Pearson 43 Sailboats for Sale & Market Overview

Drawing Diagram

Builder drawing

Hull type

Monohull · fin

Rig

Masthead Sloop

LOA

42.75' · 13.03 m

Displ.

21,796 lbs · 9,886 kg

First year

1969

The Pearson 43, introduced in 1968 as the flagship of the William Shaw era, represents a pivotal moment in the evolution of American yacht design. Emerging during a period when the Cruising Club of America (CCA) rating rule was giving way to the International Offshore Rule (IOR), the 43 was Shaw’s answer to the demand for a powerful, offshorecapable vessel that balanced racing aspirations with the robust cruising requirements of the day. Unlike the heavydisplacement, fullkeeled Alberg designs that preceded it, the Pearson 43 featured a modern underbody with a fin keel and a skeghung rudder, a configuration that signaled Pearson’s commitment to contemporary performance standards. Only 45 of these hulls were produced between 1968 and 1974, making them a rare sight in modern marinas compared to the ubiquitous Pearson 30 or 35.