Pearson Triton Yawl Buyer's Guide
The Pearson Triton is a 1958 Carl Alberg design, one of the early fiberglass auxiliaries and a boat Practical Sailor called the smallest, most affordable offshore cruiser you can buy. East Coast boats show wooden coamings and trim while West Coast Aeromarine examples are all plastic with assorted non-original rigs, so provenance matters when you shop the used Pearson Triton market.
What to Inspect
Early hulls carried side-opening seat lockers that are dangerous unless sealed tight, so check the locker lids close with a positive gasket. Single lower shrouds on boats before about hull #120 were inadequate; confirm double lowers are fitted and look hard at rigging tangs, since failures have been reported, and note the spreader sockets are aluminum sand castings liable to break without warning. The deck steps the mast on beams owners report caving under load, so press the cabin top near the partners and ask whether the beams were ever replaced. Internal-ballast boats from around hull #385 onward commonly show voids in the ballast cavity, best checked with a surveyor's sounding. The bronze rudder shoe needs an electrolysis check, and the mahogany rudder cracks from haul-out expansion, so inspect the blade for hairline splits and confirm a fiberglass replacement if the wood is tired. A wet bilge rots the teak sole's athwartship beams, so smell for damp and probe the floors; the main cabin windows are borderline oversized, so judge whether storm shutters were fitted.
Buyer's Takeaway
When viewing a used Pearson Triton, know that West Coast Aeromarine examples are all plastic versus East Coast wooden trim, which helps confirm origin. Early hulls carried side-opening seat lockers dangerous unless sealed tight, so verify the lids seal. Single lower shrouds before hull #120 were inadequate, so confirm double lowers and sound the tangs. The deck-stepped mast can cave on weak beams, so press the cabin top and ask about reinforcement. Internal-ballast boats show voids in the cavity, so have a surveyor sound it. Check the bronze rudder shoe for electrolysis and the mahogany blade for haul-out cracks. Smell for a wet bilge that rots sole beams, and judge whether storm shutters guard the large windows.
- Confirm double lower shrouds and sound the rigging tangs
- Press the deck around the mast for caving and voids
- Check the rudder shoe for electrolysis and the blade for cracks
- Probe sole beams for rot from a wet bilge
- Verify storm shutters on the large main cabin windows
Comparable models
Similar length, displacement, and era. Open a row to compare that model's market page.
Similar boats to compare
6 similar designs| Model | LOA | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson 35 | 35' | $ 17,000 | 19 | 10 |
| Pearson 34 | 33.79' | $ 22,500 | 15 | 5 |
| Pearson 33 | 32.92' | $ 19,000 | 11 | 6 |
| Pearson 31 | 31' | $ 16,900 | 10 | 7 |
| Pearson 26 | 26.12' | $ 6,750 | 8 | 1 |
| Pearson Vanguard 33 | 32.58' | $ 8,500 | 3 | 2 |