Description
The Pearson 419 Sloop is a center-cockpit cruising sailboat engineered for charter operations and family bluewater voyages, delivering ample interior volume, stability, and ease of handling in a 41-foot hull. As the sloop-rigged version of the more common ketch 419, it features a single masthead rig with a large genoa for straightforward power and tacking, ideal for short-handed coastal or offshore sailing. Sharing its hull with the aft-cockpit Pearson 424, it emphasizes privacy with a separated aft stateroom and secure raised cockpit. Owners highlight its forgiving motion in beam seas, teak-rich accommodations for 6-7, and robust construction, though its modest sail area suits moderate winds over high-performance racing. At nearly 50 years old, it's a solid value for upgrades, blending Pearson's charter heritage with enduring seaworthiness.
Designed by William H. Shaw in 1974, the Pearson 419 debuted in 1975 as a center-cockpit response to the growing charter market, specifically targeting competition with models like the Morgan Out Island 41 for Bahamas and Caribbean fleets. Shaw, Pearson's lead designer during the 1970s, optimized it for durability and low-maintenance operation in tropical environments, evolving from the earlier Pearson 390. Built by Pearson Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, production was brief—from 1975 to 1976—yielding an estimated 20-25 hulls total (most as ketches for divided sail handling in trade winds; sloops were a less common option for lighter-air regions). The short run stemmed from shifting market preferences toward aft-cockpit designs like the 424. Today, the Pearson Yachts Owners Portal (pearsonyachts.org) and forums like Cruisers Forum provide vital support, with survivors often boasting circumnavigations or extended charters.
