Pearson 33-2 Buyer's Guide
The Pearson 33-2 on the brokerage market is a Bill Shaw-designed cruiser-racer built by Pearson Yachts from 1986 to 1991, with roughly 100 to 150 completed before the marque's closure. She is a modernized redesign rather than a Mark I evolution, lighter and more performance-oriented than her predecessor, and she splits her life between PHRF racing and family cruising. Shopping one means weighing keel choice, interior wear, and the completeness of her safety-oriented rig upgrades.
Layouts on the Used Market
Owner three-cabin layouts are the more common on the used market, but both are available, and ex-charter examples are common. The standard below-decks plan gives a private aft owner's cabin and separate enclosed V-berths in the bow for guests, with a hanging locker and bureau between salon and forward cabin. A separate full head and wet locker are positioned to port at the companionway, very accessible from the cockpit, while the starboard side holds a deep sink and two-burner propane stove. The icebox-chart table combination to port and the L-shaped starboard settee that opens to a double berth define the salon's usable space.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Buyers will often see a bimini and dodger, and a short-handed setup is a frequent market feature that complements the factory continuous-reefing system. Less commonly, solar, dinghy davits, teak decks, autopilot, and chartplotter appear as owner upgrades. For a shopper, the meaningful clusters are canvas and sail handling — dodger and bimini protect the unobstructed cockpit and support mid-boom sheeting — and navigation and comfort, where an autopilot and chartplotter reduce helm workload on a boat already led aft for safety. Teak decks and davits are cosmetic or dinghy-convenience items best judged on condition rather than presence.
What to Inspect
Inspection should center on the factory's stated strong points and their aging. Verify the continuous reefing system and aft-led halyards operate smoothly, since cockpit reefing safety depends on them. Confirm the keel or keel/centerboard configuration matches the stated draft and that the spade rudder and fin keel show no impact or delamination. Check the enclosed aft cabin and forward V-berth for the standing headroom and ventilation the design promised, and inspect the port icebox-chart table and starboard propane stove areas for moisture intrusion near the companionway.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
The typical market for these boats is the United States. A short checklist for the buyer: confirm keel type and draft, test the aft-led reefing from the cockpit, inspect the spade rudder and fin keel, verify the two-cabin privacy layout is intact, and assess whether dodger and short-handed rigging are present or needed as upgrades.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Pearson 33-2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 12 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25 | 1 | $14,000 | — |
| Apr 25 | 1 | $32,000 | +128.6% |
| Jun 25 | 2 | $29,000 | -9.4% |
| Jul 25 | 2 | $14,000 | -51.7% |
| Sep 25 | 1 | $29,000 | +107.1% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $22,900 | -21.0% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $14,000 | -38.9% |
| Feb 26 | 2 | $29,500 | +110.7% |
| Mar 26 | 1 | $15,990 | -45.8% |
| Apr 26 | 1 | $16,999 | +6.3% |
| May 26 | 1 | $29,500 | +73.5% |
| Sep 26 | 4 | $30,000 | +1.7% |
Where they're listed
Pearson 33-2 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 10.
Country view
10 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $29,500 | 10 | 4 | 100.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunter Marine 33-2 | 33.5' | $ 58,962 | 26 | 4 |
| Tartan 34-2 | 34.42' | $ 29,900 | 24 | 14 |
| C&C 33-2 | 32.58' | $ 22,000 | 16 | 5 |
| C&C 32 | 31.5' | $ 21,517 | 13 | 4 |
| Pearson 32 | 31.75' | $ 16,500 | 12 | 6 |
| C&C 35-2 | 35.5' | $ 17,232 | 11 | 7 |
| Pearson 33-2You are here | — | $ 29,500 | 10 | 4 |
| Pearson 37-2 | 37.42' | $ 41,500 | 7 | 3 |