area / displacement 19.1
TenderStiff

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

Ballast 43%

Powered-up and quick to accelerate — this one likes to sail.

What the fleet has seen

The Pearson Yachts 37, 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 37 is a William H. Shaw-designed masthead sloop built by Pearson Yachts between 1982 and 1986. It features a fin keel with a spade rudder, an LOA of 11.2 meters, a beam of 3.6 meters, and a displacement of 5669 kg.12:30 The manufacturer's brochure specifies a shoal draft of 1.49 meters, a displacement of 5806 kg, and 2449 kg of ballast.12:30

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
43.2%
Rig & sail area
Rig
Masthead Sloop
Ratios
SA / displacement
19.1
Displacement / length
205.0
Comfort ratio
22.4
Capsize screening
2.04
Hull speed
7.3 kn
Pounds / inch immersion
1271
Hull
Hull type
Fin w/spade rudder
Construction
Fiberglass
Ballast type
Lead
Production
Years built
1982–1986
Units built
42
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.

Hunter Marine 37611.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA spacious cruiser featuring a B&R rig and wing keel, sharing a proven hull design with the later 380 and 386 models
Hunter 376 - The Aegean Tragedy: What Really Happened in the Newport–Ensenada Race0:47from Practical Sailor
Oyster Marine 37 Heritage11.28 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA Holman & Pye designed masthead sloop built for offshore stability with a skeg-mounted rudder and conservative sail plan
Sailing North Sea Challenges – South from Shetland | Sailing Florence Ep. 22833:36from Sailing Florence
Hallberg-Rassy 3511.13 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA shallow-draught fin-keeler with a 1.3-metre draught, built for coastal cruising and ease of access to shoal anchorages
Boat Check: What Works—and What Doesn’t (Bonus ✨: Floh’s Nerd Corner 🤓)from WhiteSpotPirates
Salona 3711.29 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA triple-award-winning performance cruiser from J&J Yacht Design featuring a high ballast ratio for stiff, fast sailing
Salona 37from SVN solovelanet
Pearson Yachts 3611.14 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthA William H. Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for the IOR One Ton rule, featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudder
We Had to Evacuate — Massive Fire Threatened the Shipyard | Step 43912:20from Sailing Uma
Hunter Marine 38011.35 mSame hull familyNear-identical lengthOffered with a deep 1.98m keel option, this high-volume cruiser features a spade rudder and a B&R rig
The Cheapest Modern Sailboats You Can Actually Live On3:18from Lady K Sailing

The family

Boats like this

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

Pearson Yachts 37-2A wing-keel masthead sloop with a shallow 1.42-metre draft, designed by William Shaw for shoal-water cruisingPearson Yachts 36-2A 1980s production masthead sloop with a high-aspect fin keel and spade rudder, optimized for performance cruisingPearson Yachts 36A William H. Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for the IOR One Ton rule, featuring a fin keel and skeg-mounted rudderPearson Yachts 40A 12-metre masthead sloop with a deep 2.87-metre draft and high ballast ratio, built for stability and speedPearson Yachts 33-2A William Shaw-designed masthead sloop built for a decade, balancing a fin keel with spade rudder for responsive handlingPearson Yachts 34A masthead sloop briefly revived by the Cal-Pearson Corporation, offered with either a fin or keel-centerboard configuration

Keep asking

The fleet has more to say

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