Description
The Pearson 36 Cutter (also known as the Pearson 367) is a heavy-displacement fiberglass bluewater cruiser designed by William H. "Bill" Shaw for Pearson Yachts, produced from 1981 to 1982 as a response to renewed interest in traditional cutter rigs for their ease of handling and balance in heavy weather. Featuring a fin keel with skeg-hung rudder for protected steering, a wide beam for interior volume, and a split sail plan (inner staysail, yankee jib, and mainsail) optimized for shorthanded sailing, it emphasizes seaworthiness and liveaboard comfort while sleeping up to seven in a well-appointed layout. Powered by a robust 44 hp Westerbeke diesel and built with hand-laid solid fiberglass hulls (balsa-cored decks), it was priced around $60,000 new, appealing to coastal and offshore cruisers seeking a "particular joy" in simplicity over speed.
Bill Shaw, Pearson's longtime in-house designer, created the 36 Cutter in 1980 to leverage the resurgence of cutter configurations amid evolving offshore preferences, drawing on his experience with earlier models like the Pearson 365 for a hull that prioritized stability and sail-handling ease during prototype testing that summer. Built exclusively at Pearson Yachts' Portsmouth, Rhode Island facility under Grumman Allied Industries, production was limited to 1981–1982 with an estimated 20–30 units, reflecting a niche focus before the company's later shifts; hand-laid construction ensured exceptional durability, with resources like owners' manuals and parts catalogs still available via the Pearson Yacht Owners Portal. No variants beyond the cutter rig were offered, distinguishing it from the earlier Pearson 36 sloop (1972–1976) and the subsequent 36-2 (1985–1990), though it shares Shaw's signature blend of performance and practicality.
