Pearson 39-2
Description
The Pearson 39-2 is a performance-oriented fiberglass cruiser-racer that succeeds the original Pearson 39, offering contemporary styling, responsive handling, and spacious accommodations for family cruising or club racing. With a fin keel (or optional centerboard/wing keel) and masthead sloop rig, it balances speed in light-to-moderate winds with ease of short-handed operation, thanks to cockpit-led controls and a balanced helm. Built with Pearson's signature solid construction, it's praised for its value retention and versatility—suitable for coastal hops or extended passages, often called a "predator" for its sleek, aggressive lines. Introduced in 1986 by Pearson Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the 39-2 was designed by William H. Shaw as a modern evolution of the 1970-1977 Pearson 39, incorporating updated hull shaping, interior refinements, and performance tweaks for the 1980s market. Production ran until 1991, with around 40-50 units built, followed by a brief 1997 revival under Cal-Pearson Corp. before the brand's final hiatus. It addressed feedback from the original by improving power (e.g., Yanmar diesel standard) and layout efficiency, emphasizing a "contemporary performance cruiser" amid growing demand for agile, comfortable boats. Pearson ceased operations in 1991, but the 39-2's solid build and sailing qualities maintain its popularity on the used market.
Construction Details
| Designer | William H. "Bill" Shaw |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pearson Yachts |
| Length | 39.000 ft |
| LOA | 39.250 ft |
| LWL | 30.000 ft |
| Beam | 11.670 ft |
| Displacement | 17000 lb |
| Max Draft | 8.880 ft |
| Min Draft | 4.640 ft |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 52.25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 16.25 ft |
| p | 45.25 ft |
| e | 14 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 52.25 ft | 16.25 ft | 45.25 ft | 14 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Pearson 39-2 - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 45.25 ft - (13792 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 14 ft - (4267 mm) |
| Leech | * 46.63 ft - (14213 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 46.9 ft - (14295 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 326.4 ft² |
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Pearson 39-2 - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 43.77 ft - (13341 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 21.43 ft - (6532 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.17 ft - (11634 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.02 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 18.69 ft - (5697 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12.03 ° |
| Area | * 408.99 ft² |
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Pearson 39-2 - GENOA
| Luff | * 51.98 ft - (15844 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 26.16 ft - (7974 mm) |
| Leech | * 48.99 ft - (14932 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150.03 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 24.38 ft - (7431 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 3.99 ° |
| Area | * 633.62 ft² |
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Pearson 39-2 - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 51.98 ft - (15844 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 29.25 ft - (8915 mm) |
| Foot | * 29.25 ft - (8915 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 1292 ft² |
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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.