Pearson Rhodes 41 Buyer's Guide
The Pearson Rhodes 41 occupies a curious niche on the used market: a 1960s Philip Rhodes sloop with roughly fifty examples built, nearly all still extant, and a following that treats them as sought-after oldies-but-goodies. For a shopper, the appeal is a solid fiberglass hull with encapsulated lead ballast and a layout that still makes sense for passage-making, provided you know where the era's compromises lie.
Layouts on the Used Market
What you find among used Pearson Rhodes 41s are modest-draft boats with lean, long overhangs and real sea berths — the simple interior places four usable berths in the most stable part of the hull, with a split galley and, ahead of the keel-stepped mast, a snug enclosed head with lockers and a standard V-berth. The engine sits behind the companionway, but the space under the ladder is cramped; even the original Atomic 4 was a tight fit, so any repower was constrained. Earlier hulls may retain monel tanks, a near-inert metal that suits tankage well. The cabin reads traditional, with opening ports and a teak sole, though the lack of a sit-down chart table remains a limitation for the navigation-heavy cruiser.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
Because Pearson shipped the boats with only a battery switch and minimal fuse panel, electrical modernization is the first major upgrade most owners undertake — a full rewire is standard for anyone building a high-current DC platform. Rig flexibility is a buyer-relevant theme: many boats have been or can be set up with a cutter-style double headsail using a detachable inner stay and runner rigging, or a Solent stay arrangement that eliminates the need for runners. Light-air drifters or asymmetric spinnakers can be carried from a structured anchor roller. Space exists for a radar pedestal, a watermaker locker, and dinghy stowage, which tells a shopper the hull tolerates modest cruising additions without layout surgery.
What to Inspect
The cored deck is the principal structural caveat: some boats show delamination and water intrusion in localized areas, though small regions can be addressed by epoxy injection anchor. The encapsulated ballast spares you keelbolt inspection, but the tight engine bay may make shaft-pack access awkward, and the thick hull laminate — if blistering appears — can be repaired without sacrificing strength. High-quality resin and hand lay-up give better-than-average blister resistance, and many of these classics still pass survey readily.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
For the walk-through, prioritize:
- Tap deck edges and coachroof for softness indicating cored delamination
- Confirm engine access and shaft-pack reachability given the tight ladder bay
- Verify tank material on earlier hulls and overall electrical state
- Check for a rewire or plan one given the minimal original panel
- Assess rig configuration for cutter or Solent conversion if light-air sailing matters
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Pearson Rhodes 41. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 2 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 25 | 1 | $25,000 | — |
| Nov 25 | 1 | $15,000 | -40.0% |
Where they're listed
Pearson Rhodes 41 listings appear across 1 country. United States has the most listings with 2.
Country view
2 listings · 1 country| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $20,000 | 2 | 0 | 100.0% |
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
3 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol 41.1 | 41.14' | $ 75,000 | 26 | 11 |
| Tartan 41 | 40.63' | $ 61,450 | 8 | 3 |
| Pearson Rhodes 41You are here | — | $ 20,000 | 2 | 0 |