Pearson 36-2 Buyer's Guide
The Pearson 36-2 fills the role of a mid-to-late 1980s Pearson 36-footer built from 1985 to 1990, the fifth and last of the marque's 36-foot models, and remains a common sight on the used market for sailors wanting a predictable, accommodation-rich cruiser without paying for a separate shower stall or a sprawling cockpit. Bill Shaw's design emphasizes balance and livability, and used Pearson 36-2s typically reflect either a fin-keel or keel-centerboard underbody with a 30-horsepower Yanmar diesel below the galley counter.
Layouts on the Used Market
Used 36-2s generally show the same belowdeck plan: a forward v-berth cabin with standing headroom and hanging locker, a U-shaped dinette to starboard that seats five and converts to a double, a port settee, and an L-shaped galley aft with double sink, top-loading ice box, and propane stove and oven. Opposite the galley sit a small navigation station, wet locker, and head/shower without a separate stall, while a starboard quarter-berth cabin offers a queen-sized double, half of it beneath the cockpit with limited overhead clearance. The cockpit is small to maximize this volume but seats four in comfort and has a deep port-seat locker; the split stern rail serves a transom folding swim ladder.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, dodgers, biminis, autopilots, and chartplotters are commonly fitted to 36-2s, while air conditioning, inverters, hot water, and dinghy davits are often seen. Less frequently, buyers will find spinnakers, electric winches, or a swim platform as owner upgrades rather than factory standard. Wheel steering and a transom-mounted folding swim ladder are standard; the foredeck carries a separate anchor locker, and the teak toe rail is original but not sized for secure footing.
What to Inspect
The deck and hull are joined with through bolts on an outward flange covered by a plastic molding, and that joint is susceptible to damage by minor collisions with docks and pilings, so check the flange for impact marks. It is quite common to find moderate to occasionally severe osmotic blistering of hull bottoms that have not been barrier coated or undergone some remediation osmotic blistering, and a thorough professional repair is expensive. Because the engine is below the galley counter, storage space is somewhat limited, and the quarter berth's cockpit-overhead section has very limited clearance worth confirming in person.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
Typical markets for the Pearson 36-2 are the United States. When viewing a candidate, check the deck-to-hull flange for dock damage, survey the hull bottom for osmotic blistering, confirm the Yanmar's three-sided access is unobstructed, and verify the quarter-berth clearance and galley storage suit your plans.
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Pearson 36-2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 9 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 25 | 1 | $ 31,900 | — |
| May 25 | 3 | $ 25,000 | -21.6% |
| Aug 25 | 2 | $ 28,000 | +12.0% |
| Sep 25 | 4 | $ 30,950 | +10.5% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $ 34,500 | +11.5% |
| Nov 25 | 6 | $ 26,000 | -24.6% |
| Jan 26 | 1 | $ 26,000 | 0.0% |
| Feb 26 | 4 | $ 27,950 | +7.5% |
| Apr 26 | 3 | $ 21,500 | -23.1% |
Where they're listed
Pearson 36-2 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 21.
Country view
21 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $ 26,000 | 21 | 2 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catalina Yachts 36 | 36.33' | $ 35,900 | 192 | 63 |
| Bavaria Yachts 36 | 37.89' | $ 68,381 | 124 | 26 |
| Jeanneau Sun Odyssey 36.2 | 36.08' | $ 72,030 | 34 | 7 |
| Sabre 362 | 36.17' | $ 129,900 | 31 | 11 |
| Irwin 38-2 | 40' | $ 44,500 | 28 | 11 |
| Pearson 36-2You are here | — | $ 26,000 | 21 | 2 |
| Moody 36-2 | 36.75' | $ 91,207 | 18 | 2 |
| Tartan 34-2 | 34.42' | $ 29,900 | 15 | 4 |
| Sigma 362 | 36' | $ 44,410 | 10 | 2 |