Design and Construction
Shaw specified a solid hand-laid fiberglass hull and an end-grain balsa-cored deck. This construction keeps the deck stiff without adding weight aloft. The hull-to-deck joint uses an inward-facing flange that is through-bolted and glassed over, leaving a smooth exterior seam. A teak toerail bolts into the flange.
A substantial rudder skeg is molded as part of the hull, and a bronze shoe bearing supports the rudder. The fiberglass-laminate centerboard pivots on a bronze pin set into the keel stub and is raised and lowered by a dual winch-and-drum assembly.
With the board raised, draft is just 4 feet 7⅝ inches, allowing access to shallow creeks. Lowering the board increases draft to 8.88 feet. The boat carries 7,300 pounds of lead ballast on a displacement of 17,000 pounds, for a ballast ratio of 42.9 percent. That contributes to the stable, easy motion described by both owners and the builder.
Rig, Deck, and Handling
The Pearson 39 has a moderate-aspect masthead rig on an aluminum, keel-stepped mast. The rig uses single spreaders and fore-and-aft lower shrouds at the spreader hounds. The lateral rigging leads to chainplates at the toerail, which are bolted to molded fiberglass ribs inside the hull.
The factory sail plan included a hanked-on headsail. The boom-end mainsheet runs through an old-fashioned four-part tackle to a traveler at the aft end of the cockpit. The moderate rig and skeg-mounted rudder make the boat fast and stable, with an easy motion.
Pearson also offered the same basic design as a yawl. About a dozen of the roughly 150 boats built carried that rig.
On deck, wide side decks and a clean foredeck provide room to move. The deck is molded with reinforced non-skid fiberglass, while double lifelines and teak cabintop handrails add security.
Cockpit and Accommodations
The cockpit is 9 feet 3 inches long, with lockers to port and starboard and a lazarette. The helm sits near the forward end, an unusual arrangement that leaves the remaining cockpit space available for living and working.
Below, the Pearson 39 sleeps seven. The layout emphasizes privacy, particularly in the forward owner’s cabin. This cabin has a hinged door, full-length berths, outboard bookshelves, a hanging locker to starboard, and a locker and bureau to port. It also has private access to the toilet room.
Aft of the forward cabin, the toilet room lies to port and includes linen stowage, vanity drawers, and a large sundries locker. Opposite are another bureau and hanging locker.
The main cabin has settee berths to port and starboard, arranged around a foldaway bulkhead table. Pearson offered two factory layouts for this space.
At the base of the companionway, the L-shaped galley is to starboard. It includes a top-loading icebox, sink, lockers, drawers, an overhead food locker, and a gimballed three-burner stove and oven. Opposite, the navigation center has a lift-up chart table and stowage. A quarter berth doubles as the navigator’s seat, with a separate navigator’s berth adjacent and aft.
One notable quirk is the cabin sole: the boat left the factory with only a non-skid pan-liner sole rather than a finished sole.
Engine, Electrical System, and Factory Equipment
The Pearson 39 came standard with a Universal 30-hp gasoline engine, a basic 12-volt DC system, and a 30-gallon fuel tank beneath the cockpit. The fuel capacity was considered adequate for local and coastal use.
Pearson also offered an optional teak interior for buyers who wanted a warmer appearance below. Factory deck gear included the cockpit lockers, lazarette, double lifelines, and teak handrails already noted.
The Verdict
The Pearson 39 earns its reputation as a Shaw performance cruiser that doesn’t give up livability. Its centerboard hull, solid-fiberglass-and-balsa construction, and forward helm make it a distinctive choice for coastal and island voyaging. Below, the seven-berth plan and private forward cabin suit extended cruising.
The unfinished pan-liner sole and basic 12-volt system are the clearest reminders that this is a 1970s design and may need thoughtful updating.
Pros
- Centerboard keel provides a board-up draft of 4 feet 7⅝ inches and an 8.88-foot draft when lowered
- Fast, stable sailing and an easy motion from Shaw’s performance-oriented hull and 42.9 percent ballast ratio
- Seven-berth interior with a private forward owner’s cabin and full navigation station
- Solid hand-laid fiberglass hull, balsa-cored deck, substantial skeg, and bronze rudder bearing
Cons
- Factory sole was an unfinished, non-skid pan liner
- Basic 12-volt DC system and gasoline engine reflect the boat’s period
- Hanked-on headsail and boom-end mainsheet are dated by modern standards
