Design and Construction
The 37-2 sits on a solid fiberglass hull with a white finish, a molded blue boot-top with double stripe, and a blue cove stripe, while the deck is a two-tone beige balsa-cored molding with molded non-skid. Pearson fitted an outboard-turning hull/deck joint with vinyl trim, and below the waterline the yard applied its exclusive Blister-Bloc gelcoat for peace of mind against bottom blistering. External lead ballast is carried in an innovative shallow-draft wing keel that opens up shoal and open-water cruising; Practical Sailor notes the 6-foot-6-inch deep fin of the 1981 boat was replaced with a 4-foot-8-inch shoal-draft keel and winglets for gunkholers, and some owners say the winglets slightly improved pointing ability. Fixed ports are set in the hull, and the deck carries a walk-through transom with a swing-down swim ladder.
Rig and Handling
The deck layout and rig were designed for cruising short-handed across a wide range of wind conditions. The 37-2 is a double-swept-spreader masthead sloop with a tapered spar, carrying a fully-battened mainsail with lazy jacks for easy furling and a self-tacking roller-furling Solent jib, all led by cockpit-controlled sail handling. Harken roller furling, internal wire rope and jib halyards led aft, and continuous-line internal jiffy reefing led aft keep the crew in the cockpit; Lewmar #40ST self-tailing mainsheet and #52ST primary winches back up a #30 jibsheet winch. A cabin-top traveller with tag lines and recessed inboard genoa track with double cars complete the short-handed package.
Accommodations
Below, the 37-2 reads like a small motoryacht. The forward stateroom has a walk-around double island berth that can be left made up, with locker and shelf stowage to both sides, a bureau, and a hanging locker. The main cabin carries an L-shaped dinette to port that converts to a double, plus swivel armchairs to starboard around a hi-low table for dining or cocktails. Plush wall-to-wall carpeting, bright warm colors, good lighting, vinyl headliner, oak trim, and shaded ports throughout give the saloon its liveaboard feel. The galley centers on an electric range and microwave with refrigeration, while the aft head is oversized with a full stall shower, electric toilet, and linen and wet lockers. A futuristic navigation station was engineered to take the latest marine electronics, and an entertainment center with multi-speaker stereo, color TV, and video cassette player was standard.
Equipment and Systems
A 34 HP fresh-water-cooled Yanmar diesel with alarm protection drives a two-blade solid propeller on a bronze shaft, and a 4KW sound-enclosed generator supplies house power when away from the 50-amp shore system. Three FRP and plastic water tanks, a six-gallon hot water heater, hot and cold pressure water with deck shower, and a 25-gallon holding tank with offshore discharge reflect the boat's shore-power-friendly brief. Bronze ball valves serve all underwater thru-hulls, and both manual diaphragm and electric bilge pumps are fitted. Reverse-cycle air conditioning was a factory option.
The Verdict
The Pearson 37-2 is a purpose-built coastal cruiser that trades the race-bred edge of the earlier 37 for a beamy, comfortable interior and a shoal wing keel suited to marina hopping and gunkholing. Its short-handed rig and walk-through transom make it an easy boat to handle and live aboard.
Pros
- Shallow wing keel opens shoal and open-water cruising
- Short-handed cockpit-led rig with self-tacking jib and lazy jacks
- Powerboat-like interior with island berth, swivel chairs, full stall shower
- Blister-Bloc gelcoat and bronze through-hull valves as standard
Cons
- Built for marina use rather than all-round performance
- Heavy cruising outfit and shoal keel limit windward ambition
- Period entertainment and electric-galley gear date the spec
