Pearson 26 One Design
Description
The Pearson 26 One Design is a fiberglass daysailer and racer optimized for one-design club racing, with versatility for weekend cruising and day sails. As a performance-oriented variant of the original Pearson 26, it features a sleek, low-profile deck, expanded cockpit, and inboard shrouds for tighter sheeting angles, balancing speed with simplicity. Its fin keel and spade rudder provide responsive handling, while the lightweight build and moderate sail plan make it accessible for solo or small crews—ideal for racers seeking a forgiving yet competitive platform without full-cruiser amenities. Designed by William (Bill) Shaw and introduced in 1978 by Pearson Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the 26 One Design evolved from the popular Pearson 26 (1970–1980), which sold over 700 units as a family cruiser. Shaw adapted the proven hull by redesigning the deck—shortening the coach roof, eliminating the bridge deck for a larger cockpit, and shifting shrouds inboard—to create a dedicated racer/weekender. Initially called the Pearson 26W (Weekender) in 1975–1976, production resumed under the "One Design" name from 1978 to 1983, with around 300 built across variants. It targeted the growing one-design market, competing in PHRF fleets while retaining the original's seaworthiness. Pearson's closure in 1991 ended the line, but active fleets persist through owner associations.
Construction Details
| Designer | William H. "Bill" Shaw |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pearson Yachts |
| Length | 26.170 ft |
| LOA | 26.170 ft |
| LWL | 21.670 ft |
| Beam | 8.670 ft |
| Displacement | 5200 lb |
| Ballast | 2200 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.000 ft |
| Year Built | 1978 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 31.50 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 11.61 ft |
| p | 27.50 ft |
| e | 10 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31.50 ft | 11.61 ft | 27.50 ft | 10 ft | - | - | - | - |
Documents
Sails
Pearson 26 One Design - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 27.5 ft - (8382 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 10 ft - (3048 mm) |
| Leech | * 28.72 ft - (8754 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 28.93 ft - (8818 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 4.5 in - (114 mm) |
| Area | * 141.9 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson 26 One Design - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 26.86 ft - (8187 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.78 ft - (4810 mm) |
| Leech | * 22.77 ft - (6940 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.99 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 13.35 ft - (4069 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.99 ° |
| Area | * 179.29 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson 26 One Design - GENOA
| Luff | 31.5 ft - (9601 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 17.083 ft - (5207 mm) |
| Leech | 29.25 ft - (8915 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 134.97 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 15.67 ft - (4776 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.23 ° |
| Area | * 246.81 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson 26 One Design - GENOA
| Luff | 31.92 ft - (9729 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | 19.083 ft - (5816 mm) |
| Leech | 29.75 ft - (9068 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.04 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.42 ft - (5310 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.9 ° |
| Area | * 277.96 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson 26 One Design - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 31.89 ft - (9720 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 20.9 ft - (6370 mm) |
| Foot | * 20.9 ft - (6370 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 567 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Disclaimer. Boats are not all the same -- even when produced in the same factory of the same model. Sailrite does its best to publish accurate dimensions, but we often find it worthwhile to have our customers measure their boats carefully before we produce kits for them. You should take the same precautions, especially when the data is not from Sailrite. The information on this site is not guaranteed to be accurate. Sailrite offers this content as a service to our community, but takes no responsibility for the reliability of the data provided.