Pearson Invicta (sloop rig)
Description
The Pearson Invicta sloop was a pioneering fiberglass ocean racer designed by William H. "Bill" Tripp Jr. and produced from 1961 to 1964 by Pearson Yachts as a masthead sloop (with a yawl option) emphasizing lightweight speed and seaworthiness in a keel/centerboard hull for versatile draft. At 38 ft LOA with a low-displacement form (11,500 lb), it featured a generous sail plan for light-air prowess, skeg-hung rudder for protection, and basic accommodations for four to six, powered by an optional outboard or small inboard. Priced around $20,000 new, it marked a breakthrough as the first production fiberglass sailboat to win the Newport to Bermuda Race in 1964 (Invicta sloop, first in Class E, second overall corrected), proving composites' viability against wood fleets. Tripp, a Sparkman & Stephens alum, tank-tested the Invicta hull at Stevens Institute in 1960 for optimal hydrodynamics under early IOR/CCA rules, creating a "light-air flyer" with fine ends and a wide beam for stability. Debuting in 1961 from Pearson's Portsmouth, Rhode Island yard (Grumman-owned), the sloop was the primary rig (~20-25 units total across variants), with the yawl added for balanced heavy-weather handling; production ended in 1964 after ~28-40 hulls, evolving into the refined Invicta II (extended coach roof). The sloop Invicta 's Bermuda triumph and SORC successes (e.g., 1963 Halifax Race) fueled demand, influencing Tripp's later designs like the Bermuda 40; today, survivors are rarities via the Pearson Yachts Owners Portal.
Construction Details
| Designer | William H. Tripp Jr. |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pearson Yachts |
| Length | 38.000 ft |
| LOA | 38.000 ft |
| LWL | 25.000 ft |
| Beam | 10.500 ft |
| Displacement | 11500 lb |
| Ballast | 4500 lb |
| Max Draft | 8.500 ft |
| Min Draft | 4.500 ft |
| Year Built | 1961 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 40.83 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 15.12 ft |
| p | 35.67 ft |
| e | 16.58 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40.83 ft | 15.12 ft | 35.67 ft | 16.58 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Pearson Invicta (sloop rig) - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 35.67 ft - (10872 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 16.58 ft - (5054 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.52 ft - (11741 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 38.81 ft - (11829 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 6 in - (152 mm) |
| Area | * 303.4 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Invicta (sloop rig) - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 34.83 ft - (10616 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 20.58 ft - (6273 mm) |
| Leech | * 29.5 ft - (8992 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 115.01 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 17.39 ft - (5300 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 12 ° |
| Area | * 302.88 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Invicta (sloop rig) - GENOA
| Luff | * 41.36 ft - (12607 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 24.89 ft - (7586 mm) |
| Leech | * 38.5 ft - (11735 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 22.68 ft - (6913 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4 ° |
| Area | * 469.05 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Invicta (sloop rig) - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 41.36 ft - (12607 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 27.22 ft - (8297 mm) |
| Foot | * 27.22 ft - (8297 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 957 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.