Pearson 37

Description

The Pearson 37 is a performance-oriented fiberglass racer-cruiser designed by William H. "Bill" Shaw for Pearson Yachts, produced from 1982 to 1986 as a masthead sloop blending IOR racing rules with family cruising amenities in a sleek, low-profile hull. Featuring a fin keel with spade rudder for agile handling and a generous sail plan for upwind speed, it prioritizes dual-purpose versatility—racing under PHRF or IOR while offering a spacious interior sleeping seven with over 6 ft headroom, powered by a reliable Universal diesel. With its moderate displacement and conservative construction, the 37 was priced around $50,000 new, appealing to sailors seeking a "state-of-the-art" boat that transitions seamlessly from the starting line to the anchorage. Bill Shaw, Pearson's in-house designer since 1964, crafted the 37 in 1981 amid the IOR era's push for hydrodynamically efficient hulls, drawing on his experience with models like the Pearson 36 to create a 37-footer rated at 28.5 under IOR for offshore racing eligibility while doubling as a coastal cruiser. Debuting at major boat shows in 1982, it was hand-laid with solid fiberglass hulls and balsa-cored decks at Pearson's Portsmouth, Rhode Island facility under Grumman Allied Industries, emphasizing a 30% safety margin on loads for durability. Production totaled 42–43 units before cessation in 1986, as Pearson shifted focus; a follow-on Pearson 37-2 (1988–1991, ~50 units) adopted a beamier, shoal-draft hull for pure cruising. The original 37 won Boat of the Year twice in the Gulf of Maine series, marking it as a benchmark in the racer-cruiser transition.