Hull Design and Construction
The 37-2 carries a 12-foot 4-inch beam — noticeably wider than the original 37's 11-foot 10-inch hull — and a wing keel that reduces draft to 4 feet 8 inches, expanding access to shoal anchorages and coastal gunkholing without abandoning offshore capability. The hull is fiberglass with a balsa-cored deck, using alternating layers of mat and roving in the lamination schedule to provide impact resistance. Hardware areas substituted encapsulated plywood for the balsa core.
Pearson's Blister-Bloc gelcoat was applied below the waterline specifically to guard against osmotic blistering — a proprietary treatment that addressed a recurring industry-wide problem of the era. Shaw acknowledged that earlier boats had suffered from blistering tied to gelcoat substitutions during the oil crisis, noting that boats hauled annually in northern climates fared better than those kept in warm southern water year-round. Some owners of early production boats still report minor blistering despite the treatment, so a careful survey below the waterline remains prudent.
The hull-to-deck joint uses an inward-oriented flange bonded with silicone and glassed from below, then bolted through a teak toe rail. Portlights sealed with silicone are a known source of eventual leaks as the material ages — an issue Shaw acknowledged directly, attributing it to the limitations of available materials at the time.
Rig and Sail Handling
The 37-2 carries a masthead sloop rig with a tapered, keel-stepped mast and double swept spreaders. The design emphasis was firmly on short-handed operation: a self-tacking Solent jib and fully battened mainsail with lazy jacks come standard, with all primary controls led aft to the cockpit. Halyards run internally through the mast and exit via turning blocks to Lewmar winches mounted on deck just aft of the mast — an arrangement somewhat unusual for the era.
Primary winches are Lewmar 52 self-tailers; reef lines, the flattener, and other sail controls feed to smaller Lewmar 30s on the coachroof within easy reach of a trimmer. The traveler is mounted on the bridgedeck near the companionway — useful for precise sail control but requiring navigators to step around it when moving in and out of the cabin. Jib sheets can be led inboard to tracks along the cabintop for upwind work, then shifted to toe-rail tracks for reaching and running.
Total sail area is 661 square feet, split between a 320-square-foot fully battened mainsail and a 341-square-foot jib. The sail area-to-displacement ratio of the 37-2 is moderate at 16.65, reflecting its heavier displacement compared to the original 37. In testing, the boat pointed to within 30 to 35 degrees of apparent wind and tacked through 80 to 85 degrees, with well-balanced helm when sails were properly trimmed — easing the main traveler to leeward in puffs controlled weather helm effectively.
The 37-2's IOR-lineage hull does impose one constraint off the wind: Shaw noted that in heavy puffs the boat is prone to rudder stall when attempting to foot off, and his prescribed remedy was an attentive mainsail trimmer ready to ease the sheet. Reaching and running in heavy air require more active crew input than the upwind performance might suggest.
Cockpit and Deck
The cockpit measures 8 feet 6 inches and seats six to eight adults on ergonomically contoured seats — a cockpit layout Shaw is credited with refining for production boats. The helmsperson has a dedicated rounded seat under power, then moves to corner seats to maintain sightlines to telltales when sailing. A port lazarette with a 40-inch opening is deep enough to stow a deflated inflatable, though a shelf would improve its utility. Propane tank stowage is located to port at the transom.
A walk-through transom with a swing-down swim ladder provides easy water access — a feature Practical Sailor credited as one of the early production examples of the now-ubiquitous "sugar scoop" stern. The teak toe rail, double lifelines, and cabintop handrails offer solid security when the boat is heeled.
Accommodations
The interior represents Bill Shaw's sharpest departure from conventional sailing-boat design of the period. The saloon places swivel armchairs to starboard alongside an L-shaped dinette that converts to a double — furniture choices borrowed from the motorboat world and ahead of their time in production sailing. Plush carpeting, warm lighting, and an entertainment center with a multi-speaker stereo, color television, and VCR were standard from the factory. A specifically designed hi-lo table serves either dining or cocktails.
Headroom reaches 6 feet 3 inches in the main cabin. The forward stateroom features a walk-around island berth with standing headroom — a true walk-around double that can be left made up, accessed by dedicated hanging lockers and bureau storage on both sides. The head is located to starboard, measuring 41 by 38 inches, with a full stall shower, electric toilet, and a generously mirrored vanity. Quarter-berth and pilot berths provide additional sleeping for crew; canvas lee cloths on the pilot berths make them more comfortable than the settees for offshore passages.
The galley is L-shaped, positioned to port below the companionway — an arrangement that aids odor ventilation and simplifies passing food to the cockpit. A well-insulated icebox reportedly maintains block ice for up to five days. The nav station opposite carries a 24-by-36-inch chart table large enough to be genuinely useful, though the electrical panel fascia is the primary mounting surface for electronics and storage depth is limited.
A 4 kW generator comes standard to power the boat's substantial 110V AC loads, and a 50-amp shore power system with five outlets supports dockside living. Wiring runs are bundled and color-coded, and owners report consistently clean electrical systems.
Known Issues and Refit Considerations
Beyond the portlight leaks and potential blistering already noted, adhesives holding interior wood panels can loosen over time — a common complaint among owners of boats that have seen heavy use or been stored in climates with significant humidity swings. Rebonding panels is straightforward but worth inspecting thoroughly on any prospective purchase.
Engine noise is notable: no insulation under the cockpit sole means the Yanmar diesel transmits freely into the bilge and up into the cabin. At least one owner addressed this by adding heavy insulation, reportedly reducing engine noise below decks to 62 decibels. This is a worthwhile upgrade on any boat used for extended passage-making or live-aboard purposes.
The original four stainless-steel sheet cleats on the coachroof are a functional but dated system; upgrading to modern rope clutches is a routine first-season improvement that significantly reduces line management complexity.
The nav station requires sitting on the head of the quarter berth, which provides no backrest — a minor but real ergonomic shortcoming for serious offshore navigating. Owners who use chart plotters and integrated electronics heavily have addressed this by modifying the quarter berth or adding a padded backrest.
The Verdict
The Pearson 37-2 is a boat that keeps its promises. It was designed to be a comfortable floating home that could also sail well, and Shaw's execution exceeded his own expectations on the comfort side. The interior is genuinely livable — not merely adequate — and the rig is set up for two-person cruising without demanding heroic sail changes. Its wing keel opens cruising grounds that a deep-fin boat cannot reach. What it is not is an exhilarating light-air performer or a flat-out offshore passage-maker; its heavier displacement and shallow draft involve real trade-offs in upwind light-air sailing and heavy-air running.
Pros
- Self-tacking jib and fully battened main make short-handed sailing genuinely manageable
- Walk-around island berth forward and swivel-chair saloon set a comfort standard ahead of its time
- Wing keel opens shoal-water cruising without sacrificing ballast ratio
- Walk-through transom with swim ladder — an early example of what became an industry standard
- Well-organized, ergonomic cockpit designed for extended crew comfort
- Standard generator and 50-amp shore power support a full complement of modern electronics and appliances
- Wiring reported clean and reliable by owners
Cons
- Portlight silicone seals age and eventually leak — plan on resealing
- Blistering possible below the waterline despite factory Blister-Bloc treatment; survey carefully
- Engine noise penetrates cabin without additional sound insulation under the cockpit sole
- Heavy air off the wind demands active sail trim to avoid rudder stall
- Interior wood panel adhesives can fail with age
- Nav station lacks a proper backrest
