Pearson Lark
Description
The Pearson Lark (also known as the Lark 24) is a compact, trailerable fiberglass cruiser designed for weekend sailing, coastal cruising, and light racing. As an early entry in Pearson's lineup, it features a masthead sloop rig on a modified long keel hull, offering a balance of stability, spaciousness, and ease of trailering (under 5,000 lb loaded). With a flush deck for low windage and roomy belowdecks accommodations, it's ideal for couples or small families seeking a "compact powerhouse" without the complexity of larger boats—truly a "lark" for relaxed adventures. Designed by William H. Shaw and introduced in 1966 by Pearson Yachts in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, the Lark was envisioned as a practical, volume-efficient cruiser amid the growing demand for trailerable designs. Production lasted until 1968, with 67 units built—low volume attributed to shifting buyer preferences toward traditional cabin-top designs over the Lark's innovative flush deck, as noted by Shaw in a 1985 interview. It served as a precursor to the more popular Pearson 24 (1967), which adopted a raised deck for broader appeal. An active class association, the Pearson Yachts Portal, supports owners today, fostering events and restorations.
Construction Details
| Designer | William H. "Bill" Shaw |
|---|---|
| Builder | Pearson Yachts |
| Length | 24.000 ft |
| LOA | 24.000 ft |
| LWL | 18.500 ft |
| Beam | 8.000 ft |
| Displacement | 4300 lb |
| Ballast | 1800 lb |
| Max Draft | 4.000 ft |
| Year Built | 1966 |
The standard boat dimensions
| i | 29.25 ft |
|---|---|
| j | 9.50 ft |
| p | 25.75 ft |
| e | 11.16 ft |
| p2 | - |
| e2 | - |
| i2 | - |
| j2 | - |
| I | J | P | E | P2 | E2 | I2 | J2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29.25 ft | 9.50 ft | 25.75 ft | 11.16 ft | - | - | - | - |
Sails
Pearson Lark - MAINSAIL
| Luff | * 25.75 ft - (7849 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 11.16 ft - (3402 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.45 ft - (8367 mm) |
| Tack Angle | * 88 ° |
| Diagonal | * 27.7 ft - (8443 mm) |
| Head (inches) | * 5.25 in - (133 mm) |
| Area | * 148.55 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Lark - JIBSAIL
| Luff | * 24.6 ft - (7498 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 12.61 ft - (3844 mm) |
| Leech | * 21.31 ft - (6495 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 114.95 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 10.92 ft - (3328 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 11.99 ° |
| Area | * 134.34 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Lark - GENOA
| Luff | * 29.22 ft - (8906 mm) |
|---|---|
| Foot | * 15.37 ft - (4685 mm) |
| Leech | * 27.45 ft - (8367 mm) |
| Percentage LP | * 150 % |
| Length Perpendicular | * 14.25 ft - (4343 mm) |
| Deck Angle | * 4.01 ° |
| Area | * 208.2 ft² |
| Edit in Calculator | |
Pearson Lark - SPINNAKER
| Stays | * 29.22 ft - (8906 mm) |
|---|---|
| MidGirth | * 17.1 ft - (5212 mm) |
| Foot | * 17.1 ft - (5212 mm) |
| Perc LP | * 180 % |
| Area | * 425 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.