Clark Scarborough is credited with the design. After acquiring the US Yachts line and its molds from Bayliner, Pearson developed the new model from the US Yachts US 21 in 1984. The boat first appeared in 1985. Production was short-lived: Pearson quickly discontinued the Triton name because the design did not suit its marketing. The company later ceased operations in 1991.
Design and Construction
The Triton 21 is a fiberglass monohull with a raked stem and an open, walk-through reverse transom. This arrangement connects the cockpit directly to the stern, making boarding and tender handling easier. Steering is by tiller through a transom-hung rudder.
Its defining underwater feature is a ballasted retractable daggerboard that lifts into a molded trunk, leaving a clean hull bottom when raised. That makes the boat easier to trailer, launch, and haul. Draft is 4.58 feet with the board down and 1.25 feet with it retracted.
The boat displaces 1,700 pounds, including 200 lb of ballast in the board. It’s light enough to tow, while the low ballast helps it behave like a fin-keeled hull when the breeze fills in.
The deck has a molded-in non-skid pattern. A molded-in outboard bracket is fitted aft, and two cockpit-seat lockers have hatches for gear storage.
Rig and Handling
The Triton 21 carries a fractional Bermuda sloop rig with internal halyards and an adjustable backstay. All running rigging leads aft to the cockpit, allowing a short-handed crew to trim from beneath the companionway without leaving the helm.
The standard sail plan totals just over 220 square feet: a 117-square-foot mainsail and a 103-square-foot jib. These sails are set on a 26-foot-odd masthead geometry that keeps the rig manageable.
A PHRF rating of 201 and a theoretical hull speed near 5.7 knots place the Triton among modest but capable daysailers. Its ballasted board provides fin-keel-like performance in a good breeze, while the shallow draft with the board raised lets the crew explore thin water or haul the boat onto its trailer at the end of the day.
Cockpit and Deck Equipment
Factory deck equipment included primary and secondary winches, lifelines, a bow pulpit, and handrails. This offshore-leaning hardware makes moving forward more secure.
The molded-in bracket keeps the auxiliary outboard clear of the transom well, while the seat lockers put enclosed storage close to the cockpit. These were standard factory provisions rather than owner additions, reflecting a small boat equipped for family sailing rather than bare-bones racing.
Accommodations
The Triton 21 sleeps four on full-size berths: a double V-berth forward and two straight settee berths in the main cabin. Headroom is a snug 48 inches, as expected in a trailerable weekender rather than a cabin cruiser.
The galley sits to port, just aft of the bow cabin, and includes a sink. A head is tucked beneath the port side of the V-berth. Standard equipment also included an ice chest, storage units, and cabin lights. A teak-and-holly sole and marine-grade fabric hull liner soften the fiberglass interior.
Overall, the layout is practical for coastal overnights with a small crew.
Verdict
The Triton 21 is a compact, easily trailered sloop whose ballasted lifting board gives it useful shallow-water versatility. Its short production run and discontinued model line make surviving examples a niche find, but the underlying design is coherent: a light, fractional-rigged daysailer with genuine accommodations for four below and a practical cockpit-led rig.
Pros
- Ballasted retractable daggerboard combines fin-keel-like handling with trailerable draft
- Internal halyards and cockpit-led running rigging simplify short-handed sailing
- Sleeps four and fits a head and galley sink into a 21-foot hull
- Factory-fitted lifelines, bow pulpit, and handrails were standard equipment
Cons
- Production was very limited, and the Triton line was dropped almost immediately
- Headroom of 48 inches limits comfort below for taller sailors
- The open reverse transom and light displacement are better suited to fair-weather daysailing than offshore use
