Pearson 30 Buyer's Guide
Shopping the used Pearson 30 means weighing a Bill Shaw-designed cruiser-racer whose more than 1,100 hulls were built in Portsmouth, Rhode Island between 1971 and 1981, leaving a steady supply on the brokerage market in the United States and Canada. The boat's narrow 9-foot 6-inch beam and encapsulated fin keel define a responsive small sloop that rewards a careful buyer with an inspection mindset rather than a cosmetic one.
Layouts on the Used Market
The 29-foot 9-inch hull carries a masthead sloop rig with a 42-foot mast and a 445-square-foot sail plan over a solid-glass hull and balsa-cored deck. Below, the companionway drops into an "L" galley with pressurized alcohol stove and icebox, a dinette that converts to berths, and a port quarterberth under the cockpit; forward sits an athwartships head without shower, a hanging locker, and a forepeak double berth with overhead hatch. The 7-foot 6-inch cockpit seats four and provides lazarette and sail-locker stowage, with 6 feet 1 inch of headroom at the companionway.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Most boats on the market carry a chartplotter as standard navigation, while spinnaker, solar, bimini, dodger, and autopilot are often seen additions that speak to how owners have extended her cruising range. A short-handed setup appears only as a less common owner upgrade, and the original 30-horsepower Atomic 4 gasoline engine with Monel tank remains the typical power plant, accessible by lifting the companionway steps. Buyers should view an autopilot as a meaningful asset given owner reports of poor directional stability, and solar as a practical cure for the modest 20-gallon fuel and 22-gallon water capacities.
What to Inspect
The rudder's Delrin bushings wear faster than most owners like, and early hulls with aluminum rudder posts were later swapped to stainless by Pearson at no cost, so confirm which post is fitted. At the mast, an oak compression post is wedged by wood that rots in bilge water, and wooden spreaders on early boats need wear inspection. The oil dipstick sits behind the engine, hard to reach even with steps lifted, and the low-mounted boom remains a cockpit hazard worth noting on any trial.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Pearson 30s are typically found in the United States and Canada, where their numbers make them a realistic consideration alongside the Catalina 30 and Hunter 30. A short checklist for the buyer: verify stainless rudder post and bushing condition; inspect compression-post wedge and bilge; check early wooden spreaders; confirm Atomic 4 and Monel tank service history; assess autopilot and solar as cruising-value upgrades.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Pearson 30. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 14 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $6,000 | — |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $1,650 | -72.5% |
| Jul 25 | 3 | $7,000 | +324.2% |
| Aug 25 | 3 | $7,000 | 0.0% |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $6,000 | -14.3% |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $7,200 | +20.0% |
| Dec 25 | 1 | $4,000 | -44.4% |
| Feb 26 | 3 | $5,900 | +47.5% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $10,561 | +79.0% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $5,900 | -44.1% |
| May 26 | 1 | $1,500 | -74.6% |
| Jun 26 | 2 | $18,750 | +1150.0% |
| Jul 26 | 4 | $8,250 | -56.0% |
| Aug 26 | 2 | $12,501 | +51.5% |
Where they're listed
Pearson 30 listings appear across 3 countries. United States has the most listings with 14 (87.5%), followed by countries.Atlantic and Canada.
Country view
16 listings · 3 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $7,000 | 14 | 4 | 87.5% |
| countries.Atlantic | $12,501 | 1 | 1 | 6.3% |
| Canada | $10,561 | 1 | 0 | 6.3% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
8 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beneteau First 30 (Mauric) | 29.36' | $ 84,041 | 43 | 19 |
| Judel/Vrolijk J/30 | 29.83' | $ 14,500 | 21 | 1 |
| Tartan 30 | 29.92' | $ 10,200 | 18 | 3 |
| Pearson 30You are here | — | $ 7,100 | 16 | 5 |
| Pearson 34 | 33.79' | $ 22,500 | 15 | 5 |
| Pearson 32 | 31.75' | $ 16,500 | 12 | 6 |
| Pearson 28 (1975-80) | 28' | $ 16,700 | 12 | 0 |
| Pearson 31 | 31' | $ 16,900 | 10 | 7 |